132 FRANCE, ANNAM, AND CHINA. 



between France and China, the situation was full of peril ; for it must 

 not be forgotten that China is vulnerable only at her ports of Canton, 

 Shanghai, Pekin, Ningpo, Tiengsin, &c., and that no blow could be 

 struck there, which would not be felt in Europe ; and therefore the 

 shock to the Eastern Trade of England and other Great Maritime 

 Powers, would have been most disastrous, and the relations of France 

 with Europe, and even with America would have been strained and 

 seriously embittered. 



That meant the interruption of all commercial intercourse during 

 the period of hostilities, between China and Europe, and a conse- 

 quent injury, loss, and ruin to a great international commerce. With 

 an export and import .trade with China of ;^4o,ooo,ooo yearly, 

 England had solid interests at stake, and in the interests of 

 civilisation and commerce, it was devoutly hoped that War might 

 have been averted. 



FROM 1884 TO 1886. 



France appeared at this juncture " drifting " steadily into a War 

 with China, and military operations were entered upon, although 

 there had been no actual declaration of hostilities between France 

 and China ; for Jules Ferry, the French Premier, following the pre- 

 cedent of England in Egypt, and adopting the memorable words of 

 the late Prime Minister of England, Mr. Gladstone, refused to call 

 the armed intervention of France against China, as a state of War, 

 jus gentium, but only a succession of military operations, truly a dis- 

 tinction without a difference. 



Nevertheless, the various "military operations" of the French were 

 sanguinary struggles in Tonquin, in order to secure the recognition 

 by China of the Treaty of Hufe of the 23rd August, 1884 ; for they 

 involved the capture of forts, the fierce conflicts with the undis- 

 ciplined hordes of barbarians, called the "Black Flags," and the 

 bombardment, by the. French Fleet, of defenceless Chinese ports 

 and islands, in a word. War. 



There was the incident at Bac-Le, when General Dugenne, in 

 disobedience to orders from General Millot, imprudently advanced 

 against the Chinese Fortress of Langson, and suffered a serious 

 reverse, and for this violation of his instructions he was superseded. 



The retreat from Langson, in the early part of 1885, was followed 

 by a policy of en revanche against China, in the bombardment by the 



