FRANCE AND CHIAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 39, 14 January 1884, Page 2

FRANCE AND CHIAN.

• ''■ > '.'• - L . • — — .■'.■ » The excitement m Canton with regard to the French ag-gvession m Tonquin is not to be wondered at when the proximity of the city of Jlaiioi h borne m miud, more as 'the town has always had an evil same for ,yipting ; and disturbance. . The, city itself is no further from the seat of war than Melbonrne is from ' Sydney, M and a Targe local lrs.de has always been transacted with the Anamese province, not only by junks. from Cantpn, "Jmt also via, the Red River, which taps the country at the back of the povb., it cannot -bo said that the trade is a lawful one ; for just as the islands off the coast, are.apfc to be the haunts of pirates S( >: the Red River is frequented by 'the mjxed Mongolian banditti known, as the Black Flags and the Yellow Flags. Theic ravages which neither the Anamese Government seem anxious Jto i repress, ha,; afforded the French Government a pretext for interference.:. If t the French had no other design than to , clear the Red River of those marauder's they would have to "be regarded as benefactors of humanity but their .disinterestedness is somewhat doubtful. . Caii^n is one ofthe great citiefs of the empire, the native population being estimated at not less than 1,600,'00Q. Here it was |that. ; th.ejpld East India Company had Its establishment, and for more than a century Canton was the only^porF through' whiciArAde? was conducted between Europe and China. When difficulties first arose witlrChina m consequence of the insolent treatment of the " barbarian mercnants " by the Mandarins; Canton was captured by the forces under Sir Henry (after wards l.ord) Gough. In the year 1856 a difficulty with the Chinese Government, the notorious Commissioner Teh, m connection with what is known as the «« Arrow " affair, led to another? war when the mob rose and sacked and. burned the whole of the European factories, and their' descendants of to-day wo aid appear to be equally hostile to*, the foreign element, Ttiei fcoyrn^yas afterwards bombarded by the English fleet,. and:JßVance joined m tfhe quarrel.' Yeh rptalia ted with, proclamations containing au offer of rewards for the capCure or killing of any of the "red-haired foreign dogs." For, the capture of an English or French oifirer 5000dols was offered, for the head of a barbarian 50dol, and ..for a liv.e barbarian IQOOdol, and for the burning .or, capture of a war steamer lO.OOQdol*. : This paper warfare did noc e^ect its purpose, and after a delay •caused by the J^ndian "'Mutiny,' Lord Elgin a'rriy^ with a considerable force, and : after 1 much fighting Canton fell. During these operations a considerable part of the city was destroyed. The campaign was ftrrrfrej" continued, with the resi^lt that a number. of ocher treaty por^ti^ were opened, and by this means the. foreign trade of Canton has been seri-^ ously interfered with, Shanghai, on the great river Yangtsze, which -port \rjas opened m .1842, now staking the lead. The rapid changes which have occurred ■m the! treaty; porty bfChiioa gkye 1 the French hope, it. is said, th*at a' new trade emporium may be established at < , the mouth of the Red River. This de- < sign alone would tend Jo provoke ■ a spirit of hostility m Canton, but no doubt the main factor m the sum is hatred to the " barbarian " nation,! At the mouth of the Pearl Biver, on' whioh Canton is built, lies -the Island p,f Hqnglfong, a British possession. It was acquired by . the ! English at the close of the war m 1841, and has since been retained, as ac.Q'umercial stovehouse .and & naval and military depot. The group of islauds of which i« ibrms a -part was formerly called " Ladroues" or Thieves,, as ie was a notorious resort of pirates, but these , pests, have, been swept away after much fighting", and Hongkong now. exerts, an iaralu.ab,le and steadying influence on th.c trado witli China.' It is .Vh,e gve^t baking qentre. The teft ajn.4 ailk t^ade. is to a large extent oonducted by .Hongkong firms. The population numbers 8000 " whites and ,152^000 Chinese, most of -whom. are British subjects by V 4>irth. The present Governor is' Sir Geoijge Bowen, who receives a salary of L6OOO per annum. ;: . '