Directory_and_Chronicle_1884 — Page 300

HANOI.

571

twelve feet high and a moat. a redan strongly defended and manned by troops. The Government buildings and Five gates give access to it, and in front of each is barracks are all inside the citadel. The city is situated between the citadel and the river, and extends beyond the former in a westerly direction. The principal streets occupied by Chinese are wide and the houses well built of brick; in the other quarters of the city the shops and houses are mat erections. The streets, with the exception of the Chinese quarter, are unpaved, and in wet weather are simply impassable on account of the mud. Before the war there was plenty of life and business in Hanoi, and the shops and markets were well supplied with native goods and produce. The Chinese then numbered more than 3,000. The French Settlement is separate from the city proper, and is formed on reclaimed land. The population of the city was estimated before the war at from 60,000 to 20,000, but as the place has since been laid in ruins no estimate can now be formed,

The Song-koi is navigable for ships of very light draught as far as Mang-hao, a considerable trading city in Yunnan, some 300 miles above Hanoi, but the disturbed condition of the frontier has hitherto prevented any systematic attempt to open communication by this route with Western China. The French Government purpose to open up this route to trade when they have restored order and established their authority.

FRENCH CONSULATE.

In charge H. de Verneville Chancelier Aumoitte

CUSTOMS.

Chief-Lalande, commis 1st class Surveillant-Lonis de Larozière

SERVICE ADMINISTRATIF. Agent Principal-Felouneau Commis-Affonço

TREASURY.

DIRECTORY.

Acting Paymaster-Gonoux-Prachee

POST OFFICE.

Acting Postmaster-Aumoitte

SERVICE DU GENIE,

Chief of the Service-Capt. Dupommiez Artillery Guard-Harbey

AGENCIES.

Schriever & Ca., agents-

Union Insurance Society of Canton Prussian National Fire Insurance

FRENCH MISSION. Père Laudais, prètre

+

Merchants, Professions, Trades, &c. De Beire, Mme., café-restaurant, médecine

et pharmacie indigène Jiovani, café restaurant

Koeing, Eug., merchant

Martin, purveyor to the troops

Morandini, café ·

Perrin, restaurateur

Perretti, de, baker ·

Schriever & Co., merchants and commis.

sion agents

W. Schriever, (Haiphong)

O. von der Heyde

J. F. Schriever, (Europe)

Gavelle (Haiphong)

B. Costa, captain str Tonquin

Schroeder Brothers, contractors for public

works

Karl Schroeder Albert Schroeder

SIAM.

The

The king of Siam, of which Bangkok is the capital, extends from the latitudo of about 23 north to the Gulf called after itself. It is bounded on the west by Burmah ane Bay of Bengal, and on the cast by the Lai Mountains, kingdom pr. lies in the valley of the Menam, the country of the true Siameso. The bounder of Siam on the Bay of Bengil reich from the possessions of Great Britain in Burmah in a southerly line to the boundary between Perak and Quedah in the Malayan Peninsula in the latitudo of 5 deg, south. The island of Junek Salong, containing enormous deposits of tin ore, is included in the territories of Siam. The boundary line runs nearly east from Perak across the peninsula in about the same latitude between the provinces of Triegano ar! Pahang to tho China Sea, thence north to the head of the Gulf of Siam. The kingdom also comprises the greater part of the ancient domain of Lao and the rich and valuablo possession of Battambang, once a part of the kingdom of Cambodia. The various depondoucies and outskirts are peopled by a variety of races, some sui generis, others illustrating every form and shade of the transition between the original race and the Aunamoso The former capit- on the east, and the Malays and Burmese on the south and east. al of Siam was Ayuthia, situated on the Menam river (literally the “Mother of Waters"), about 90 miles from its mouth. In 1767 a series of bloody and desperate combats between the Siamese and the Burmese culmi:.ated in the capture and deg. truction of that city by the victorious Burman general and the consequent exodua of the conquered. They moved down the river about 60 miles and there founded the present populous and flourishing city of Bangkok. The chief of the Siamese Army rallied the scattered troops, and, building a walled city at Toutaborec, declared himself King under the title P'ya Tak. In 1782 the reins of empire were seized by one of his most distinguished generals named Yaut Fa, who founded the present dynasty, of which Ilis Majesty the present King [the 40th reigning monarch in Siim of whom we have any record] is the fifth in regular descent. The revento of Siam is very large, and if properly collected would by enormous, but the inertucas of the nobility and the frauds practised with the utmost boldness and impunity, bave very seriously impaired it. Of the Customs revenue probably not one-eightli of the legi- timate amount is ever collected. The general revenue is farned out to Chinoso, anda triennial tax is also impose upon all foreigners unrepresented by a Consul, such as Clinese, Annamese, &c.

The native population of Siam, with Laos, Tavoyans, Peguany, and Burinese, excluding those under Consular protection, is variously estimated at from six to 'en millions. The number of Chinese in the kingdom is bélieved to be not less than one million three hundred thousand.

The

BANGKOK.

Bangkok is situated on both sides of the Menam, about thirty miles from here this magnificent stream empties itself into the Gulf. On the zul baul of the river are the palaces of the two Kings, the foreign bongs, the Consulates, the prizepal rice mills, and most of the Public Offices. The left in principally occupied by the Chinese and Mahomedan residents, though the Foreign Office nd the Yemen of the Prime Minister are situated on canals leading from it. The bulk of the to

la, Lowever, transacted on the east. Here a very fair road, the Chane Kring rests the Light-ras

Tarom the palace walls to Paklat, and a telegraph line 6 me house at the Par beyond the mouth of the river with the business portion of the city. Bangkok is now canected, through Saigon, with the rest of the world by wire, and a ine to British India is in exurse of completion. The trade of Bangkok, and the foundation on which not only its prosperity, but ita actual spal existence mainly reata, in rice.

This article in drawn in immanian quantities, tok only from the innumerable fella which line the fertile valley of the Monaın, int from the adjacent rivers which fow into the Gulf from the enormones watershei

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