Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 1224

TONKIN-HANOI

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military territories, viz. 1st circles of Langson, Mon-cay, Van-linh; 2nd circles of Cao- 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 joins Hanoi to Haiphong, to Yunnanfu, to Langson and to Vinh. A concession has been granted for a further extension from Langson to Lungchow, in the Chinese province of Kwangsi. The railway running from Haiphong to Hanoi was opened in July, 1902, Hanoi to Laokay in February, 1906, and Hanoi to Yunnanfu in 1910.

There are three European mills for spinning cotton yarn in Tonkin, one at Haiphong of 25,000 spindles, one at Nam-Dinh of 24,000, and one at Hanoi of 10,000. The other industries include the manufacture of cement, soap, albumen, matches leather and spirits. There are also numerous rice mills and two breweries.

HANOI

Hanoi, the capital of Tonkin, and now the seat of government, is situated on the right bank of the Songkhoi (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. Here the broad and well-kept streets planted with trees, numerous imposing public and private buildings, present a very nice European town of modern style. The city is lighted by electricity and abundantly supplied with good drinkable water by enormous waterworks. Four lines of electric tramways run through the town over a distance of eight miles. A special attraction is the "Petit lac," a lake of nearly half a square mile in the middle of the town, rendered picturesque by the quaint pagodas occupy- ing the small islands which adorn it, and surrounded by promenades. Facing the lake there is the Square Paul Bert, with a fine bronze statue of Paul Bert unveiled on the 14th July, 1890, and a bandstand in the middle. Close to the square there are the City Hall, Treasury, Post Office, Union Club, Bank of Indo-China, Résidence Supérieur and the Hotel Metropole. Other public buildings, as the residence of the Comman- der of the Troops, the Hospital, etc., are situated on what was formerly the "Concession," close to the river bank. There is a large Roman Catholic Cathedral and a handsome small Protestant church. The imposing palace of the Governor-General stands at the entrance of the Botanic Garden, and other fine buildings in the town are the Theatre, Museum, Palais de Justice, Terminus, etc. There are two first-class hotels--the Hotel Metropole, with a front of nearly 300 feet, and the Hanoi Hotel-as well as some smaller ones. The "Cercle de l'Union," Société Philharmonique and the Masonic Lodge possess their own buildings. A racecourse, opened in 1890, is situated just outside the new town. Daily and periodical French papers are published at Hanoi. The citadel occupies the highest site and is surrounded by a brick wall 12 feet high, and a moat. It contains the buildings for the troops, arsenals, magazines, etc. The Royal Pagoda, also, stands within its enclosure.

The ancient city is situated between the citadel and the river and presents a novel appearance, owing to the singular architecture of the houses. Since the occupation by the French great improvements have been effected in the laying-out of the town, and the formation of roads and streets, of which over 50 miles are already drained, electrically lighted, and, even in the native city, well kept and very clean as com- pared with those of other Eastern cities. Of the numerous temples and pagodas, that of the "Grand Buddha," situated on the shore of the Grand Lake, is the most important and interesting for visitors on account of its colossal bronze statue.

Steel built halls, each 160 by 60 feet, for the native markets have been erected in different quarters.