Directory_and_Chronicle_1885 — Page 621

TURON.

This port is situated about 40 miles south-cast of Hué. Turon has a fine barbour capable of giving shelter to any amount of shipping. The trade of the port is entirely in the hands of the Chinese. As no French Custom House exists, statistics are difficult to gather. The exports consist mostly of sugar, silk, betelauts, and oil; the imports of rice, piece goods, &c. The trade is chiefly with Hongkong. Rice is imported from Haiphong, Hai Duong, and Namdinh. Turon was not, strictly speaking, an open port, until the treaty of 1886 with France. Coal mines have been opened here, but the quality proved rather disappointing, though it is believed that deeper workings would yield better u ineral

QUINHON.

Quinhon was opened to foreign trade upon the conclusion of the treaty between France and Aunam, signed in March, 1874. It is situated on the coast of Annam in about lat. 18 deg. 54 min. N., long. 109 deg. 02 min. E. The entrance to the port is obstructed by a bar, which may be crossed, however, by any vessel via draught not exceeding 16 to 163 feet. The chief article of export is salt. The opulation and country being very poor, the commercial prospects of the port are not very brilliant. What little trade exists is chiefly with Hongkong and is at present all in the bands of the Chinese. There are no European merchants established in Quinhon. A French Consul and a body of troops are stationed there.

TONQUIN.

Anciently an independent kingdom, Lut since 1802 a province of Annam, ia Bituated between lat. 19 deg, vad 28 deg. N. and long. J62 deg. and 168 deg. 30 min. E., Lounded on the rotil 13 Chira, on the west ly the lace country, on the south ly Anem, and on the cast Ly the Gulf of Ton quin. The county near the sea is a rich alluvial plain, well watched by numerous zavere, and produces large crips of rice, while sugar, cotton, sicce, indigo, silk, and various other articles are d It is lieved to possess valuable mines of silver, and gold is also known to exist. the Treaty of Hué, dated the 6th June, 1884. the Anconite Government placed Tonquin under a French Protectorate, and its affairs are in future to be tu inistered under the supervision of French Residents. The country is, however, still in a very disturbed state. Tonquin is divided into seventeen provinces, namely, Quang-yen, Hai-duong, Bac-ninh, Thai-nguyen, Lang-on, Cao bang, Tuyen-quang. Hong hoa Son-tay, Ha noi, Ninh binh, Hung-yen, Nam-đinh, Thanh-hoa, Nghi-an, Ha-tinh, and Bo-chinh. Hanoi, the capital, is the chief town of the province of the same name, and appears on old maps as Ke-sho.

HAIPHONG.

This is the shipping port for Banoi, Hai-Druong, and Namdinh, the commercial 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 great river cnnecting Yunnan with the Tonquin Gulf, called the Song-koi, al out sixteen and a half miles from the light- house. The light-house at the entrance of the river, on the island of Hon-Dau, is visible at a distance of about six miles. The entrance to the port is obstructed by two bars; the outer one sand, the inner one ud. Haiphong is accessible, however, by vessels drawing from 19 to 20 feet. There is plenty of water in the river. Vesseli 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 and the town have with great labour and expense been reclaimed.