France Completes Conquest of Vietnam

Today’s installment concludes France Takes Vietnam,
our selection from Europe and the Far East by Sir Robert Kennaway Douglas published in 1904.

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Previously in France Takes Vietnam.

Time: 1882
Place: Hanoi

The convention had been signed on May 11, 1884, and news of its conclusion was instantly sent to Tonquin, where the military authorities at once took steps to act upon it. In June a column left Hanoi in the direction of Langson. On approaching that city, Colonel Dugenne, who was in command, encountered a strong Chinese force, which occupied a position across the road. The French officer instantly called on the Chinese to retire across the frontier. To this the Chinese General objected, averring that he was un aware of the terms of the convention, and expressing his determination to hold his ground until he received instructions from his superior officers to retire. While the three mandarins who brought this message to the French camp were discussing the situation with the French commander a straggling detachment of zouaves opened fire on some Chinese troops in their neighborhood. Two of the three mandarins, hearing the firing and fearing that it might bring on an engagement, precipitately left their hosts (by whom they were regarded as hostages), with the intention of stopping the firing. The French, on the other hand, believing that they were going to lead their men in the fight, shot them down as they ran, and pistolled the third lest he should imitate their example. The engagement now became general. The French, though they fought bravely, were completely outnumbered, and presently began to fall into confusion. The Chinese pressed their advantage, and drove the enemy before them in headlong flight. A brilliant stand was made by a small body of the Chasseurs d’Afrique, who stemmed the torrent of pursuit and saved the force from utter destruction.

This defeat rendered the Fournier-Li Hung Chang convention so much waste paper; and the campaign was renewed all along the line. Success of a kind — for the immediate results were barren — attended the French arms, and the action of the French fleet off the coast of China made the Chinese ready and even eager for peace, while the difficulties attending fighting in the climate of Tonquin inclined the French to listen to terms. Matters being in this condition, a special envoy in the person of M. Cogordan arrived on the scene with a treaty ready drawn.

On this document Li Hung Chang, the Chinese plenipotentiary, refused to look, and he finally concluded a treaty with M. Patenbtre, the French Minister at Peking. By its terms France undertook to reestablish and maintain order in those provinces of Vietnam that border on the Chinese Empire, at the same time agreeing that in no circumstances would French troops cross the frontier that separates Tonquin from China. China, on the other hand, engaged to disperse or expel such bands as might take refuge in her provinces bordering on Tonquin, and further undertook to respect the treaties, conventions, and arrangements concluded between France and Vietnam. Article V provided that import and export trade should be permitted, but only to French or French-protected traders and the Chinese traders across the frontier between China and Tonquin. By Article VII the French were permitted to make roads in Tonquin and to encourage rail ways; and China agreed that, in case she should decide on con structing railways, she would have recourse to French industry, while the Government of the Republic declared its readiness to afford every facility for procuring in France the staff that might be required. This treaty was signed on June 9, 1885; and the peace that it secured remained unbroken until the Boxer outbreak in 1900.

The commercial articles were calculated so completely to reserve for France and China all advantages of trade that other Powers have been at a certain disadvantage. But, notwithstanding this, the bulk of the trade of the country has, in the natural order of things, fallen into the hands of the Chinese, the British, and the Germans. According to the trade returns of French Indo-China for 1902, the foreign trade amounted to four hundred million four hundred twenty-nine thousand francs, or thirty- seven million three hundred forty-three thousand francs more than in 1901; the increase in exports being twenty-four million six hundred fifty- eight thousand francs; and in the imports twelve million six hundred eighty-five thousand francs. From these figures it appears that in the past ten years the foreign trade has grown from one hundred sixty-one million francs to four hundred million francs. This is satisfactory so far as it goes; but that the main profit should go into the pockets of foreigners was not con templated by the founders of the French Empire in the East. For example, in 1902 the amount of exports shipped for Hong Kong was double that shipped to France; and of the shipping that cleared from Saigon in the same year only thirty-five vessels (exclusive of government vessels), having an aggregate tonnage of forty-one thousand eight hundred ninety-one, flew the French flag, while one hundred thirty-three British vessels, of a tonnage of two hundred nine thousand nine hundred twenty-nine, cleared from the port. These last figures were outnumbered by the German vessels, which are recorded as having been two hundred twelve, with a tonnage of two hundred thirty-two thousand seven hundred eighty-three.

To develop the country, railroads have been constructed in all directions, the most important being those from Haiphong by Vietri to Laokai, in the direction of Yunnanhsien in the Chinese Province of Yunnan, and from Hanoi to Langson. But these works progress slowly and are hindered in their course by the hardly concealed opposition of the natives.

This ends our series of passages on France Takes Vietnam by Sir Robert Kennaway Douglas from his book Europe and the Far East published in 1904. This blog features short and lengthy pieces on all aspects of our shared past. Here are selections from the great historians who may be forgotten (and whose work have fallen into public domain) as well as links to the most up-to-date developments in the field of history and of course, original material from yours truly, Jack Le Moine. – A little bit of everything historical is here.

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