Because his last speech had shown that he held the key to the secret of Tongking.
The silkworm may be said to be indigenous in Tongking, where there are several thousand acres of mulberry trees.
In 1895 a “special service” was created in Tongking to consider railway business.
Cocoa, coffee and cotton are cultivated in Tongking and Cambodia.
I suppose we are about as near Tongking as we shall be, and I am sure my company would like to learn something more about it.
