Enclosure 1.
THE MINES OF TONQUIN. The attitude adopted by the Chinese Government in reference to the Tonquin question was at first quite inexplicable to lookers-on. It seemed so unlikely that they would run the risk of a war with a first-class European Power for the sake of a shadowy advantage like the suzerainty over Annam, which they had practically allowed to lapse when the Treaty of 1874 between King Tu Duc and the French Republic was signed, that no one believed they were really in earnest. When, however, they began to evince a determination to give the French trouble, and, by supporting the Black Flags, to show they at least intended to hinder the French occupation of Tonquin if possible, it was then supposed that they were animated by a dread of having France for an immediate neighbour. It was only when, after protracted and resultless negotiations, the Peking Government proposed a partition of Annam, by which Tonquin proper was to be annexed to China, while France was to incorporate Annam with her colony of Cochin-China, that one of the leading, if not the primary, motives actuating Chinese Ministers became apparent. The truth is that the delta of the Songkoi is a rich granary, from which a vast supply of rice can be secured, and the upper provinces of Tonquin contain valuable mines which have never yet been properly worked, but which may probably be made to yield great wealth. The Chinese Government dislike the idea of this rich country passing into the possession, or falling under the rule, of any Western power, more especially as the mines in Tonquin have hitherto been almost exclusively worked by Chinese, and most of the outturn has doubtless found its way to the Celestial Empire.
From an article on Annam and its Mineral Currency by Mr. ED. Tona, read before the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in December, 1881, and since published in the Journal of the Society, we learn that the working of mines in the kingdom of Annam was first begun when the country was temporarily overrun by Chinese troops during the Ngo Dynasty. Moreover, at a much later period, during the occupation of Annam by the Chinese under the Ming Dynasty in 1414, the Annamites were compelled to work the gold and silver mines without pay, and the metal extracted was sent to China as an indemnity for war expenses. In 1708, the reigning sovereign, King Du-Tong, gave permission to private individuals to work mines in Annam, and he established a scale of royalties, which was adhered to from that time. Such was the apathy of the natives, however, that the Chinese were the only persons who availed themselves of the permission to work the mines, and they appear to have been so numerous that King Du-Tong, anxious to avoid any disturbance by too large a gathering of turbulent miners in one spot, gave orders that the Chinese working in each mine should be limited to three hundred, and that they should be placed under the supervision of Government officials. Ever since that time, the mines in Annam have been worked solely by Chinese, who must have made considerable profits therefrom, in evidence of which Mr. Tona relates that the mandarins of Tonquin complained quite recently that the country was being ruined by the exportation to China of all the gold and silver obtained from the mines. Nearly all the mines are situated in the mountainous districts of Tonquin, but there is one gold mine in the province of Bac-ninh; Annam proper is poor in metals, and the soil is also sandy and unproductive. The poverty of Annam renders it of little or no value to the French, who naturally declined without a moment's hesitation the proposal of the Peking Government that they should indemnify themselves for the expenses of their military operations in Tonquin by the annexation of Annam proper. The prize of victory unquestionably lies in the north of Cochin-China, and the French are well aware of the fact. They may not possess as full particulars of the Tonquinese mines as the Chinese, but they are quite alive to their existence and doubtless intend to work them.
According to the list made by Mr. TODA, there are gold mines in the following places in Tonquin:- At Moi-phong-hang in the province of Bac-ninh; at Thuong-mang-moi, Kim-him-oi, Boobang-mai, and Sung-moc-moi, province of Thai-nguyen; at Na-ap-noi and Xuan-duong-moi, province of Lang-son; at Thing-ba-mai, Ha-ba-moi, Thanh-da-moi, and Phu-an-moi, province of Cao-bang; at Dich-hop-moi and Bang-tang-moi, province of Hung-hoa; and at Niem-son-moi, Ngaoc-lien-moi, Linh-ho-moi, and Tien-hieu-moi, in the province of Tuyen-quang. Those mines all made an annual payment to the Government varying, according to their productiveness, we imagine, from four to twenty ounces of gold. The mines in Thai-nguyen province made the largest payments and are presumably the richest. The silver mines, with one exception - at Nam-dang-moi in the province of Tuyen-quang - are all situated in the province of Thai-nguyen, and are five in number. The richest, at Tien-son-moi, made an annual payment to the Government of four hundred ounces of the metal. The copper mines are as follows:- One at Lao-xong-moi and one at Du-dang-moi, province of Hung-hoa; the former paying a royalty of three hundred, and the latter of four hundred pounds of copper per annum. Another mine at Linh-than-moi, province of Son-tay, paid annually to the Government three hundred pounds of metal. The chief mine, however, is that at Tu-long-moi in Tuyen-quang province, which yields both silver and copper, and in such considerable quantities that it made an annual payment of eighty ounces of the former and twelve thousand pounds of the latter metal. There are some tin mines at Guach-nbo-moi, in Thai-nguyen province, and these must have yielded fairly well, for the royalty paid is fixed at six hundred pounds of tin per annum. As yet, the mines in Tonquin have been worked with only very primitive appliances, and it may therefore reasonably be surmised that they could, with European machinery, be made to yield far different results. That the precious metals were at one time very plentiful in Tonquin may be inferred from the statement in the Annals of Annam that in King DAI-HANH's palace, the throne room was fitted up with gold and silver, and that the roof of a pavilion was composed of silver tiles. The savage tribes inhabiting the mountains on the Tonquin frontier are said, from a very long period, to have been in the habit of working mines and bringing down to the Annamite markets considerable quantities of gold, silver, iron, and lead to exchange for different articles. The mines have never yet, we believe, been thoroughly examined by any European expert, nor has the mountainous region forming the northern provinces of Tonquin been explored by foreigners. Until that has been done, no reliable estimate can be given of the value or extent of the mineral resources of the country, but there is, it will be admitted, sufficient evidence - native and Chinese - to show that gold, silver, copper, and tin all exist in Tonquin, and that all probabilities are in favour of the mines proving highly productive in the hands of experienced European miners.
Enclosure 1.
THE MINES OF TONQUIN. The attitude adoptel by the Chinese Go-J ve sentia reference to the Tonquin question was at first quite inexplicable to lookers-on.¡ It seemed so unlikely that they would run the risk of a war with a first class European Power for the sake of a shadowy advantage like the suzerainty over Annam, which they had practically allowed to lapse when the Treaty of 1874 hetween King Tu Duo and the French Republic was signed, that no ono believed they were really in earnest.. When, however, they began to evince a de. termination to give the French trouble, and, by supporting the Black Flags, to show they at least intended to hinder the French oc- cupation of Touquin if possible, it was then supposed that they were animated by a dread of having France for an immediate neighbour. It was only when, after protracted and re-
■ultless negotiations, the Peking Government proposed a partition of Aunam, by which! Tonquin proper was to be annexed to China, while France was to incorporate Annam with her colony of Cochin-Chína, that one of the leading if not the primary-motives actuat- | ing Chinese Ministers became apparent. The truth is that the delta of the Songkol is a rich granary, from which a vast supply of rice can be secured, and the upper provinces of Ton. quin contain valuable mines which have never yet been properly worked, but which may probably be made to yield great wealth. The Chinese Government dislike the idea of this rich country passing into the possession, or falling under the rule, of Any Western power, more especially as the mines in Tonquin have hitherto been al most exclusively worked by Chinese, and most of the outturn has doubtless found its way to the Celestial Empire.
From an article on Annam and its Minor Currency by Mr. ED. Tona, read before the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic So- fciety in December, 1881, and since published in the Journal of the Society, we learn that the working of mines in the kingdom of Annam was first begun when the country was temporarily overrun by Chinese troops during the Ngo Dynasty. Moreover, at a much later period, during the occupa tion of Annam by the Chinese under the Ming Dynasty in 1414, tha Annamites were compelled to work the gold and silver mines without pay, and the metal extracted was sent to China as an indemnity for war ex- penses, In 1708 the reigning sovereign, King Du-Toxo, gave permission to private in- | dividuals to work mines in Aunam, and he established a scale of royalties, which was adhered to from that time. Such was the apathy of the natives, however, that the Chinese were the only persons who availed themselves of the permission to work the mines, and they appear to have been so numerous that King Du-TONG, anxious to avoid
any disturbance by too large gathering of turbulent miners one spot, gave orders that the Chinese working in each mine should be limited to three hundred, and that they should! be placed under the supervision of Govern- ment officials. Ever since that time the mines in Aunam have been worked solely by Chinese, who must have made considerable profits therefrom, in evidence of which Mr. Topa relates that the mandarins of Touquín complained quite recently that the country was being ruined by the exportation to China of all the gold aut silver obtained from the mines. Nearly all the mines are situated in the mountainous districts of Tonquio, bat there is oue gold mine in the province of Bac-ninh; Annam proper is poor in
in
metals
C 0.
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metals, and the soil is also sandy and un- productive. The poverty of Annpm redders it of little or no value to the French, who naturally declined without a mon£0 EB 24 hesitation the proposal of the Peking Go. vernment that they should indemuify then- selves for the expenses of their military operations in Touquin by the annexation of Annam proper. The prize of victory un- questionably lies in the north of Cochin- China, and the French are well aware of the fact. They may not possess as full parti- culars of the Tonquinese mines as Chinese, but they are quite alive to their existence and doubtless intend to work them.
According to the list wade by Mr. TODA there are gold mines in the fol lowing places in Tonquin :-At Moi-phong- hang in the province of Bac-ninh; at Thuang- mang-moi, Kim-himoi, Boobang-mai, and Sung-moc-moi, province of Thai-nguyen; at Na-ap-noi and Xuan duong moi, pro vice of Lang-son; at Thing ba mai, Ha- ba-moi, Thanh đa mọi, and Phu-an-moi, province of Cao-bang; at Dich-hop-moi and Bang,tang-moi, province of Hung-hoa; and at Niem-son-moi, Ngaoc-lien-moi, Linb-ho-moi, and Tien-hieu roi, in province of Tuyen- quang. Those mines all made an annual pay- ment to the Government varying-according to their productiveness, we imagine--from four to twenty ounces of gold. The mines in Thai-nguyen province nade the largest payments and are presumably the richest. The silver mines, with one exception-at Nam dang-moi in province Thyen quang- are all situated in the province of Chai- nguyen, and are five in number. The richest at Tien-son-moi made an annual payment to the Government of four hundred ounces of the matal. The copper mines are as fol low:-One at Lao-xong-moi and one at Du-dang-moi, province of Hung-hoa; the former paying royalty of three hundred, and the latter of four hundred pounds of copper per annum. Another mine at Linb-than- moi, province of Sontag, paid annually to Government three hundred pounds of metal. The chief mine, however, is that at Tulong moi in Tuyen quang province. which yields both silver and copper, and in such considerable quantities that made an anual payment of eighty ounces of the former and twelve thousand pounds of the latter metal. There are some tin mines at Guach-nbo-moi, in Thai-nguyen province, and theso must have yielded fairly well, for the royalty paid is fixed at six lan- | dred pounds of tin per annum. As yet the wines in Tonquin bave been worked with only very primitiva appliances, and it may therefore reasonably be surmised that they could, with European machinery, be made to yield far different results. That the precious metals were at one time very plenti- ful ia Tonquin may be inferred from the statement in the Annals of Annam that in King DAI-HANH's palace the throne room was fitted up with gold and silver, and that the roof of a pavilion was composed of silver tiles. The savage tribes inhabiting the moun- tains on the Tonquin frontier are said from a very long period to have been in the habit of working mines and bringing down to the Annamite markets considerable quantities of gold, silver, iron, and lead to exchange for different articles. The miues have never yet, we believe, heen thoroughly examined by any European expert, nor has the moun tainous region forming the northern provinces of Tonquin been explored by foreigners. Until that has been done no reliable estimate can be given of the value or extent of the Bineral resources of the country, but there is, it will be admitted, sufficient evidence-- native and Chinese-to show that gold, silver, copper, and tin, all exist in Tonquin, and that all probabilities are in favour of the mines proving highly productive in the hands of experienced European miners.
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