instituted seven years before. Moreover, the foreign trade of the colony was nearly all under the control of foreign. ers. The Success of Doumer.-In December, 1896, M. Paul Doumer, leader of a radical wing in the Chamber of Deputies, was appointed Governor General of French IndoChina in an effort to get him out of French politics at home. The reforms which he proposed were as follows: 1. The creation of a suitable financial policy. 2. The pacification of Tonkin. 3. The organization of a Government General. 5. The extension of French influence in China and Siam. The success of his administration is shown by the remarkable commercial growth of the colony by 1902. During the ten years from 1893 to 1902 the foreign trade of the colony increased from 162,000,000 francs to 400,000,000 francs, of which France's share increased from less than one-fifth to more than one-third. The exports doubled in value and the value of exports to France in 1902 was nearly four times as large as in 1893. The Reorganization of the Government. This remarkable growth was brought about largely by reforms in administration. The Government General was reorganized on the principle of governing the whole of Indo-China, but leaving the administration to the Resident Superiors in the Protectorates. The Superior Council of Indo-China was re-created and endowed with legislative powers. It consists of the Governor General, the military and naval commanders in French Indo-China, the Secretary General of Indo-China, the Lieutenant Governor of Cochin China, and the Resident Superiors of the four Protectorates. In addition to these officials the heads of departments in the Government General, the President of the Colonial Council of Cochin China, the Presidents of various Chambers of Commerce, four natives, and the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Governor General. This body has charge of the general and local budgets and advises the Governor General on local legislation. It is divided into four committees; one on military and naval affairs, public works, railways, commerce, and agriculture; a second on legislation and administrative organization; a third on budgets; and a fourth on finance. The Executive Administration.-The executive branch of the Government General consists of the following services: military and naval; civil affairs; finances; excise and customs; public works; agriculture and commerce; and posts, telegraphs and telephones. The Cabinet of the Governor General consists of four bureaus, one covering political, one administrative, one military, and one secretarial matters. The French Government General is more elaborate than the Government of the Federated Malay States and its one distinctive feature is the legislative body. The Budget System.-A budget system was devised in 1898 on the principle that money from indirect taxes should go to the general government of French Indo-China while direct taxes should be levied to carry on the local governments. This assignment of revenue resulted in 1904 in 65,000,000 francs being turned over to the Government General and only 32,000,000 being assigned to the local Governments. The Judicial System.-In 1898 a Supreme Court of Appeal was established for the whole of French Indo-China, which consists of three Chambers, one Chamber under a Vice-President and two Counsellors sitting at Hanoi. The criminal court is composed of magistrates of another Chamber who sit with four assessors selected from 50 of the leading residents. Another Chamber of the Court of Appeal composed of three counsellors and two mandarins reviews the cases from the native courts, where the Annamite code is administered by local mandarins and then decisions submitted to the Resident Superior for approval. Mixed courts of commerce are held at Hanoi and Haiphong and are composed of a presiding judge and two judges elected by the Chambers of Commerce. Railroad Development. The railroad from Haiphong across the Chinese border into Yunnan is a remarkable tribute to the energy and foresight of Governor General Doumer, but this actual achievement is only one of a number of projects in French Indo-China involving an expenditure of 400,000,000 francs and contemplating the construction of about 2,000 miles of railroad. The program contemplated, will connect Saigon with Hanoi, Savanakek on the Mekong River with Kwantai on the coast, Ouinhone with Kontoum, and will open up Southern Annam, and connect Saigon with Bankok. Only 700 miles of road were actually needed, but Doumer insisted upon a larger program and 200,000,000 francs were finally appropriated for the following lines: 1. From Haiphong to Hanoi and on to Chinese border. 2. From the Chinese border to Yunnan. 3. From Hanoi to Vinh on the coast. 4. From Tourane to Hue and Kwangtu. 5. From Saigon to Khan-hoa on the coast and to Liangbian on the interior plateau. 6. From Mytho to Vinhlong on the Mekong River. The Present Government. In the five years ending 1994 France actually received 40,000,000 francs in military contribution from the colony; the administration of justice had been immeasurably improved; the Protectorates were effectively governed; and the general prestige of the colony had been raised. The present government, though far from being a model colonial government and possessing many faults, is still a great achievement in the face of changing political conditions at home. The French have gone to great expense to beautify the cities of Hanoi, Haiphong, and Saigon with public buildings and good roads have been constructed throughout the colony. The investment of private French capital in Indo-China has been a difficult matter to bring about. What private capital is there, has been induced to come through guarantees of State support. But notwithstanding this backwardness of the French toward colonizing their Far Eastern possessions, the Government General seems unwilling to adjust the customs and other regulations so as to permit other nations to undertake the development which only private initiative can give. QUESTIONS 1. Why was the French Government of Indo-China unsuccessful until 1896? 2. What reforms did M. Doumer institute and what were the results? 3. Outline the legal system of French Indo-China. 4. What is the extent of railroad development? 5. Enumerate some of the achievements and shortcomings of present French colonial administration in Indo-China. CHAPTER XXII PRODUCTS AND MARKET ANALYSIS OF FRENCH INDO-CHINA With a population of 16,000,000, 25,000 of which are Europeans, mostly French, the Delta people of French Indo-China, or Annamites, constitute 79 per cent of the population. The principal industry is agriculture, although mining has been developed within recent years. The total area is 256,000 square miles, but lack of transportation has retarded the development of the mountain regions, such as those of Laos. The delta regions of Cochin-China and Tonkin are the principal agricultural districts, containing respectively 4,000,000 and 250,000 acres. Forests cover 28,000,000 acres and furnish great opportunities for development. Rice. As in Siam, the predominant product of French Indo-China is rice. The normal production is 2,200,000 tons, of which 1,000,000 tons is consumed at home, leaving 1,200,000 tons for export. Practically all of this exportable surplus, about 1,000,000 tons, is raised in CochinChina; the balance, about 200,000 tons comes from Tonking. Of this tonnage about 50 per cent is normally shipped to Hongkong where it is transshipped to Japan, Europe, and elsewhere; Japan alone takes 400,000 tons of Indo-China rice through Hongkong. Of this 20 per cent is shipped' direct to France, 10 per cent to Singapore, 10 per cent to the Philippines, eight per cent to the Dutch East Indies, and the balance of two per cent is shipped direct to Europe. Japan, with its constantly increasing population and its growing importance as a manufacturing nation, is coming to depend more and more upon French Indo-China and L |