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COCHINCHINA. 
CHAP. XL 
ADVANTAGES OF A COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE WITH 
COCHINCHINA. 
Peninsula and Harbour of Turon — Views of France in desiring the Cession 
of it — Importance of to Great Britain, particularly in its Commerce with 
China — Cochinchinese Productions for Export — Mode of establishing an 
Intercourse with this Nation — Objections against entrusting diplomatic Agency 
to mercantile Men — Ancient Commerce with Cochinchina — Reason of its De- 
cline owing to the ill Conduct of Europeans — An extraordinary Instance of 
Cruelty — Chinese Trade to New Holland — Superior Advantages resulting 
from their early Knowledge of the Compass — An Objection to its An- 
tiquity answered — An Opening for Great Britain to revive the Trade of 
Cochinchina. 
The Bishop Adran, in negociating the treaty between 
Louis XVI. and the King of Cochinchina, has clearly shewn 
that, however great his attachment might be to the latter, he 
was not at the same time by any means unmindful of the in- 
terests of the former. The terms of this treaty also prove that, 
by fixing on the peninsula of Turon as the cession to be made 
to France, the good Bishop had not been inattentive to the 
comparative merits of the local advantages which the coast 
of Cochinchina possessed. He seems to have been well 
aware that if France was once permitted to occupy this neck 
of land, she would thereby ])e enabled to secure to herself a 
