124 FRANCE, ANNAM, AND CHINA. 



were made by them to open up communications from the Gulf of 

 Tonquin to Hanoi, the Capital, and thence to push through to the 

 Chinese province of Yunnan. 



The Government of Annam opposed the expedition on its 

 arrival at the mouth of the Song-Koi, first by diplomacy, and that 

 failing, by an armed force ; but the French forces under Dupuis 

 and Millot, in spite of the difficulties raised at Hufe, steamed up the 

 Song-Koi, overcame the obstacles, and accomplished this hazardous 

 and bold enterprise. 



Whilst the expedition of M. Dupuis was in progress, the French 

 Admiral at Saignon, seeing the importance of opening a line 

 of communication for French commerce, despatched a gunboat, 

 under the command of Lieut. Frangois Garnier, hoping thereby to 

 act as the prot^g^ of* Dupuis and Millot in their enterprise. 



Unfortunately, as it was unanticipated, this small French force was 

 confronted by the Chinese forces, under the command of a 

 General who it was believed was in the service of Tu-Duc, the 

 King of Annam. 



China, in fact, defended her vassal, and her sovereignty over 

 Tonquin, which for centuries she had safeguarded, for she felt her 

 influence compromised by the presence of foreigners, and especially 

 by the representative of a Foreign Power at Hanoi, which she was 

 resolved to resist by force. 



Lieutenant Garnier attacked and captured the fortress of Hanoi, 

 and completely upset for the time the authority of Tu-Duc, and a 

 few weeks afterwards he proceeded to occupy, in the name of 

 France, the adjacent fortresses in the Delta, Haidznong, Nam-Dinh, 

 and 'Nam-Binh ; nominated Governors, and placed his forces at 

 threatened positions, as an assertion of French authority. 



Poor Garnier had only a few hundred men under his orders, 

 and this bold enterprise cost him dear, for. on returning to succour 

 his forces, which he had left at the capital of Hanoi, and which were 

 attacked, he was assailed by superior numbers, routed, and 

 perished with most of his companions-in-arms. 



As soon as the sad news reached Saignon, the Governor, Rear- 

 Admiral Duprfe, despatched help to the weakened forces at 

 Hanoi, besieged by the combined army of Annam and China, 

 administered reprisals, and by force majeure reasserted the power of 

 France. 



The tragic end, however, of poor Garnier and his compatriots gave. 



