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Turkey in Asia: French

An empire in Eastern Asia, under French protection. It extends from 10° 30' to 20° 30' N. lat., and borders for about 800 m. upon the China Sea. Its inland boundaries are ill-defined, Tongking bounds it on the N., and French Cochin China on the S. The area is estimated at 106,300 sq. m., with about 6,000,000 inhabitants. The inhabitants are Indo-Chinese, largely mingled with Chinese in the coast districts, and speaking a monosyllabic language. The religion consists of a worship of protecting spirits, but the educated classes hold the doctrines of Confucius, and there are said to be about 400,000 native Christians. The government is carried on by native officials under a French Resident-General (at Hue), three Residents (at Binh-tuan, Kwin-hon, and Than-hoa), and six assistant Residents. The country is rich in metals and coal; the forests abound in useful timber; the chief agricultural products are rice, cotton, spices, and sugar. The trade is almost exclusively in the hands of the Chinese.

CAMBODIA. -King-Norondon. This Country is an ancient kingdom in Further India, adjoining French Cochin China, and consisting for the greater part of a fertile alluvial plain, traversed by the Mekong, and exceedingly productive of rice. Area, 32,380 sq. m. The inhabitants are kin to the Siamese. This kingdom accepted in 1867 the "Protectorate" of France. By a convention of 1886 the kingdom enjoys home rule, but the French hold the customs, and have the monopoly of the opium trade. Population. 1,500,000. Capital, Udong.

NEPAUL.

Sovereign-Maharaja Dhiraj Surandar Bikram Sah Bahadur Shumshir Jung, b. 1875; succeeded 1884.