also Chinese. Nothing else could be expected from a country which has no real civilization of its own, but is only a reflex of China in everything relating to art, religion and government.

In China numerous works on Annam are to be found, but few of then can be looked upon as trustworthy. For instance the Chinese do not reckon as proper kings of Annam those who did not receive their investiture from the Emperor. Again, a deplorable confusion exists as regards names and dates. Finally, from the fact that the relations of China and Annam have frequently been of a hostile nature, and that many or all the works on Annam were written by Chinese officials employed to fight against that country, it is easy to see how their narratives would be of a very partial character and many facts grossly misrepresented.

The study of the numismatics of this country is completely new to Europeans. Several Chinese who have written on coins have published in their Catalogues lists of Annamese coins, and half of the 17th volume of the Ku-kin-ts'ien-lioh deals

entirely with them. However, all the coins alluded to form but an incomplete list of those issued by the last LE Dynasty, and the notices of them are certainly neither better nor worse than those in other Chinese books. As there exists thus no trustworthy basis on which to found this notice, it must not be expected that the work will either be complete or correct; but the greatest possible care has been used in the endeavour to make it so. Much information has been obtained from Father MIGUEL PORTELL, now in Tunquin, and from the distinguished Annamese savant PETRUS TRUONG-VINH-KY, whose aid is indispensable to all Europeans who require any information concerning Annam. From his work, Cours d'histoire annamite, the historical notices which precede the description of the coins themselves have been partially taken.

In order to tone down the dryness of a long numismatical list, we insert some general introductory remarks explanatory

of the periods when coins were made, the laws relating to them, the working of mines, the issue of paper-money, etc., which referring to a country so little known as Annam, will probably not be without interest.

II.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTICES.

The situation of the Annamese Kingdom on the southeast of the great Indo-malayan peninsula is well known. This state consists at the present day of the two Kingdoms of Tunquin and Cochinchina, of the Kingdom of Chiem-thanh or Ciampa, and of a part of the Kingdom of Khmer or Cambodia. Ciampa, a Malayan state, and during six centuries the abode of thieves and pirates, was conquered in 1471 by the Annamese army. The Kingdom of Khmer also lost vast territories successively up to the last century and was only able to keep its national independence by the Tay-son rebellion which upset the feudal constitution of the country. Annam herself was divided between the families Mac, Trinh, and Nguyen, who, having entirely put aside the royal authority, contested among themselves the supreme power over the kingdom. The French colony of Lower Cochinchina is situated within the territories of the kingdom of Khmer annexed by Annam in 1758.

Mr. CHAIGNEAU, one of the French officers who in the last century accompanied the Bishop of Adran during his first expedition in aid of GIA-LONG, estimated the population of Annam at between 20 and 25 millions of souls. These figures are evidently exaggerated, at least so far as can be judged at present, as certainly the present population does not exceed 12 millions.

The division of the two Kingdoms of Tunquin and Cochinchina is still existing as a matter of fact. The former, which is also the richer and more populated, consists of the following hirteen provinces:—

These geographical divisions were made during the recent reign of the King MINH-MANG, and the three provinces of Thanh-hoa, Nghe-an, and Ia-ninh, formerly part of Tunquin, were added to Cochinchina. Previously the above two kingdoms were separated by a wall which ran along the shores of the Phu-luong-giang, called in vulgar Annamese and on our maps the Song-coi river. The provinces do not range all alike, for as far as population and wealth are concerned each of them is under a different authority; in general, however, the public administration in Annam is very similar to that in China.

Originally the territories which formed the Kingdom of Annam were called Giao-chi, which name together with that of Giao-nam prevailed till 225 B.C., when they became a Chinese province under the appellation of Siang-kiun.

When the HAN came into power in China, Tunquin was called Nam-viet, and its interior division underwent various changes at different intervals. In 502 A.D. we see the country for the first time called Annam, which name lasted up to 940 A.D., when it was declared independent. During the succeeding dynasties up to the present time the names used for the designation of the state and the different capitals of the kingdom have been as follows:

The mythical history of Annam, although derived from China, is much less complicated than that of the latter country. 帝明 DE-MINH, the great-grandson of the Chinese Emperor

SHEN-NUNG, while travelling in the South of China married a daughter of the race of immortals, by whom he had a son called KINH-DUONG-VUONG. This son began the series of kings known as the HONG-BAN-THI, or family of immeasurable greatness. This family gave birth to twenty rulers, eighteen of whom had the same name, viz., E HUNG-VUONG, and continued on the throne up to 252 B.C.

Let us leave aside here any description of the history of Annam during this remote period. Doubtless it was formed by Chinese and Malayan colonists who settled there and mixed among themselves, a fact paralleled by the present race of the Sang-ley, or half-casts of Chinese and Tagals now populating the Philippine islands. Each colony was under a chief and lived as in China, by agriculture and fishing.

The first dynasty mentioned in the Annamese annals is that of THUC, the rulers of a small kingdom situated in the north-east of Annam, where afterwards its capital city

Kao-bang was built. This kingdom, founded 252 B.C., lasted only 50 years, when internal contests between the different tribes broke out, victory and supremacy continually changing between them, until the Chinese interfered, and at last occupied the country, remaining in possession till 940 A.D.

About the year 600 A.D. China organised Annam in a regular manner by dividing the country into 13 chou, at the head of each one of which a governor was placed. A regular tribute was also instituted for the first time, gold and silver appearing at the head of articles to be offered.

In 940 A.D. Annam rose in rebellion against China, and the family Ngo occupied the throne during 28 years. How Annam since that time has been able to maintain her independence is a mystery. The first three dynasties followed