Enclosure
285
Report of the Special Correspondent in Tonquin
of the "China Mail" of Hongkong.
(1.)
THE PENDING MILITARY OPERATIONS IN TONQUIN.
(From our Special Correspondent).
[Per S. S. Actir.]
Haiphong, June 30th.
In my last letter, which was forwarded to you per S. S. Namrian, I promised to give, in my next, some description of Haiphong, thinking it might be of some interest to those among your readers who were unacquainted with the place.
The river Cua-cam, which forms the port of Haiphong, communicates direct with the Song-koi, the main artery of Tonquin, and is in fact the only channel by which sea-going vessels can obtain access to that important water-way. In addition to this river, a creek called the Song Tam Bao, 100 feet in width, intersects the town at right angles with the main stream. With but few exceptions, all the European residences and offices are situated on the south-east or right bank of the creek, and southern side of the river, in the angle between the two. Not much system seems to have been observed in laying out the place. It looks as if it had grown entirely at its own discretion. The roadways are in quite an embryo condition, the chief thoroughfare being a street which runs parallel with the creek, and which is, for the greater part of its length, occupied by native houses constructed of wood and bamboos.
There are, however, scattered about the neighbourhood of the river banks, some very neat and substantial foreign buildings, amongst which the French Consulate, the Barracks, and Mr. Constantine's establishment are conspicuous. A little further back from the river, there are a number of pretty cottage residences and bungalows, but I understand that there are no houses at present to let in the place, all available buildings being taken up at once for the use of the troops.
The hotel is a cool and pleasant summer residence, but not of sufficient size to accommodate many visitors, if required, which is seldom the case. The cuisine, of course à la Française, provided by the enterprising proprietor, is excellent, and there is a delightful lounge in the garden at the back of the house under a matted roof, open at the sides, and overgrown with creeping plants of various kinds.
A very short walk takes one directly from the busiest part of the town into the fields around, in which are cultivated rice and vegetables, and which are thickly interspersed with villages surrounded by groves of areca palms, from which are obtained the inevitable betel-nuts. The water buffalo is used in the fields for ploughing, but there is also a small and handsome kind of cattle raised in the country. These cattle are being bought up in the surrounding districts for commissariat use, and recently several of the native agents employed in obtaining a supply of bullocks have been detained by the petty mandarins in the neighbourhood, and are in considerable danger of losing their heads.
(2)
The market of Haiphong is of considerable size, and an ample supply of fowls and other poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit is always to be obtained there at most reasonable prices. The eggs and fowls are vastly superior to those sold in Hongkong, and the bananas are the finest I have seen in the East. Mutton is unobtainable here, save what is brought occasionally by the steamers from Hongkong, as sheep do not thrive at all well; their place is supplied by goats, of which there are plenty in the neighbourhood.
The Tonquinese appear to be a docile and tractable race of people, who only desire to be let alone and to be safe from the rapacious and cruel grasp of the mandarins, who grind out of them all they are possessed of and finish up, on the smallest provocation, with taking their lives. The tyranny exercised by the Annamite officials over the Tonquinese is described as being far harder and as being carried on to a much greater extent than that shown by the mandarins of China, and there is no doubt that the rule of the French will be welcomed in the country as soon as they are in a position to offer the natives complete security against the persecutions of their Annamite rulers.
One of these petty mandarins has until recently been established at Haiphong, flying his country's flag from his Yamén in the centre of the town. A few days since, he got notice from the French Resident to leave the place, and this he did on the 28th. The natives here became alarmed at his going away, not knowing the cause, and it was reported amongst them that his departure would be followed by an attack on Haiphong during the following night. However, the night passed safely without any alarm.
In physique, the Tonquinose are decidedly inferior to the average Chinese, and the women of the labouring class, although well-formed and upright in carriage, soon become decrepit in appearance owing to the amount of hard work which they perform, most of the field and coolie labour falling to their share. Some of the girls belonging to the well-to-do classes are rather good-looking, but nearly all are disfigured by the teeth and gums being blackened by betel-nut chewing, which would appear to be an almost universal habit amongst the natives.
There are a great number of beggars to be met with, both male and female; halt, blind, cripples, and sufferers from all the ills that flesh is heir to seem to crowd into Haiphong from the villages around to obtain the means of subsistence.
There are no available statistics obtainable which give any reliable estimate of the population of Haiphong.
Enclosure
285
Report of the Special correspondent in Tonquin
of the "China Mail" of Hongkong.
(1.)
THE PENDING MILITARY OPERA-
TIONS IN TONQUIN.
(From our Special Correspondent).
[Per S. S. Actir.]
Haiphong, June 30th.
In my last letter, which was forwarded to you per S. S. Namrian, I promised to give, in my next, some description of Hai- phong, thinking it might be of some interest to those among your readers who were unacquainted with the place.
The river Cua-cam, which forms the port of Haiphong, communicates direct with the Song-koi, the main artery of Ton- quin, and is in fact the only channel by which sea-going vessela can obtain access to that important water-way. In addition to this river a creek called the Song Tam Bao, 100 feet in width, intersects the town at right angles with the main stream. With but few exceptions, all the European residences and offices are situated ou the south east or right bank of the creek, and southern side of the river, in the angle between the two. Not much system seems to have been ob- served in laying out the place. It looks as if it had grown entirely at its own discre- tion. The roadways are in quite an embryo condition, the chief thoroughfare being a street which runs parallel with the creek, and which is, for the greater part of its length, occupied by native houses constructed of wood and bamboos. There are, however, scattered about the neighbourhood of the | river banks, some very neat and substantial foreign buildings, amongst which the French Consulate, the Barracks and Mr Constan- tine's establishment are conspicuous. A little further back from the river there are a number of pretty cottage residences and bungalows, but I understand that there are no houses at present to let in the place, all available buildings being taken up at once for the use of the troops. The hotel is a cool and pleasant summer residence, but not of sufficient size to accommodate many visitors, if required, which is seldom the URSE. The cuisine, of course à la Française. provided by the enterprising proprietor, is excellent, and there is a delightful lounge in the garden at the back of the house un- der a matted roof, open at the sides, and overgrown with creeping plants of various kinds. A very short walk takes one direct- ly from the busiest part of the town into the fields around, in which are cultivated rice and vegetables, and which are thickly interspersed with villages surrounded by groves of areca palms, from which are obtained the inevitable betel-nuts. The water buffalo is used in the fields for ploughing, but there is also a small and handsome kind of cattle raised in the country. These cattle are being bought up in the surrounding districts for compuis- 'sariat use, and recently several of the native agents employed in obtaining a supply of
bullock
(2)
bullocks have been detained by the petty mandarins in the neighbourhood, and are in considerable danger of losing their heads. The market of Haiphong is of cou- siderable size, and an ample supply of fowls and other poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit is always to be obtained there at must reasonable prices. The eggs and fowls are vastly superior to those sold in Hongkong, and the bananas are the finest I have seen in the East. Mutton is unob tainable hero, save what is brought occa- sionally by the steamers from Hongkong, as sheep do not thrive at all well; their place is supplied by goats, of which there are plenty in the neighbourhood.
Reenis
The Tonquinese appear to be a docile and tractable race of people, who only desire to be let alone and to be safe from the rapacious and cruel grasp of the man- darins, who grind out of them all they are possessed of and finish up on the smallest provocation with taking their lives. The tyranny exercised by the Annamite officials over the Touquinese is described as being far harder and as being carried on to a much greater extent than that shown by the mandarins of China, and there no doubt that the rule of the French will be welcomed in the country as soon as they are in a position to offer the natives complete security against the per- secutions of their Annasuite rulers. One of these petty mandarins has until recently been established at Haiphong, flying his country's flag from his Yamén in the centre of the town. A few days since he I got notice from the French Resident to leave the place and this he did on the 28th. The natives here became alarmed at his going away, not knowing the cause, and it was reported amongst them that his departure would be followed by an attack on Haiphong during the following night. However the night passed safely without any alarm. In physique, the Tonquinose are decidedly inferior to the average Chi-; nese, and the women of the labouring class, although well-formed and upright in car- riage, soon become decrepit in appearance owing to the amount of hard work which they perform, most of the field and coolie labour falling to their share. Some
of the girls belonging to the well-to-do classes are rather good-looking, but nearly all are disfigured by the teeth and gums being blackened by betel-nut chewing, which would appear to be an almost universal habit amongst the natives. There are a great number of beg- gars to be met with, both male and female; halt, blind, cripples, and sufferers from all the ills that flesh is heir to seem to crowd into Haiphong from the villages around to obtain the means of subsistence.
There are
no available statistics obtainable which give
any reliable estimate of the population of
Haiphong
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