October last, we published a remarkable lamentation from the president of the Chamber of Commerce at Saigon, complaining that French merchants had utterly failed at that colony, and that whatever business was done was transacted by foreigners of other nationalities. The natural inference that there must have been something radically wrong in the system on which French merchants worked, which prevented them from reaping the same benefits as their English and German rivals, did not strike the innocent-minded President. M. Dierx, like the husbandman in the fable who appealed to Jupiter to look after his fields, saw in this nothing but an instance of neglect or want of perseverance on the part of the French Government, to whom, accordingly, he appealed in his distress. The French Governments of the last three years have shown a Jaudable desire to atone for losses in Europe by helping on the colonies of the Empire, and in this case they seem to have yielded, to some extent at least, to the Subject of the President's prayer. M. Dierx, it may be remembered, said that the proper way of advancing the colony was to introduce new articles of cultivation, such as coffee and sugar; and so far he was undeniably right. Frenchmen failed however in doing this because the climate was unhealthy, and he therefore prayed that France should extend her influence in Annam and Tonquin, and more especially in the latter place, whither invalids. might retire to recruit their health after the depressing influences of Saigon. Why there should be this peculiarity about the physical developement of Frenchmen as distinguished from their English and German neighbours, who have at all events made the attempt to introduce these new products, the President did not inform us; but this opening of a sanatorium seemed to be the panacea for the want of success of the colony.
Saigon is neither a delightful nor a healthful residence, but we certainly have no evidence that Tonquin is very much superior; and in any case, what Englishmen and Germans could do under existing circumstances, Frenchmen might easily have managed. The French Government has, however, been kinder than the deity in the fable; it has listened to M. Dierx's prayer, and the result is a treaty between France and Annam which, if rather peculiar in its provisions, may possibly lead further developement of trade on the Coasts of the China Sea. We may state, at the outset, that the treaty is so far free from any of the exclusive clauses which have made the Dutch notorious in the East. The French have for some time claimed a protectorate over Annam, and this is merely renewed in form. Three ports are to be opened to European trade, under the protection of a French Consul; free intercourse with the interior, under a system of passports vised by the same authority, is to be permitted; and authority for the transit of produce to and from China through, Tonguin is stipulated. One of the ports to be opened is Aannoi (? Anhai) near the mouth of the Sangkoi or river of Tonquin, which is more or less navigable into Yunnan, and the advantages of opening which, as a means of communication with southwestern China, we have long ago pointed out. So far, we have little to say in condemnation of the treaty, which from a French point of view is doubtless a most satisfactory one, and which so far as foreign nations are concerned leaves little to complain of, Granted that the opening of the Annames ports by France is an advan. tage to foreign trade, it could scarcely have been put forward in a more unobjectionable manner. Few countries would care to open a hitherto sealed kingdom, as Great Britain did China, to the whole of the world, without some corresponding private advantages.
Having said so much we must, however, confess our misgivings when we come to look further into the treaty. There is a want of lucidity, and we may add a want of straight forwardness in the later provisions which, we fear, must react on our opinion of the entire. The Annamite Govern. ment, we are assured, agrees to pay an "indemnity" to the French; but for what purpose we are not given to derstand. We are not aware of any just cause why the French should have called on the Annamites for any such indemnity. The affair of Lieutenant Garnier, however much to be deplored, seems when closely examined to have been provoked by a course of conduct at variance with all international rules. Again, the treaty states that France cedes" to Annam five steamers of 500 horse-power, one hundred cannon, and a thousand breech-loaders. Whether this cession is to be taken as the analogue of the indemnity on the other
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.