there deseril pavy welquhoun, Times Correspondent.
Haiduong, 27th February.
We left Haiphong on the afternoon of the 2ist instant, mut proceeded direct to Hanoi, where we arrived at 10 p.m. on the 22nd. During that day and the next the weather was anything but pleasant for making excursions, a continuous fall of fine rain, with a blank north-west wind being the order of the day. however, to t about a ig of the 2: clemency of the weather, a in interviewing the uew Comm: Chief and General Beiéco de L'lsle, whi Of the chief objects of our visit al Millut, who has the as the reputati ed diplomatic aso skilful General, received with a much greater amo of cordiality than hias hitherto be accorded to the representatives of th press b; the French 1; authorities in Tong) in. Ho stated that all correspondents of the press should have perfect liberty to follow the ope: tions of the French forces and to pro-coed to any place they desired. He aleo anid that no difference would be made tween English and French correspon that wuy facilities of transport, h wore available, would be at our dis. posal. The General has the reputation of being a man of broad and liberal views and evidently intends to abolish the restrictions which have been up to the present time upon all. pros representatives in Tonquin, either direct! directly.
General Bridre de L'lsle's reception was characteristic of the man. tHe is n bluff in-spoken soldier of the old school, and once conveys sincerity and good faith in all he says, He told us that the perm'asion to follow the troops in their Healy and &. €. & €. Ga operations lay, of cot chief, Dut that as far as he himself was concerned he had no objections to their presence with his division. He looked upon the Hong-Kong press as having shown itself favour able to the Tonquin expedition toa greater extent than that of England, At Hanoi fow changes appeared to have enough still remai strength of the Chinese and An place in thole belief in the impreguubility of the stronghold.
It is, however, clear Uhat the informa. tion obtained by the Frouch military authorities was pretty correct, aa the attack was certainly made on the most vulnerable had been muck improved and Uh clearing the main streets of the ing left fom last My goes on steadily.
unboo stockade which existed along front of the Concession had bee removed, thereby much improving the aspect of the place. Several new erections for stores and restaurants to replace the buildings destroyed by the disaster of the 27th December were progressing rapidly towards completion.
On the morning of the 24th, at an early hour, we started up river for Soutai. Generally the country borden Hanoi and Soutai pr Appearance as below though in some places it is much closer, with th and castor oil chief crops in the place of The mouth of the Canal des Itapider, or Bacuinheanal, which joinsthe Red River alittle above Hanoi, is now silted up to extent as to be impassable to any ive boats of light draft possibly be owl i stream by the Chinese than 12-monthe citadel of Sontai is of much more extent than that Hanvi,, but it in fructed on very, similar lines.. here ithin the walls, which a i moat, the usual royal pu; tower, with a number of brick and. other proviso From the vearthworks on.the West side of Sontai n beautiful view is obtained of the mountainous country which borders the Bluck River, {t was through one of the passes of this chain of mountaiua that the retroatiny army of Black Flags made their escape after enating Sontai on the night of the Dec.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.