The check of France in one of the Anamite regions,—the
chief campaign upon the Red River,—has been compensated by a brilliant victory over the capital, Hue, where a convention was signed between France and the Anamite King, on August 23rd, nominally conceding all that France could reasonably ask, (1), a war indemnity ; (2), the occupation of the forts commanding the Hue River by a French garrison, till the in- demnity is paid ; (3), the annexation of a province to French Cochin China ; (4), the recall of the Anamite troops from the Red River, these troops to be at General Bonet's disposal for operations against the Black Flags ; and (5), the confirmation of the French Protectorate over all Anam. These terms must be satisfactory enough to France, if she could only rely on their being carried out. But the difficulty will be to assert Anamite authority at all over the region in Tonquin where the real struggle is going on,—that of the Red River. This region is distant some 400 miles from the capital, and there it is that France has to encounter a very different class of enemies from those of the Anam troops. China, moreover, is watching her proceedings in Tonquin with the utmost jealousy ; and if France be wise, she will, under cover of this victory, withdraw as much as possible from pushing her advantage,—at all events, till she has come to satisfactory terms with China. The Treaty signed at Hue is quite sufficient to bring her off with flying colours. But if she presses her purpose in Tonquin, she will have no easy task, not- withstanding her victory in the south.
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