HL Deb 17 April 1883 vol 278 cc411-4
LORD HARRIS

asked the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he could inform the House what was the actual state of relations existing at the present moment between France and Annam? It was not his object to raise any question as to the rights of Franco on the Red River. He was aware that a Treaty was made in 1871 between Annam on the one part and France on the other, by which Annam undertook to open up the Red River to the sea and to look on France nominally as her protector. He was aware that France asserted that this Treaty had not been observed, and that Annam not having kept the country in orderly subjection, the stipulations of the Treaty had become a dead letter. It was not his object to enter in the question as to the claim of China that Annam was a tributary State. The particular Question he wished to put to the noble Earl was against whom was the action of France directed, for he confessed that at present there was considerable obscurity upon the point? It might be in the recollection of their Lordships that he asked a Question somewhat similar to the present last year. It was whether the Government had any reason to fear that the action of Franco would affect English trade, and that Question was answered most satisfactorily by the noble Earl the head of the India Office, to the effect that lie had no reason to fear interruption to English trade in those waters. In asking a somewhat similar Question again, it was not to be supposed that he was raising any question of jealousy as to the action of France. If such a suggestion could be made, it would be satisfactorily answered by the fact that such commerce as had been created at Tonquin had been directed to Hong Kong instead of Saigon by Chinese merchants, who chiefly promoted it. He was astonished to find that among all the Parliamentary Papers issued to their Lordships' House during the last six months there was not a single Paper upon the subject. When it was remembered that Tonquin, the point to which his Question was particularly directed, was only 300 miles off the line taken by all steamers between Singapore and Hong Kong and China, and that the Red River came from that part of Asia which had been recently marched through by Mr. Colquhoun, he thought their Lordships would allow that it was a part of the world which at no distant day was likely to become much better known. He was surprised that so much interest had been taken in Madagascar, while so little had been taken in Annam. Several Papers had been issued on Madagascar; but, so far as trade was concerned, he thought Annam might prove at no distant day of no less importance than Madagascar. His object was to clear up the question against whom French action was directed. There was very little information on which he could base his Question, and therefore he was obliged to refer to certain telegrams of the Paris Correspondent of The Standard, in order to show the obscurity of the question, against whom was the action of France directed? [He had been under the impression that it was directed against the Black Flag Pirates, but that was very doubtful. In a telegram in last Wednesday's Standard, he found the following statement:— During the Easter recess, now drawing to a close, the Council of Ministers has on several occasions deliberated on the state of affairs in Tonquin and the Expedition it is proposed to send there. Though the exact terms of the Bill which the Chambers will be asked to vote sanctioning that Expedition have not yet been definitely agreed upon by the Cabinet, the exchange of views which has taken place between MM. Jules Ferry, Challemel-Lacour, and Charles Brun, goes far to show that the Expedition will not assume the importance which the Duclerc Cabinet proposed to give it. The Expedition, as conceived by Admiral Jaureguiberry, Minister of Marine under M. Duclerc, comprised the despatch to Tonquin of six thousand soldiers, and a flotilla of gunboats and other vessels drawing but little water. The latter portion of this scheme will probably be carried out with but little modification, but it is almost certain that the contingent of troops will not be so large as was first decided upon. The French intend to compel the Emperor of Annam to carry out the Treaty of 1874, and insure the free navigation of the Red River. If he is powerless to accomplish that the French will do the work for him. The present Cabinet does not seem to consider that, to arrive at that result, the conquest of Tonquin will be necessary, but believes that it will be sufficient to create in that country, and especially on the Bed River, a series of military and commercial establishments, which will form the central points of new colonics. It is in this manner, and with the aid of the Native population, who are represented hero as being most anxious to be freed from the exactions of the Annamite Mandarins, that the French hope to succeed within a brief delay in annexing Tonquin to their possessions in Cochin China. Then another telegram stated as follows:— On the other side the French representative at Hue, feeling his position there untenable, on account of the annoyances to which he was subject, and which late events were calculated to aggravate, judged it prudent to leave that capital. He embarked with the personnel of the Legation on board a despatch boat, and is now at Saigon. He concluded from that that the Representative of France at the Court of Annam had left that country. Finally, he might call their Lordships' attention to an article in The Temps, which, after reflecting on certain remarks in the journal referred to respecting the con- templated action of France in Tonquin, concluded by saying— The occupation, without firing a shot, of the three Western provinces of Lower Cochin China in 1867, the astonishing facility with which the Gamier enterprise was accomplished in 1874, the few men with whom Post Captain Rivière has maintained his position for months in the delta of the Red River, are sufficient to demonstrate the weakness of the Annamite power, even when supported by the famous black flag, under which are enrolled the deserters from the Chinese Army. That seemed to show that the action of France was directed against the Emperor of Annam, and not against the Black Flag Pirates. He begged to ask the noble Earl whether he could inform the House what was the exact state of the relations between France and Annam?

EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, I am sorry I cannot give a complete answer to the noble Lord's Question. As I understand, the action of France is directed to the maintenance of the rights which she claims under the Treaty she entered into with the Sovereign of Annam in 1874; but I have no official information on the subject.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

Have we an official Representative of any sort at the Court of Annam?

EARL GRANVILLE

We have none.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

None!