INDO-CHINA-TONKIN—HANOI
1093
ent Archæological Mission instituted by the decree of December 15, 1898, is now working under the new denomination of "Ecole Française d'Extrême Orient." Its object is the search for ancient articles of artistic or historical interest, and the charge and preservation of monuments of public interest. It also studies the philology of idioms, dialects, and ancient languages of Indo-China and neighbouring countries.
The total force of the French army in Indo-China is composed as follows: 17 regiments of Europeans ; 17 regiments of natives; 18 batteries of European artillery ; and sundry units-altogether about 8,000 Europeans, and 12,000 Natives.
The trade of the Colony is rapidly increasing; the total for 1906 excluding transit trade amounted to £15,903,000. Nearly fifty per cent. of the imports are of French origin.
TONKIN
Anciently an independent kingdom, but since 1802 a province of Annam, Tonkin is situated between lat. 19 deg. and 23 deg. N. and long. 102 deg, and 108 deg. 30 min. E. bounded on the north by China, on the west by the Laos country, on the south by Annam, and on the east by the Gulf of Tonkin. The country near the sea is a rich alluvial plain, well watered by numerous rivers, and produces large crops of rice, while sugar, cotton, spices, indigo, silk, and various other articles are also raised. It possesses valuable mines of silver, lead, antimony, and zinc, and gold and copper are also known to exist. Concessions were granted in 1887 for the working of the coal mines at Kebao and Hongay, and coal of good quality from the last-named is now largely exported. By the Treaty of Hué, dated the 6th June, 1884, the Annamite Government placed Tonkin under a French Protectorate, and its affairs are administered under the supervision of French Residents. It is, in fact, now practically a French Colony. Tonkin is divided into twenty provinces, namely, Quang-yen, Hai-duong, Ba-ninh, Thai-nguyen, Tuyen quan, Hong-hoa, Son-tay, Hanoi, Ninh binh, Hon.yen, Nam-dinh, Bac-han, Bac. giang, Ha-nam, Hoa-binh, Phu-lien, Chai-binh, Van-Du, Vinh-yen, Yen-bui, and four military territories, viz. :--1st circles of Langson, Mon-cay, Van-linh; 2nd circles of Can- bang, Bao-lac; 3rd circles of Ha-giang, Bac-quang; 4th circles of Lao-kay, Bao-ba. Hanoi, the capital, is the chief town of the province of the same name, and appears on old maps as Ke-sho. The population of the province is estimated at about 15,000,000. A railway was some years ago constructed from Phu Lang-Thuong to Langson, a distance of 64 miles, but it was little better than a tramway. The gauge of this line has now been widened from 60 centimetres to 1 metre and extended to Hanoi, a distance of 45 kilometres, and a concession has been granted for a further extension from Langson to Lung chow, in the Chinese province of Kwangsi. The new railway running from Haiphong to Hanoi was opened in July, 1902, and Hanoi to Laokay in February 1906. The spinning factory established in Hanoi by the "Sociéte Cotonière de l'Indo- Chine," with a capital of 2,500,000 fr., has 16,000 spindles in working order and is a prosperous concern.
HANOI
Hanoi, the capital of Tonkin, and now the seat of Government, is situated on the right bank of the Songhoi, or Red River, about 100 miles from its mouth. The city is built close to the river and extends about one mile along the bank. The first aspect for visitors arriving from Haiphong by train or river is not an imposing one, as the fashionable portion of the town, the principal European centre, is situated further back,
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