Directory_and_Chronicle_1883 — Page 512

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SAIGON.

In the chief towns of each province there is a citadel sufficiently garrisoned, and numerous military posts in the interior maintain and watch over the security of the inhabitants. The Annamese are a race devoted principally to agriculture; they are not so industrious as the Chinese and are indifferent traders. The Chinese hold the largest proportion of the trade in their hands. The budget of the colony for 1881 was put at 20,000,000 francs, and the reserve fund in the treasury is 6,500,000 francs. The two principal sources of revenue are opium and spirits.

The Government of French Cochin-China is administered by a civil Governor appointed from Paris, who is assisted by a Privy Council composed of all the Heads The Colonial of Departments as official members and two unofficial members. Council, the members of which are elected by the residents, consists of sixteen members, four of whom are natives. In the various arrondissements, moreover, councils have lately been introduced composed entirely of natives. The towns of Saigon and Cholen are ruled by Municipal Councils, the members of which bodies are partly French and partly native. The Chamber of Commerce at Saigon is also an official body elected by the merchants and traders, and is composed of French, foreigners, and Chinese.

Saigon is situated about 40 miles from Cape St. James and is accessible to the largest vessels. Since its occupation by the French the climate has undergone a very favourable change, owing to different sanitary works in the town, such as drains, the filling up of pools, marshes, &c. The town presents a fine appearance, the roads and thoroughfares being broad and regular. Amongst the public buildings Government House is the most remarkable: several millions of francs have been spent upon its construction and decoration. The other prominent public buildings are the new "Direction de l'Interieur," the Treasury, the Post Office, the Land Office, Public Works Department, the Schools, and the Supreme Court. The Military Hospital is a fine and handsome iron building, as are also the Arsenal, Barracks, and Artillery parc. A stately new gothic Cathedral, of large proportions, was opened on the 11th April, 1881. Saigon has two public gardens, the "Jardin de la Ville," which is maintained at the expense of the municipality, and the Botanical Garden. There is one large rice-mill in Saigon belonging to a European firm and two more in the town of Cholen, one of which belongs to a Chinese company. There are also two steam brick-yards, one in each town. Cholen is the granary of the colony and its commercial activity is enormous. Sugar-cane planting has been commenced in several provinces and steam sugar mills are in course of erection, but the success of this undertaking is as yet problematical. There is an iron floating dock and a new one was completed at the Arsenal in August, 1881, but sunk on the 1st September following while being lowered to take in the transport Mytho. The population of Saigon may be estimated at about 40,000 inhabitants, chiefly Annamese and Chinese. The town of Cholen, principally inhabited by Chinese traders, is three miles distant from Saigon, and its population may be set down at 70,000. It has recently been connected with Saigon by a tramway.

The M. M. steamers call twice a month at Saigon on their homeward and outward trips, and another line of steamers from Marseilles has just been started to Saigon and Hongkong. Easy communication is afforded with the principal towns of the interior by subsidized mail steamers. All the principal towns of French Cochin- China possess telegraphic communication, and a sub-marine cable unites the colony with Singapore, Hongkong, &c. The postal organization of the colony is very complete and efficient. Correspondence can be sent daily to almost all parts of the country. The Journal Officiel, which is also the Government Gazette, is published twice a week, and there is a weekly paper called L'Indépendant de Saigon, There is also an Annamese paper called Gia-Sinh-Bao, published weekly.

In 1881 the tonnage of vessels frequenting Saigon was 333,688 tons, of which 310,549 was steamer tonnage, showing a slight increase on that of 1880. The total export of rice in 1881 amounted to 3,687,400 piculs, as compared with 4,464,288 piculs in 1880.