NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13486, 13 May 1907, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE KING'S DIPLOMACY. A writer in L'Eclair, commenting on King Edward's continued display of diplomatic tact, and his strong personal influence iu European politics, is of opinion that his recent action in decorating the Prince Consort- of Holland in recognition of his brave conduct at the Hook is yet another instance of remarkable statesmanlike ability. " Unseizing his opportunity. King Edward VII. has associated himself in some degree with the Prince's popularity. . . . It is an act of international friendliness which will help to destroy old feelings of distrust dating from the war in the Transvaal, and to bury the memory of the time v lien Kruger was acclaimed at Amsterdam, and the very name of Englishman was abhorrent. The reconciliation was very desirable for England, who lias the greatest reasons for detaching Holland from German lnflmn<v in order to avoid seeing Germany supreme. in Rotterdama danger which is far removed, 110 doubt, but which is so dreaded by England as to be constantly in her thoughts. But it has never been more opportune for British policy to gain the sympathy of Hollaud than at the moment when the boors are in the majority in the new Transvaal Parliament in which Botha if Prime Minister.''. PRANCE IN THE FAR EAST. For fifteen years relations have been strained between France and Siam. At last the old conflict has ended, a mutually satisfactory treaty was signed at Bangkok on March 23, and the King Of Siam is to be the guest of the Republic. This settlement is described by the Paris correspondent of the Times as one of the happy results of the entente cordiale. " Siam was quick to perceive the great change that had taken place in international relations. She proposed in 1905 the resumption of negotiations in order to settle definitely all outstanding questions. The result of the negotiations is that- Franco finds her colonial domain increased by some 20,000 square kilometres of rich territory, the Cambodian provinces of Battambang, Siem-reap, and Sesufon, which the treaty of 1904 had left to Siam. There are the famous ruins of Angkor and 200,000 hardworking peasants who are now French subjects. What does Siam receive in exchange? The port of Knit, near Chentabun, the region of Dansai, in the district of Laos, entirely peopled by Siamese, and four ports on the Mekong. The Siamese law Courts are given by the convention wider jurisdiction over certain populations hitherto dependent on France, but at the same time French subjects are granted the right of acquiring property in Siam. The significance is considerable, not only because it opens up new fields of expansion for French Indo-China, but because, coinciding as it does with the Anglo-Russian delimitation of the zones of influence in, Central Asia,' it is one fresh guarantee in case of a European war of the maintenance of peace in the Far East, and a very important one."