THE FRENCH IN TONQUIN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3372, 24 January 1884, Page 2

THE FRENCH IN TONQUIN.

A contemporary has the following, taken from a Hong Kong newspaper Haiphong, Nov. 22.

Since the date of my last (Nor. 12) all the troops which hare arrived from Europe recently, have been landed and transhipped to Honoi. For a few days the town was gay with the picturesque forms of the Turcos, or Algerian tirailleurs, and the Foreign Legion. The uniform of the former consists of the well-known Zouave jacket and loose trousers of light blue and yellow facings, a wide scarlet waist-sash, black gaiters and scarlet fez with blue tassels. The Foreign Legion wear the blue frock coat with the flaps buttoned back and rod trousers of the French infantry. The Tnrcos are a remarkably healthy and business-like-looking lot of soldiers. They bear the reputation of being splendid fighting men, and are probably better suited to the work of campaigning in an unsettled country such as Tonquin than regular French troops. In addition to the officers, I was rather surprised to find that a considerable proportion of the rank and file were Frenchmen, the corps being considered a purely African one. . Intelligence was received at liaxp-

hong on Sunday morning (Nov. 18) that an attack had been made on the previous I day and during the night on Haiduong, about 25 miles from Haiphong, by a force of Chinese and Anamites over I 2000 strong. The garrison of the post! consists only of one company of marine infantry and a few Anamite tirailleurs and newly raised militia, and this small force appears to have been divided, part of them being quartered in a small fort outside, while 60 were in a guard-house in the city of Haiduong. Whilst the detachment in the fort had as much as they coaid do to defend themselves, and were quite unable to make a sortie, those in the city were in the most dangerous position. The fire of the enemy was hot and continuous, and directed from all sides, the city itself being burnt and looted by the Chinese. A small river gunboat, the Carabine, was lying in the small creek which runs through the town of Haiduong, and also took part in the engagement, but was unfortunately unable to make use of her powerful gun, owing to the height of the banks, which were above the level of her deck. The gunboat Lynx, one of the larger class, had left Haiphong on the previous day to ascend the river towards Bacninh, and while on her way heard the firing and altered her course for Haiduong, arriving in time to render most valuable assistance, as it is probable the garrison would have been unable to hold their position until morning, the ammunition being almost expended. Two attempts were made by the detachment in the town to reach their comrades in the fort, but on each occasion they were obliged to return to their original position. As soon, however, as the Lynx got her guns into action, and commenced to pour in a destructive fire the enemy withdrew out of range. The French loss in this affair consisted of four Anamite irregulars killed, eight French infantry men wounded, four of them severely, and one Anamite wounded, M, Marquis, the Resident of the province in which both Haiphong and Haiduong are situated, and who had gone up to the latter town in the Carabine, had a rather narrow escape, being grazed on the shoulder by a bullet. The Carabine returned to Haiphong during the afternoon of the 18th, bringing the wounded men to the hospital. One of these poor fellows had only just recovered from a wound received in August last at the Phouhai affair, and he has now received four bullet wounds in different parts of his body. The little Carabine was riddled with shot, but only a few had penetrated sufficiently to do much damage. It is not yet known where the Chinese who made this attack have immediately come from, but it is generally believed that they have marched down from Bacninh. Grave fears were entertained that Haiphong would be attacked on Nov. 20 or 21, and another company of marine infantry were sent down from Hanoi to strengthen the garrison, which consisted of only about 150 men, all the new reinforcements having been sent up toHanoi. In spite of the fact that Haiphong as the port of entry, is the most important post held by the French in Tonquin, there are seldom sufficient men in the place to hold it against anything like a serious attack, if such an event should take place. The department has been handed over to the civil authorities, and it is Mons. Barmen’s pet theory that he can keep order and give protection to French subjects and native allies without military assistance. The result is that the country immediately around Haiphong is overrun with bands of so-called pirates, Anamite guerillas, who burn the villages and massacre the helpless natives who have trusted to the protection so freely offered by the administration in the proclamations, and in the terms of the treaty of Hue. A week ago four villages within five miles of Haiphong were burnt to the ground, several of the inhabitants killed, and a Spanish priest in charge of a neighboring mission only escaped a cruel death by taking refuge on the banks of the river, until one of the river steamers passing down to Haiphong took him on board. The difficulties of the work undertaken by the French are more and more apparent every day, and it it probable that reinforcements on a much larger scale than the force just sent out will be required to subjugate the country and restore order and safety to its inhabitants.