John Arrowsmith The London Atlas of Universal Geography , London, 1842, David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.
"When the far Asia, unable to maintain its secular isolation, ceased to be impenetrable, which China sees its policy undermined from within by the insurgency, threatened from without by an expedition which we participate, the ruler of the empire Annamite whose dynasty owes to France's throne expresses the enemy of Europe and the French name, displays his contempt for us, pushing our ships poured in torrents the blood of our missionaries, and just to throw us challenge the head of a bishop.
For seventy years this country responds to our benefits by insults or crimes. Our patience is to encourage insolence, or turns bloody hypocrite, that force alone can repress a punishment too delayed and too deserved. "The French are barking like dogs and run away like goats." It by this phrase became proverbial, that the ungrateful Dynasty Gia Laong characterizes our bounty and brave our retaliation. [...]
In September 1856, Mr. de Montigny, commissioned by the French government to negotiate a treaty with Annam Empire, sent it to a letter by Touranne Catinat, commanded by M. de Ville-Lelieur sur-Arce. The mandarins of Touranne and those of Hue, the city, refused to receive it. They carried on shore with a thousand demonstrations of hatred and contempt. At the same time the batteries are garrisoned Touranne artillery and prepared to open their fire against the French. The commander Lelieur merely to land an infantry company that entered the fort, spiked sixty pieces, drowned powder; mandarins came to Cairo so humble apologies, and they have renewed the Captain Collier, arrived on the Capricious. They recognized the incredible arrogance of their actions and humbly asked forgiveness from the great French emperor. The letter, previously denied, was accepted with respect and pompously transported to the capital.
Monitor Fleet, reporting these facts, added these words: "our relations are now Cochin best, and our influence here has nothing to be desired. Our poor missionaries will benefit, because we dare to mistreat them so easily in the future. "
But, as the Eastern proverb, the mandarins had kiss your hand that they could cut. Their humiliation increased their fury. Scarcely had the French flag had they removed that, as in previous occasions, the reaction took place violently. Finally, this last hour, the news of the martyrdom of a bishop Dominican Diaz Bishop, Vicar Apostolic of Tonkin central beheaded on July 20 last, Nan-Ting just somehow summon Europe to put an end to this long series of attacks against anything that comes from it.
, France in particular is a formal act. Its missionaries massacred hundreds, repeatedly insulted its flag, repression remained without effect, as vain demonstrations, traders upset or hunted, and all the broken promises by repetition of persecution that Christians are six hundred thousand victims a solemn treaty torn: that the thanks of the dynasty Annamite to the nation who replaced on his throne by the hand of a bishop, in 1787. These are rights, are the objections of France. His duty speaks loud enough. It is time to intervene. But to what extent and by what means?
Let us first without hesitation. If the facts we have set contain a lesson is a half measure, a military promenade, a bombing, occupation incomplete, remain absolutely void, or rather will have some effect to get after them liars promises, a repetition of persecution. Or do nothing, let one of the last peoples of the world wrong, insulting, hitting France, or else have the resolution, as we have the strength and courage to perform a conquest. Our honor would not speak, that our political interest we imperiously that conduct. [...]
France is the only major maritime power that has no possessions in the Far East. The Russians in the north Kamchatka and the coast of Siberia, which borders the Sea of Okhotsk. They just repeat part of Manchuria and capture the whole course of love. This immense river, whose waters descend from the Altai, whose price is more than eight hundred leagues, and can be recovered to a great distance from ships of greater tonnage, is communication throughout Siberia to the sea of Tartary. Russian policy had long coveted this valuable outlet for its trade. Peter the Great had taken it, Catherine was forced to abandon it. Amid concerns of the Crimean war, the Czar has not hesitated to recover. This easy conquest brought immediate fruit, and had offered shelter to Russian frigates against the combined forces of France and England. This shelter was so sure that, despite their superiority, the Allied navies had to give to any attempted attack. Only those who have visited the party southern Siberia and among whom were allayed misconceptions that we form can judge the future of this institution.
In the Philippines we find the Spaniards. The day a bit of calm will be restored to the motherland the English navy will take over the position it should occupy, and whole fleets can take shelter in the huge harbor of Manila and ordered the China Seas.
The Dutch, with their inflexible perseverance, have made Java the most beautiful settlements in the world. Their navy, numerous and well armed, the police in Malaysia. They dominate a particular vast archipelago and the latest newspapers tell us that they will add these possessions in New Guinea, land itself larger than the British Isles.
Should we talk about England? Everybody knows quite what its invading march. The roads of India and China belong to him. An insurgency may well have broken out in some of his vast empire, but who knows the persevering energy of the English people can not doubt that she will soon be compressed. Everyday we see Britain increase its possessions. [...] For Americans, the colonization of California and Oregon, legal possession of the Sandwich Islands, increase their interest in daily affairs of the Far East. They have resolved to be open doors and Japan have just concluded a treaty with that empire.
The Portuguese themselves, despite their complete decay, have yet Macao, and we who claim the leading maritime power after England, and even endure this inferiority with some difficulty, we have nothing Absolutely nothing.
We have a station in these seas. On it rests our influence. But the naval war erupts tomorrow, what would become the vessels that belong to it? where can they shelter, supplies, find food and ammunition? Nowhere, and their position becomes precarious.
Since the transformation of our Navy, an institution of this kind becomes even more essential. There are few warships that are equipped with mechanical engines today. In recent years, thanks to measures taken, there will be no one. But a steamship can carry with him a small supply of fuel, and this supply is even smaller than the machine is stronger and gives more power to the ship. Coal is perhaps now need to maritime warfare as gunpowder. A vessel must always have within reach a place where his empty tanks can be filled; without it, no more, after a short time, a bad sailing vessel, easy prey available to cruisers better supplied the enemy.
He must give up our flag to fly in these parts, if we do not want to create naval establishment. As a result, we must also renounce any influence, all our old political traditions, the defense of our country and our trade, abandon the noble role of protector of all religious interests, which obviously is the mission of our homeland. [...]
The importance of an institution might be greater still in business perspective. [...] ... The mountains [are] covered with magnificent forests. They provide the rosewood, iron, ebony, Sapan, sandalwood, especially wood and calambac eagle, which sell in China for their weight in gold. "The three provinces that make up the high Cochin possess, at the foot of these mountains, abundant mines of zinc, copper, in operation. That's where we draw the considerable amount of zinc in the paid circulation as currency. Mining gold, silver and copper Phu Yen deserve special mention, but the products you get out go to swell the treasure amassed by the emperor in the cellars of his palace " (Itier, Trip China , Vol III., p. 113).
Do not forget the copper mines white and red copper which are in the vicinity of Saigon, in the province of Quang Nam and in the Quang Hue-or diu. In most skillful hands, these mines would be a great income.
"The plains are often flooded during the rainy season, produce an immense quantity of rice which is made double cropping, and does not cost a penny a pound. There is still corn, millet, several species of risers and pumpkins, all fruits from India and China, a large quantity of sugar cane, areca nuts, betel leaves, the cotton, silk, good quality and indigo. [...] Tea of Cochin would be great if the harvest was better looked after, and a plant called indigo or green dinaxany would alone the fortunes of a colony. " (Malte-Brun, Geography Universal , t. V, p. 380)
Is it in the tropics a country which alone has a greater variety of wealth? You want, I think, to finish, as Father Alexander of Rhodes, one of the first passengers in Cochin, who completed a similar list, exclaiming "and say that this is not a good country!"
Have we no interest in developing all the resources of this good country, especially considering that for almost all commodities that nature prodigal, we are generally dependent on abroad.
In 1856, a value of 22 million francs of rice was purchased by us in India, and the food trade of this substance has created the importance of Akiab in the Burmese, who was wearing nothing a few years ago. We buy for 19,600,000 francs Hindustan indigo, the Cochin provide equally good and equally cheap.
Our silk production, even in the most prosperous years, has never sufficed to the needs of our factory. It's in the Levant, Italy and India that we have always called complement. But in recent times to the disease, the destruction of some crops, forced us to us send to China. Our ships have brought in Marseille on raw silk loaded Shang Hai and paid not only in cash, but cash only, because the Chinese do not want the gold coin. These purchases include the considerable number of the principal causes assigned to the disappearance of silver coinage. Would it not of utmost importance to have at our disposal a large mass-producing countries the indispensable element of one of our first industries?
What is true of silk is perhaps even more cotton. These are the United States almost exclusively now that fuel our market But everyone feels the desirability for our spinners do not rely solely on America. It is hoped that later Algeria can supply them in part but the climate of our ownership in Africa is less favorable for cotton than the tropics, and it will happen long before labor will be a price that allows competition. The English, to free themselves from the yoke commercial that America imposes on them, make great efforts to develop cotton cultivation in India. That the insurgency was quiet, and they will redouble those efforts. Cochin China cotton as a product of Hindustan, be it French, and soon we will provide a great Part of that demand factories of Rouen and Mulhouse. [...]
But for all colonial cultures, it is a question that now dominates all others is that of workers. We can obtain a cheap arm, and there are few points of the torrid zone where one is assured of success. We have convincing evidence in what is happening at Bourbon and our Caribbean. [...] The Cochin, softer than the Malay, less apathetic than Tagalog, also requests that do work. The day a farmer is paid 25 cents Annamite, that of an Indian engaged in Bourbon, represents approximately 1 fr. 40. Cochin China and Cambodia itself Cochin are less populated than Tonkin, which contains fifteen million inhabitants, and whose large villages of two to three thousand souls touch.
The arms will never default, but it was well into the Empire of Annam was he completely uninhabited, he would find all the resources necessary for its development in the vicinity of China, where overabundant populations where infanticide is daily, which often thousands of men die of hunger, lack of work. We know how easily the Chinese emigrants. The Spaniards found in Cuba advantage to bring them at great expense to their plantations. Cochin China, over one third of these costs would be avoided, we would not pay to transport. Chinese junks come on their own, as they are already, as they go to Manila, Singapore and Batavia. They would work to the task, as is their habit and taste, they would like in Singapore, founded only in 1819, and Penang, where in recent years they have eliminated most of the virgin forests, and work created by the wealth of these two islands now so successful. [...]
Let us add that [the Cochin] has by his position of many other opportunities that the French market, because all these countries that border the Pacific Ocean beginning ii open to civilization and have new needs that must be met. The Celestial Empire, now consumes much sugar Cochin. This production is currently very little, but it is growing, and China, which can not remain forever closed, take more. It is believed that Siberia, by Love, California and Oregon who populate so promptly, Chile, the only thriving state of this side of South America, will buy easily it could provide. Emigration English, so actively driving change is rapidly transforming Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand. Mauritius, which now produces vastly more than it did formerly, in Europe no longer sends a small portion of its products it ships mainly in these new settlements. Cochinchina is why at least as well placed. She has what passes in the forefront of this whole industrial and commercial consumers insured for its products. "
P. Douhaire, "Rights and Duties of France in Cochin,
Correspondent , t. 42, Paris, Charles Douniol, 1857.
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