One hundred years ago
The Times of Thursday prints a letter, three columns long, in large type, from its correspondent in Hanoi, which it is perfectly heart-breaking to read. The French in Tonquin are governing as if they were in a town taken by storm, and worse. The soldiers do as they please in Hanoi, even officers slashing the people with canes; while after the taking of Sontay many of the defenders were massacred in cold blood, and after the storm, 'twenty-five Chinese were burnt.' Even this is nothing, for the correspon- dent states that all Frenchmen, even of- ficers, declared it to be the intention of the General, when he took Bacninh, to slaughter out the garrison, 'even if there are 25,000 of them', and to strike terror into the Chinese Army. The account seems incredible ... but we have never read a more precise, moderately- worded, or intentional statement, which is repeated over and over again. Remembering some acts in Algeria, it is impossible to deny that the allegations may be true; and if they are, all sym- pathy with the Republic will cease in Europe. Spectator, 15 March 1884
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