Enclosure:
THE FRENCH PROTECTORATE IN
TONQUIN.
The wire briefly informs us that France has concluded a treaty with Annam. This is om- phatically vague and might even be considered unsatisfactory, if it were not that it is tolerably easy, under present circumstances, to forecast what the main lines of the document are. The Franch have no doubt simply written down all they wanted and the young King, Kien-Phuc, and his ministors have meekly signed the paper and considered themselves reasonably well treated in having even so small a say in the matter. The fragmentary and erratic treaty which Dr. Harmand concluded last August doubtless but very imperfectly represents the new paper. The right to establish Custom houses in a few named towns therein stipulated for is now probably expanded to a complete liberty to establish such buildings wherever the protectors may please, now or at any future time. It is not at all improbable that a cheap show of generosity will be made in the retrocession of the province of Binh-Thuan to Annam! This district, the ancient Ziampa of Marco Polo, would be of no pecuniary advantage to the French. On the contrary, it would probably make Cochin- China budgets eveu more unsatisfactory reading than they are at prosent. By the simple process of returning the province France will be able to lay claim to magnanimity and at the same time will save a great deal of money. Instead of ad- ministering Binh Thuan at her own cost France will simply send the same number of Residents thither as she would otherwise have done and will make Aunanese revenues pay for them.
The proceedings of France in the south are, however, not of so much interest to Hongkong as the possibilities in Tonquin. There undoubtedly the Republic will extend her protecting in- fluence to the utmost. Residents will be settled in all the towns of the slightest importance, and the country will be as undistinguishable from Cochin-China as Cambodia is at the present mo. ment. A great endeavour will be made to divert the trade of the country to Saigon, but however that trade may be favoured, it is practically cer- tain that a great part, if not the principal part, of the import and export business will find its way to Hongkong. Numbers of Chinamen are flocking into the country already, but they are Chinamen from Hongkong, or Canton, not China. men from Saigon, or rather from the neighbour- ing mart of Cholen. It is of course the Celestials | who make the trade of a country in the East, and the Chinamen in Tonquin will not fail to keep up their relations with their principals or friends, notwithstanding the temptations that may be held outto them to divert the flow of merchandise in another direction,.
} The present state and the prospects of the country under its now rulers are therefore mat- ters of very considerable interest to Hongkong. At present in their fear that all the trade of the country will find its way to this colony, the French are inclined to place a variety of restric- tions on foreign trade. They are afraid that they will only have the shadow and that all the substance will find its way across the Gulf. The prospect is no doubt aggravating. Tonquin, is not merely a very rich colony; it is the only rich colony our neighbours have got. That it | should be developed only for the swelling of the money bags of perfide Albion is too exasperating to endure just at present. When, however, it is discovered that withon, foreign capital Tonquin will not be so very great an acquisition after all
irritation.
4113
REGP 19 JUL 84,
irritation will tone down into tolerance. Tonquin promises any amount of wealth, but before money can be got out of it. it must be put in, and that is just where French colonists fail.
There are not many French eclonists in the country get, and thereare no immediate signs that the number is to be increased to any very considerable extent. The tow there are are not of a very estimable character from the point of view of a political economist. They are divided into two classes, the cantiniers, the pot-house and wine-shop keepers, and the somewhat more aspiring few who do not keep cabarets, bnt sell quor wholesale to those who do. Both of these make money, but they do not make money for France and still less for the colony. Least of all do they advance the prospects of Tonquin. With the laudable object of putting an end to the multiplication of these sorry négociants. General Millot has issued a proclamation, Whether, however, from a hopeless recognition of the fact that no other Frenchmen but drum sellers would come to settle in Tonquin, or with a view to control foreign traders, the ediot embraces merchants of all kinds. No one is to be allowed to establish a business of any kind what- ever in the country without the express per- mission of the Government. This is not the way to encourage the bringing of capital into the country, and Tonquin wants money even more desperately than does the French Govern- ment itself. The idea may merely be to put an end to the terrible number of drinking shops, but it seems also to be intended to keep down the establishment of foreign firms of whatever kind. The suggestion may appear ill-naturel, but it seems to be borne out by a further vexatious ordinanco, issued within the last few weeks. No "armed exploring parties" are to be permitted throughout the whole extent of the protecto- rate. This virtually means the prohibition of exploration of every kind, except such as is sanctioned by the French Government and anpported by detachments of French troops. Beyond the limits of actual military occupation, no foreigner is safe unless he is armed. The word "pirate " is wonderfully misused down in Tonquin. Any native of the country is stigma- tised as a pirate if he objects to the French do- mination of the country, and with this definition of the word the vast majority of the population of Tonquin are pirates. They are absurdly badly armed, but twenty foot long spoars and swords which bend double with every blow, are quite formidable enough weapons against Europeans who have no arms at all. The exploitation of Tonquin is therefore likely to be delayed for a considerable time. Colonists from France with money to set themselves up are de- voutly prayed for, but do not seem likely to come. Meanwhile foreigners are apparently warned off no matter how much money they may be willing to spend. This, however, is sure to right itself in time, possibly with the next Governor or Com- . missary-General, or if not with him, then with his successor, and administrators-in-chief of Ton- quín succeed each other with-even greater rapidity than Governments in France itself.
Money is wanted in Tonquin, but it must not be mistaken what it is wanted for. It is not for | the cultivation of the country, for there is not a country in all this world that is more thorough- ly cultivated than Tonquin as far north as Thai- Nguyen and Hung-Hoa. The lower delta lands are almost wholly given over to rice, but north of the Song-cau river and in the country above Son- tay, Tonquin is more like a large kitoben garden thanan ordinary agricultural landscape. The Ton- !
inece
-quin
2
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.