Directory_and_Chronicle_1902 — Page 1012

ANNAM

The kingdom of Annam, which also includes the ancient kingdom of Tonkin, conquered and annexed by King Gialong of Annam in 1802, is bounded on the east by the Gulf of Tonkin and the China Sea, on the west by Siam, Cambodia, and the Shan States, on the north by the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Kwangsi, and on the south by Cochin-China. It is under French protection. Annam proper is a narrow strip of country between the sea and the mountains, the territory beyond which is occupied by aboriginal tribes who are practically independent. Annam is to Tonkin in native parlance as the girdle to the tunic, the latter being a broad and rich territory. Annam proper is a comparatively poor country, and is dependent for part of its rice supply upon Tonkin. The population of Annam is uncertain, but, including that of Tonkin, it may be roughly estimated at 20,000,000. The King, Thanh Thai. attained his majority in 1897. The "Conseil Supérieur de l'Indo-China” in 1900 voted a credit of 9,500,000 fr. (£380,000) for the construction of a harbour at Tourane (Annam), also for sundry works, such as warehouses, quays, &c. Two rather violent typhoons were experienced on the coast of Annam in 1900. The first one in August and the second in September-October. Tourane suffered the most, the damage sustained being valued at about 850,000. The imports of Annam in 1899 amounted to £161,000 and the exports to £264,000. The Tourane Colliery Co., whose mines are situated near Nongson, to the south-west of Tourane, exported 2,300 tons of its coal in 1899, valued at 31,800 francs (£1,272).

HUE

Hué, the capital of the kingdom of Annam, is situated on a small, scarcely navigable river named Truong Tien and called by the French the Hué river, which debouches on the coast in about lat. 16 deg. 29 min Ñ., and long. 107 deg. 38 min. E. Hué is a walled city and has been built on lines similar to those of a fortified European town of the seventeenth century. It consists of two distinct parts--the city proper and the suburbs. The former stands in the middle of a square island, separated from the latter on three sides by a river and on the fourth by a canal. It is defended by a fortified enceinte, six kilometres in circumference, constructed by French engineers after the system of Vauban, and having six large gates. Within this enceinte reside all the Government officials. The walls are built of brick and are very lofty. Inside the outer enceinte is the citadel, similarly but less solidly fortified, and having eight instead of six gates. The six offices of the Ministry are in this quarter, as well as the Library, the Mandarins' College, the Courts of Justice, the Observatory, and various arsenals and barracks. The palace of the Council of State, and numerous other edifices, all of an official character, stand within the second enceinte. Behind these buildings is a wall of brick, which traverses the citadel throughout, separating it completely into two parts. This wall, which encloses the royal palaces and harem, has three gates; that in the centre being in the form of a pagoda, gilt and adorned with elaborate carvings. The mass of the houses and even the public buildings in Hué are, however, very mean and in a bad state of repair. The Royal palace, like that of Peking, has yellow tiles; those of the nobles are red. The population of the city and suburbs is estimated at 100,000, of whom about 800 are Chinese. The only Europeans are the French Resident, his staff, and guard, consist- ing of 300 French soldiers. The mouth of the Hué river is defended by forts, which were taken by the French in August, 1883, when the Hué Government at once capitulated.

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