a province of the kingdom of Tonquin in Asia, situated in the heart of the kingdom, and surrounded by the other seven. Its soil is fertile, and in some places mountainous, abounding with variety of trees, and particularly that of varnish. Most of these provinces carry on some branch of the silk manufacture, but this most of all. It takes its name from the capital, which is also the metropolis of the whole kingdom, though in other respects hardly comparable to a Chinese one of the third rank.

a city of the province of that name, in the kingdom of Tonquin in Asia, situated in E. Long. The circumference is said to have been betwixt fix and seven miles: some arches, porticoes, and other ornaments, are still remaining; from which, and some of its courts paved with marble, it may be concluded to have been as magnificent a structure as any of the eastern parts can show. The arsenal is likewise a large and noble building, well stored with ammunition and artillery. The English factory is situated on the north side of the city, fronting the river Song-loy. It is a handsome low-built house, with a spacious dining-room in the centre; and on each side are the apartments of the merchants, factors, and servants. At each end of the building are smaller houses for other uses, as storehouses, kitchen, &c., which form two wings with the square in the middle, and parallel with the river, near the bank of which stands a long flag-staff, on which they commonly display the English colours on Sundays and all remarkable days. Adjoining to it, on the south side, is the Danish factory, which is neither so large nor so handsome. On the same side of the river runs a long dike, whose timber and stones are so firmly fastened together, that no part of it can be stirred without moving the whole. This work was raised on those banks to prevent the river, during the time of their vast rains, from overflowing the city; and it has hitherto answered its end; for though the town stands high enough to be in no danger from land-floods, it might yet have been otherwise frequently damaged, if not totally laid under water, by the overflowing of that river.

Some curious observations have been communicated to the royal society concerning differences between the tides of those seas and those of Europe, viz., that on the Tonquinese coast ebbs and flows but once in 24 hours; that is, that the tide is rising during the space of 12 hours, and can be easily perceived during two of the moon's quarters, but can hardly be observed during the other two. In the spring tides, which last 14 days, the waters begin to rise at the rising of the moon; whereas in the low tides, which continue the same number of days, the tide begins not till that planet is got below the horizon. Whilst it is passing through the fix northern signs, the tides are observed to vary greatly, to rise sometimes very high, and sometimes to be very low; but when it is once got into the southern part of the zodiac, they are then found to be more even and regular.