▁for ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Spanish ▁as ▁their ▁earlier ▁capture ▁of ▁Da ▁N ang . ▁J aur ég ui berry ' s ▁force ▁at ▁Sa ig on ▁was ▁too ▁small ▁to ▁vent ure ▁out ▁of ▁its ▁def ences , ▁while ▁Captain ▁Th oy on ' s ▁small ▁French ▁g arrison ▁in ▁Da ▁N ang ▁had ▁been ▁placed ▁under ▁sie ge ▁by ▁the ▁Vietnam ese . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁French ▁government ▁was ▁dist ract ed ▁from ▁its ▁Far ▁Eastern ▁amb itions ▁by ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Aust ro - S ardin ian ▁War , ▁which ▁tied ▁down ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁French ▁troops ▁in ▁Italy . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁R ig ault ▁de ▁Gen ou illy , ▁whose ▁actions ▁in ▁C och inch ina ▁had ▁come ▁under ▁severe ▁criticism ▁in ▁France , ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Admir al ▁François ▁Page , ▁who ▁was ▁instruct ed ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁treat y ▁protect ing ▁the ▁Catholic ▁faith ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁but ▁not ▁to ▁seek ▁any ▁territorial ▁g ains . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Vietnam ese , ▁aware ▁of ▁France ' s ▁dist raction ▁in ▁Italy , ▁refused ▁these ▁moder ate ▁terms ▁and ▁sp un ▁out ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁in ▁the ▁hope ▁that ▁the ▁al lies ▁would ▁cut ▁their ▁losses ▁and ▁abandon ▁the ▁campaign ▁altogether . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁French ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁g arr isons ▁of ▁Da ▁N ang ▁and ▁Sa ig on . ▁Although ▁the ▁Aust ro - S ardin ian ▁War ▁soon ▁ended , ▁by ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0