Directory_and_Chronicle_1913 — Page 1309

CHOLON

This town, distant four miles from Saigon, with which it is connected by two steam tramways, is the seat of most of the Chinese trade of the Colony. Cholon may be said to be the granary of Cochin-China, and is the centre of much commercial activity. Most of the rice mills are located in this place, there being no less than six worked by steam, and there are several large brickyards. The town, like Saigon, possesses a Municipal Council, composed partly of French, partly of Annamites, and partly of Chinese. The population is about 70,000. The principal buildings are the Mairie (Town Hall), the Inspection (Provincial Government), the Maternité, and the Hôpital, There are also a fair number of gorgeous Chinese pagodas in the city.

DIRECTORY

Maire et President de Conseil Municipale- -M. DROUHET

Administration Municipale

Secretaire de État-Civil-- M. Yvon, Chef du Secrétariat

Comptabilite - M. Pesserat, Chef de Bureau

Voirie M. Truitard, Chef de Service

Police Municipale M. Duval, Commissaire de Police Travaux Publics - M. Jacquey, Commis de Tère Classe Recette Municipale--M. Rocca, Payeur

Controle des Contributions--M. Loupy, Controleur Service Medicale--- Docteur Flandrin Epizooties --M. Roche, Veterinaire

CAMBODGE

Cambodia, the kingdom of the Khmer, extends from 101 deg. 30 min. to 104 deg. 30 min. longitude E. of Paris, and from 10 deg. 30 min. to 14 deg. latitude. It was reduced to its present proportious in 1860 by the annexation of its two richest provinces, Angkor and Battambang, to Siam. Its area is about 62,000 square miles. It is bounded on the south-west by the Gulf of Siam, on the south-east by French Cochin-China, on the north by the French Laos, and on the north-west and west by Angkor and Battambang. The noble river Mekong flows through the kingdom, and, after passing through French Cochin-China, empties itself, by a number of mouths, into the sea, The Mekong is the grand waterway of Cambodia, and, like the Nile in Egypt, lays the greater part of the country under water annually, greatly increasing its fertility. The soil of Cambodia is rich and productive, and rice, pepper, indigo, cotton, tobacco, sugar, maize and cardamoms are cultivated. Coffee and spices of all sorts could be grown. Among woods, ebony, rose, sapan, pine, iron, and other valuable sorts exist, no less than eighty different kinds of timber being found in the forests. Iron of good quality has been discovered, and it is affirmed that there are gold, silver, and lead mines in the mountains The fisheries of Cambodia are very productive, and salt fish forms one of the chief articles of export. Large quantities of fish oil being also produced.

Cambodia was once an extensive and powerful State, and proofs that it possessed a much higher civilisation than that which now prevails in the country are to be found in the architectural remnants of former grandeur. The noble ruins of the ancient city of Angkor are monuments of a people much superior to the feeble race which now inhabits Cambodia. The Cambodians differ entirely from their neighbours, the Annamites, both in features and customs. Polygamy is practised among them. The prevailing religion is Buddhism. The people are apathetic and indolent, and

gitized by