Directory_and_Chronicle_1880 — Page 461

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HAIPHONG.

Haiphong is the shipping port for Hanoi, Hai Duong, and Namdinh, the com- mercial centres of Tonquin. It is situated in lat. 20 deg. 51 min. N. and long. 106 deg. 42 min. E., on the river Cua Cam, a branch of that grand river connecting Yunnan with the Tonquin Gulf, called the Song-koi, about sixteen and a-half miles from the light- house. The light-house at the entrance of the river, on the island of Hou-Ďau, is visible at a distance of about eight miles. The entrance to the port is obstructed by two bars; the outer one sand, the inner one mud. Haiphong is accessible by vessels drawing from 19 to 20 feet. There is plenty of water in the river. Vessels anchor about a quarter of a mile from the shore in from 40 to 60 feet of water abreast of a creek communicating with the Song-koi. The banks of the river are low and consist of alluvial mud, from which the French Settlement has with great labour and expense been reclaimed.

Haiphong proper is situated on both sides of the creek. The streets are narrow, repulsive, and dirty, and show no improvement under the French supervision. The native buildings are wretchedly constructed of mud, bamboo, and matting. The only decent buildings are those occupied by foreigners and Chinese. There are one hundred French troops stationed here, besides two river gunboats, and there is generally a man-of-war in port. The bulk of the foreign residents are French. There is a French representative stationed here, but he has no Consular power. The Custom House is under French supervision, similar to that in the Treaty ports of China. The population of Haiphong is difficult to estimate, but certainly does not exceed 10,000. There are about 1,000 foreigners and Chinese.

Since the opening of the port in 1875 trade has largely increased, as is evidenced by the returns for 1877, according to which the total value of the trade is set down at 2,231,749 fr. against 1,232,695 fr. in 1876. This large increase is ascribed to the permission to export rice, but there was a great advance in the imports as well as exports. The value of the imports for 1877 was 1,134,448 fr. compared with 615,208 fr. in 1876; that of the exports for 1877, 1,032,092 fr. against 614,612 fr. in 1876; while the coasting trade, imports and exports, rose from 2,875 fr. in 1876 to 65,209 fr. in 1877. The total number of clearances of foreign and Chinese vessels at the port in 1877 was 309, with a tonnage of 42,266, compared with 177 vessels with a tonnage of 14,063 in 1876. More than half the total tonnage was under the English flag. In 1878 the trade generally decreased after the prohibition of the rice export was put in force. The exportation was prohibited in March, 1878, and since then the trade has been so steadily declining that it is to be feared it will sink into insignificance, if the French Government does not interfere. The French apparently care very little about affairs here, however, and appear to be satisfied to hold a kind of protectorate over the country.

The French have scarcely any trade in Tonquin, as will be shown in the returns of shipping later on. The following are the statistics of trade for the year 1878:- Imports from Hongkong, Tls. 1,015,938.24; exports to Hongkong, Tls. 734,433.56; imports from Saigon, Tis. 8,363.06; exports to Saigon, Tls. 216,133.29. Almost all the exports to Saigon found their way via Hongkong.

The following are the returns of the vessels entering port in 1878-77 English vessels with 36,691 tons; 14 German, with 6,382 tons; 10 Spanish, with 5,970 tons; 8 French, with 2,615 tous; 2 Danish, with 1,402 tons; 2 Siamese, with 1,076 tous; 1 Hawaiian, with 312 tons; and 97 Chinese junks with 4,087 tons,

In 1879 up to date of 22nd November, the following vessels entered :-Steamers -British, 28; German, 13; Chinese, 21. Sailing vessels-British, 6; German, 11; American, 1; and French, nil.

Haiphong is distant from Hanoi, the former capital of Tonquin, about sixty miles as the crow flies, but by the main river (the So g-koi) the route is about 150 miles, and by the Cua Cam about 90 miles. There are fine river steamers plying regularly between Hanoi and Haiphong. The trade generally, and especially with Hongkong, would be very promising but for the apathy of the French and the obstructiveness of the Annamite Government.

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