COLONIAL EMPIRE OF FRANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 24 February 1923, Page 17

COLONIAL EMPIRE OF FRANCE.

(TS METHODS AND RESULTS. INDO-CHINA. /By JOSEPH GUYOX, Governor of West Africa, and Representative of . the (Minister for the French Colonies Ij n the French Squadron, "Jules Michelet" aud "Vicfor Hugo."i , >" (iv.) ' ; ' lado-China was formed by grouping together five separate possessions, each of ibfc o has distinctly different characterirtfcs. These French possessions are CoeMn-China, Tonquin, Annam, Camjoijria, and Laos. Tlieir area is approximately 775,000 squnre kilos. A chain of mountains 900 kilos, long, in some daces up to 2000 metres high, constitute! Hβ south-eastern border. Tbe alleys situated in the breaks of thie ■ounteinous region, are the basins of |ht two large rivers, named Mekang lad Bed River. It is in these valleys tint have been found, since European HMtration took P lace ' the remains of tfo immortal mysterious past of the extitme Orient. These rivers, together ,rfth many others, constitute a great «ftem of navigable waterways, which MW'been much improved by France, indeleo extended by the construction of • t»n»l*. Indo-China is situated under the torrid or inter-tropical zone. ■in of its populations belong to ttie Yellow race, but they comprise a racial diversity of which it is difficult to form (B u euct conception, considering that thii country of homogeneous or evolutcdf populations, has always been considered the birthplace of the Yellow race. This diveriity was brought about by the varioui invasions to which the peninsula VII constantly subject in times past. TheM invasions, coming from all sides, ' live left traces of their passage, and this, explains the great physical, moral, ' tad social differences between Annam{tli, Cmmbodgiens, Lactiens, and CochinChinese; and these differences of character amongst the various nations of IndoCbina explain the unfortunate polities!, economical, and social vicissitudes under which these countries suffered when ruled by native chiefs, before the intervention of France. This intervention was necessary, in order to put s stop to all the troubles of Indo-China. which h»d never known the benefits of peace until France undertook the management of the country. France has been careful to preserve .tta native civilisation and traditions, which although dating back for many etntnries, are yet etill evergreen. France bu succeeded in opening the people's ■Ms to the higher European civilisa-

tion, in co far as intellectual and ecieni tifie culture are concerned, and succeeded <h this, first with those of higher intellect and later with the masses of the •Tμ Governor-General and the direc-

tor* of the colonies belonging to the hte-Chinese Federated States are asiat«d by representative councils com-

jwed of Europeans and natives. This . fc'aa effective onion of common inter•p"..sojttioM of public interest. The wtoay of Cochin-CUma, being the oldest •aoqpt the federated colonies, ta» a '•gjjt.yTtpreientative in the French Wet. France has endowed Indole* with a good system •* education, *Mea enabled it to achiem the evolu™";«;the..native mind. The Indolaiineie tJniversity founded at Hanoi (capital of the Federated States), com- : prae.the following chairs:—Medicine and pharmacy, veterinary surgery, law and administration, pedagogy, agriculture and silkworm industry, civil engin•WMfe electricity, applied sciences, fishfMjjtti navigation, and the higher sciences. Teaching is thus ima to 250/100 natives, out of a popuM<a:6f 10,965,000. ftaace has endowed Indo-China with ' *gp* a .°f medical establishments, in !**» I""* been treated 130,000 people *mng 1920. whilst 2,964,000 consulta- ™* e 2» , ' l e given to outdoor patients. Wai "Pasteur" Institutes and "Leper Warir , wage a constant organised war- : ™**»g«inßl the great scourges of the ""J* Malarial fever, cholera, plague, •etupox, and leprosy. Owing to these nnons measures, to the establishment! « .pabbc vaccination posts, to war on .titi, and the general prosperity of the the native population of Indo<*ro* h«i increased by 1,050.000 in the m ten years. Take Saigon for ex-™P»-Mifanti]e deaths have decreased e?W 27 per cent, to 3 per cent, owing * the work of the medical assistance FWn by the French authorities. Iβ*!?* ** * European population of *W». of whom 16,000 are French. This JWJ» in bo young a tropical colony '"2. ***** * fforts at colonisation are "wag made. It is due to this group of j™*ni men, that the Indo-Chinese have ««?* eroUSed from their long slumber, j aaa that the immense resources of this | wnntry are to-day being exploited in a I ■W active manner, has also become a great :r*vas is shown by the many staple goaucti now bein g exported; such are ;£»>. maize, manieo, arrowroot, soja : ??• , cane, sugar palms, tropical j £»M and vegetables, pepper, tea, coffee, i S"°Miuw, arachides, castor oil, cottqn, ?JP«*. JUte, rattans, plants suitable for I y ""kuig and paper pulp, tobacco, j •"frame*, benzoin, cardammons, bad lane, I SS^" 0,, ' koka, camphor, gums, resin, V* «pecialty of Indo-China manufacmat. Silk oroduetion is also •Su , mcre ase. The fisheries are response 1, * lar e e trade with neighbouring mostly with Hong Kone and JWpore. The Meat Preserving Works J™.? 1 abundant supplies of cattle *£»» the interior. The export trade in faT}i»i Om Tonc l uin attained 640,000 tons *!« , There is also t0 ~c foun d tin, ported graph ' te, all of which are bein S

- «XiiU ?' atest commercial intercourse _*""« with Hong Kong and with Singa- *"*» these two British ports absorbing efC XU J£* ely 50 per cent, of the total be** i a s overs eas trade. A promto. !L ». e J\ the co «"try's shipping : rtJ»VSn eld by the English flag? it 8(MI *£°" OWB the French flag, which in ■ carried tons of mer- £%?*> « 9 against tons of by 764 British vessels. Ud2£ witli Great Britain, France t«W Work of rehabilitating the HCM «?** y the g enius of the western : d, B ni ty of which has been ''Gem.. L^ 0 " 4 h y the ehameful barbarism.

;*OTAI,TT OF FRANCE'S EXTERIOR EMPIRE. endeavoured to show that the empire of France is based '■ W^*i Undationß ' and its contribuSLt world ' B general economy is *•* Jt f7 large and always growing.

Its security is, founded on the loyalty of its inhabitants, and on the profound attachment which they hare sworn to the FrencTi nation. The tragic happenings of the late war have proved that this attachment and lojalt) cannot be defeated. At the aavage aggression directed by Germany against France, one million of these children of France's possessions overseas hastened to defend 'the country which, in touching term*, they refer to aa the "Mother Country." In all ita. extent the extorjpr empire of France enjoys a profound peace. Definitely France has al way a been of the opinion expressed by Seeley that "a Dependence held only, by military force can easily resemble a mill wheel tied to the neck of a nation." She has on the other hand conquered their mind* and hearts. The security and perfect ! order which, without using force, have 'been established in this empire, prove that moral principles of civilisation have made their mark most profoundly on these peoples. Our colonial troops are imbued with these; they are faithful to the laws of decency and humanity, 'and the accusations against them made 'by our common enemy are nothing but infamous calumnies. N.Z. TRADE WITH TKEtHCK COLOlflEft. I have enumerated the commodities which this empire produces, and will produce in quantities much greater, in order to contribute to the increase of I the wealth of the world. That wa'.ch toneerns New Zealand—l see apart from XcV Caledonia two great French po*-se^ii.ns—lndo-Cbina and Madaspsw.r —wlich, owing to their, location,, are I eminently capable of ther establishment jof mutual trade relations. They, are ito a certain extent capable of vupply'ing certain of your needs. They possess, close to their Governor-Generals lat Hanoi (Indo-China), and at Antainanairivo (Madagascar), commercial officee ready and willing to give to commercial people all the information required in detail. They have also at Paris similar offices—2o, Rue la Boetie, for Indo-China, and 40, Rue de General jlfoy, for Madagascar.