Directory_and_Chronicle_1899 — Page 837

COCHIN-CHINA

Cochin-China is a French Colony. The province of Giadinh, of which Saigon is the chief port, was conquered by the Franco-Spanish fleet on the 17th February, 1859, but Lower Cochin-China (comprising the provinces of Giadinh, Bienion, and Mythe, and the Islands of Puio Condor) was not definitely occupied until 1862, when it was formally surrendered by treaty; in 1867 three more provinces were conquered by the French and added to their possessions, viz., Chaudoc, Hatien, and Vinhlong. The actual boundaries of Cochin-China now are: on the North the kingdoms of Annam and Cambodia, on the East and South the China Sea, on the West the Gulf of Siam and Cambodia.

The Colony of Cochin-China is divided into seven large provinces, comprising in all twenty-one inspections. Besides Saigon, which is the capital of Cocain-China and at the same time of the province of Giadinh, the other chief towns bear the names of their respective provinces, Bienhoa, Mytho, Chaudoc, and Hatien. The country is a vast plain with small hills on the West and some mountains on the East and North; the three highest are Batlen 884 metres, Baria 493 metres, and the Mai mountains 550 and 600 metres in height. The principal rivers are the two Vaico, the Saigon River, and the Donnai river. The lower parts of Cochin-China are wrinkled with small creeks or arrogos, giving easy and rapid communication to all parts of the country. Of late several canals have been opened. The magnificent river Mekong, which descends from the Thibetan mountains, after running through different territories, crosses Cambodia, enters the lower provinces of Cochin-China, by two branches, and empties itself into the China Sea by five large outlets called respectively Cua Tieu, Cua Balai, Cua Cochien, Cua Dinh-an, and Cuă Batac.

The principal product of Cochin-China is rice. It is planted in almost every province except some of the northern districts. After this important grain the chief products are sugarcane, mulberry trees, pepper, betel-nut, cotton, tobacco, and maize. China grass, sesamum, palma-christi, indigo, saffron, gum-lac, sapan wood, and cinchona also exist in pretty large quantities, with several other minor productions. The principal salt pits are in the province of Baria. The forests contain large quantities of fine timber and abound with game of nearly every description, amongst which may be named elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, deer, wild boar, and elands, while amongst the feathered game the peacock, partridge, snipe, woodcock, jungle fowl or wildcock, pheasant, &c., may be mentioned. The rivers and creeks swarm with fish of every description, and alligators abound in some.

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 Annamites are a race devoted principally to agriculture; they are not so industrious as the Chinese and are indifferent traders. The Chinese have the largest proportion of the trade in their hands.

The whole of the French possessions are now comprised under the title of Indo-China, and consist of the Colony of Cochin-China and the protectorates of Tonkin, Annanı, and Cambodia, and are under the control of a Governor-General, who usually resides in Tonkin. The Government of Cochin-China is administered by a Lieutenant-Governor, who is assisted by a Privy Council composed of all the Heads of Departinents as official members and several unofficials. The Colonial Council of Cochin-China, some of the members of which are elected by the residents, consists of sixteen members, six of whom are natives. In the various arrondissements, moreover, councils have been introduced composed entirely of natives. The towns of Saigon and Cholon 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; formerly it was composed of French, foreigners, and Chinese, but in 1896 its constitution was altered and it is now an exclusively French body.

The population of Cochin-China in 1897 was 2,126,935, of whom 1,860,872 were Annamites, 173,231 Cambodians, 74,210 Chinese, 4,490 Europeans (exclusive of the troops) and the rest Indians, Malays, and Mois.

The imports of Cochin-China and Cambodia combined amounted in 1897, to 51,922,684" francs, of which 20,825,931 francs were of French origin, and the exports to 94,691,687 francs. The quantity of rice exported in 1897 was 10,555,804 piculs.