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Inclosure in Sir John Jordan's llo: 384 Confidential of November 26.1912.
Indo-China.
(Extract).
I am told that the Tonkin Government's policy is to eliminate as far as possible, Chinese influence from Indo-China, and it is certain that no attraction is held out to Chinese merchants either to establish themselves or to remain there; and yet the Chinese take a very large part in the industrial development of the colony: the export of rice, the staple product, is entirely financed by and in the hands of wealthy Chinese hongs at Saigon. Formerly all the better class of Annamites studied Chinese and many of them went to Nanking to obtain their degree but this is a thing of the past and the Annanamites now are only taught "nqoc-nuh" the French Romanisation of their language, in which they correspond with each other and in which all Government pro- clamations and notifications are issued. Very few of the present generation know anything of Chinese.
On the night of the 30/31 August a serious mutiny occurred, at Thai-Ngyuen, a town some sixty kilometres from Tonkin, where there is a large penitentiary for long-sentence criminals; the nat- ive troops revolted, released and armed the prisoners, killed three Frenchmen, and occupied and pillaged the town. The rebels are sup- posed to have numbered between three and four hundred well armed and equipped. French and native troops, with artillery, were hurried up from Hanoi, the town was shelled, and after a few days the rebels retreated and dispersed into the country. The French had ten killed and fourteen wounded, while the rebels lost heavily and any prisoners were taken.
Flying columns were organised to surround these various bands, and from time to time commuiquées were published in the press announcing successful engagements and further captures of prisoners.
On September 25th, however, a communique from the Resident
Superieur/
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