Of other valuable vegetable products there is nack. Gutta is found in abundance in the his. So are a great variety of resinous trees more particularly that from which the Ton- quinese obtain the oil which they use for their lacquer ware, which is in no way inferior to that of Japan or Burmah. There is also a low tree which grows abundantly along the banks of the more upland streams the fruit of which distils an oil which, it is claimed, renders timber secure aliko against the attacks of water and insects.
Star Anis, a valuable essential oil used in per- fumery, distilled from the fruit of a tree of the Magnoliace species, is also found in quantities in the northern provinces. A number of other aromatic trees and shrubs have also been seen by exports.
Timber of all kinds is very abundant in the hills north of Thai-Nguyen and Hung-hoa and
to the west in the provinces of Mi-Duc and elso- j where. Rose wood, ebony, iron wood, sapan and sandal are among the more valuable varieties. I do not remember seeing the teak tree in any part of the country.
The mineral products of the country as enu- merated by MM. Dupuis, Remaset, du Cail- land and others comprise a simple list of all the metals to be found in the table of contents of a work on mineralogy. As yet, however, the French have come upon none of the mines said to exist. They are all in the hill country beyond the delts. The expedition in the end of April to the western bills failed to discover anything of importance. There seems, however, little doubt that gold is to be found in considerable quantities at various places in the Rivière Claire basin and on the Red River, a little below Laokai, The month of October will no doubt show how far M. Dapuis's enthusiastic accounts were justi- fled. It is greatly to be feared, however, that all the mining business will be reserved by the French Government for concessions to favoured individuals or companies. There is considerable irritation in Tonquin just now at the presence there of a mining explorer of a near relative of the head of the French Cabinet. Notwithstand- ing his kinship he is not a Frenchman-only a Swiss.
In the villages on the Bacninh-Thai-Ngayon“ road there are several iron and copper foundries of a primitive kind. The mines whence the ore is drawn were, however, not found. Next year uo doubt will see a good many discoveries in this line.
It seems, however, probable that the coal mines at Hong-gai in the north of Halong Bay will very shortly be regularly worked. Coal has |been brought from this place in a fitful kind of way for a good many years now, and it is said to be of very fair quality. It is extremely easily worked and there is eight feet of water up to the very place where the seam crops out, the seam itself being eight feet thick.
The silk culture of Tonquin ought to become very important, and there are so many French- men who have a knowledge of at least the most essential things to be observed in the industry that it ought to develop very rapidly. The larvæ are at prasant fed on a species of mulberry, the morus indica, which grows very readily from shoots, and it is to be seen in huge plantations more particularly in the Num-Dinh and Ninh- Binh districts. The mulberry freo proper would take up very much loss room, and would proba bly raise finor caterpillars. The Tonquinese have very much to learn in the way of winding the cocoons and other technical matters..evon to the weaving of silks likely to be acceptable in Europe. There is, however, little doubt that sericalture will me one of the most important industries of Toзg un.
With
With regard to the political state of the coun- try it can scarcely be considered as other than extremely unsatisfactory as yet. The French have already sent off a number of European. troops to Madagascar and Franco, but never- theless even the most sanguine of them does not pretend that the pacification of the country is any more than begun. There are garrisons of European troops at Haiphong, Hanoi, Sontay, Hung Hoa, Bininh, Thai Nguyen, Pho Lum Thuong (on the Langson road) Haidzuong. The Seven Pagodas, Quang-yen, Nam-Dinh, Ninh Binh, Phuly and Batang, and small posts of a few European or native troops at such places as Ele- phant Mountain, "The Bam'wos," Mi.Duc. anda few other places. Outside of these it is not safe for a European to go unarmed, and it is almost impossible to get Frenchmen to go oven nader those circumstances. Thore are rumours of pirates from everywhere, north, south, cast, and west. A band of 6,000 here, as many hundred in another place, and a few score in a third. Doubt- less a great deal of this is exaggeration, and when expeditions go out they very seldom come across the marauders. Of genuine piratos there are a fow Ba Bao, their most daring chief, hangs about the mountains to the east of Bac- ninh and north of Haidenong, and makes oc- oasional raids. It was no doubt a section of his band which gave the "Zephyrs" so much trouble a few weeks ago at the "Grotto Mountain "nab more than eight miles from Haiphong. The Commandant of the regiment received three wounds, and altogether the affair was hardly satis- ¡ Factory, though the "Joyeur "captured the only gun their opponents had. Nevertheless it appears that the pirates still romain in their caves. Apart from these, however, the "pirates are mere amateurs, distressed peasants, bad charac- ters of all sorts, and the dismissed coolios of the French columos, whom the Turcos and others have taught how to loot in systematio fashion. Amateurs or not, however, Tonquin is not a place to go to for rural seclusion just yet, and probably will not be for the better part of a year. In any case, no arrangements can be made for getting tracts of land yet. The native officials are per- factly willing to sell land and to give the most satisfactory title deeds, but the French Commis- sioners bang back and say that authorisation must be obtained from the home Government.
**
Tonquin, therefore, though a land of exceeding great promise, is not likely to attract capitalists for a good many months yet. The towns which must necessarily become the most important from their situation, are Hanoi, Nam-Dinh, and Haiduong. There is a great deal of building going on in the capital just now, and those who, saw the town last August would hardly recognise it again. The streets have been widened, and large brick houses are being run up in every direction. On the river front three long jetties have been built in such a way that they will probably all be washed away before October; but for the pre- sent they impress the natives with an idea of western superiority and hint at a large trade. Nam-Dinh and Haidzuong are unfortunately very unhealthy and will continue to be so until the elements of a drainage system are introduced.! The latter town indeed hardly exists now. Be- tween them the French and the Chinese have almost utterly destroyed what was at one time Dearly the finest and probably the wealthiest town in the del But from its position it must necessarily rise again from its ruins. It is ex- tremely unfortunate under the circumstances that the French Resident apparently allows the Aunamese to build their mud huts in the most eligible situations, and apparently without any regard to plan.
Haiphong still remains a problem. Is it to be
the
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