10 OCTOBER 1885, Page 3

It is affirmed that General de Conrcy, the Commander-in- Chief

in Tonqnin, has demanded reinforcements of 18,000 men. According to current statements, he declares that the Black- Flags have reappeared in force ; that he cannot defend even his advanced posts owing to sickness among his men and other causes ; and that if fresh forces are not sent, the fortresses will be captured. The statements may be circulated to affect the elections ; but it is certain that similar messages were sent before the defeat of Langson, and that they were suppressed. A careful history of this cam- paign would throw a new and, we fear, a lurid light on the history of French adventure in the East. It is almost impos- sible to discover what the French Generals do with their men.