CO129-217 - Governor Sir Bowen Administrator Marsh - 1884 [7-10] — Page 52

49

that country, sent a detachment

hundred

en to

Anest

of about five seeupy Langson, which is a

stronghold close to the border of the Chinese Province of Yunnan. It appears that the Chinese Commandant of Langson declared that his orders did not permit him to abandon his post before the conclusion of a definitive treaty. After some parley, fighting began on the 23rd June ultimo,

though accounts differ

owhich side attacked

as

first.

to

The

French

French detachment, which was ne

greatly outnumbered, suffered severe

loss, but seems to have succeeded

in holding ito ground until re-inforced by additional troops despatered by General Millot from his headquarters at Hanoi.

3.

annex some

judicious remarks on the present

aspect of affairs which have appeared in one of Hong Kong:-

of the journals

In the face of the strongly antagonistic versions given of the so called Langson affair it is difficult, without further and more positive information, to decide on the merits of the new issue that has arisen between France and China. If the French story be correct, the Chinese Government are utterly and entirely in the wrong, for according to the French the Chinese attacked their troops

when