FRANCE AND SIAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 16

FRANCE AND SIAM.

THE RELATIONS BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND STRAINED. (Pjbb Pbess Association.) , London, July 18. Lord Rosebery; in reply to a question, stated that complete arrangements bad been made for the protection of British residents in Bankok, and more warships would be available if necessary. , Speaking in tbe House of Lords, Lord Rosebery said that the Government were fully sensible of the grave importance of the independence and integrity of Siam;' which France professed to respeot. The British residents in Bankok are muoh alarmed at the action of the French, and are leaving the city. July -19. The English press advise Siam to give France no cause to imperil her independence. ■ . > The French have seized Tchone Island, and the Siamese are. retreating before the French advances. The tone of M. Develle's complaints against Lord Rosebery was haughty. He asserted that the Siamese interpret England's action as encouraging them, to resist. M. Develle admitted that it was the intention of the Government to reconquer the left bank of the Mekong, but they had no ctesire to' infringe the independence of Siam. Bankok is quiet. Some French naval officers ascending the Menam were captured, but escaped. ' Siam is willing to deposit money to meet tbe French claims pending a settlement of the dispute. . / It is reported that M. Develle has cabled the terms of the ultimatum. July 21. Sir E. Grey, in the House of Commons, said that the Frenoh warships at Bankok had not observed the treaty, though there was reason to believe that it was not wilfully done. He declined to ask France to extend the time for the receipt of an answer to the ultimatum. The Siamese have cut the telegraph line between Bankok and Saigon. ' The Frenoh warships at Bankok are training their guns on passing Siamese vessels. China is supporting Siam, and Russia is aiding France. London, July 22. It is stated that 500 of the Frenoh Legion are proceeding to Siam: Germany is sending two warships to Siamese waters to protect . German interests. The Standard and many other journals state that England, cannot assent to tbe territorial claims of France being acceded to. They allege that „ the French demands, would deprive Siam of all utility as an independent State. 1 In response to the orders of the Cabinet Vice-admiral Freemantle (H.M.S. Imperieuse), in charge of the China station, is hastening on to Singapore to be in readiness should the fleet be required. The greater portion of the Chinese fleet is also hurrying towards Siam. If the French ultimatum is ignored Bankok will be blockaded. France demands an indemnity of 3,000,000fr, and requires an answer in 48 hours. July 23. A> correspondent at Bankok wires that the reply of the Siamese. Government to the French ultimatum concedes the territory on the left bank of- the^'Mekorigj Jincludirig Stuntstrong and Khong. /The Siamese also agree to deposit Ijhree 5 millioii' francs (£120,000), and guarantee an indemnity for the alleged massacre. It is hoped that this offer will form the basis pf a settlement. News has been received that on Wednesday the French, captured the remaining forts of the Khong group, though Bankok still holds out. ' In the 1 - engagement 300 Siamese were killed and 200 wounded. The Siamese Government have, offered to cede the left batt of the'Mekorig, below the latitude of the eighteenth degree jonly, and have refused the demand fixing the limit at the twenty-third degree. • ! , The Daily Telegraph's correspondent says the French Minister . will leave Bankok, regarding the reply as unsatisfactory. Siam will evacuate the region ceded within a month. The King declares he only submits to the pressure of circumstances, and that he offered . to go to arbitration five months. ago and appoint a mixed commission to discuss the amount of damage inflicted on the French. He adds an expression of regret for the ' losses the French have undergone, and says France refused to extend the' time for reoeiving an answer in order to prevent Siam negotiating with EnglandIt is believed tbe. Siamese hoped _. coal would be exhausted on -board the French - gunboat. • \A . • The Siamese warships are crowded with men ready to ram and board .the French ships in the event of hostilities taking a more pronounced aspect, and- soldiers - aie, : alongside to assist the sailor?. , . ,«,■,_ A German gunboat Has, arrived. , "'- The Daily News states that the French Government have announced the; blockade of Bankok. July 24., The New York Herald's correspondent in the East says that, if required, the Austra- ■ lian fleet will be asked to assist the British squadron in Siamese waters. ■ The Siamese vessels are armed with quickfiring guns, while the Frenoh baye tho old pattern. The latter are anchored in the river a mile apart. Le Temps, a Baria paper, calls on tho ..Government to reject the Siamese offer. Other French papers allege that England is plotting to secure the control of the Upper Mekong.

Ttie diplomatic relations between France and England are highly strained over the i action taken by France in this matter. The Times thinks the country may trust Lord Rosebery. Pabis, July 18. . The Siamese forts sank a French merchant vessel because she was piloting a warship up the Menam river. The Frenoh Governmenb deny that they disowned the a otion of Admiral Humann in entering the river with warships. , The 'Parisian press are violently irritated, and declare that Great Britain is trying to exercise a veiled protection over Siam. The Figaro says that the French Colonial Office will demand the concesßion of the entire left bank of the Mekong river and the provinces of Battambang and Angkor, and also the payment of an indemnity by the Siamese to the relatives of the victims of the recent massacre. The Chamber o£ Deputies unanimously carried a resolution thab the Governmenb should take the necessary measures to make the rights of France respected in Slam. July 19. la the Chamber of Deputies, M. Develle, Minister for Foreiga Affairs, stated that' Lwd Rosebery, the English Foreign Secretary, had disclaimed any British interest in Mekong. He ' mentioned that Great Britain had been assured that Bankok would not be bombarded without notice. Explanations bad been asked of the meaning of the despatch of English gunboats to Siamese waters. The reply elicited disclaimed any intention of intervening in the matter beyond protecting British subjects. France, he said,' was unable to exercise farther patience unless reparation was granted for the recent murder of Frenoh subjects in violation of treaty rights; therefore coercive measures had been taken on land. The statement was received with applause. July 20. The French Government have demanded territory in Siam on the left bank of the Mekong with the islands, and claims the revenue derived from the fisheries in Bahambongand Angkov until the indemnities, both 'private and public, are paid. The French also claim occupation of Siamese forts or a guarantee of safe anchorage pending a settlement of the matters in dispute. Sir E. Grey, replying to a question in the House of Commons, said that the Government had not been informed as to the French ultimatum to Siam. . The .general opinion in Hongkong is that China is disposed to help Slam. The French have seized Tchone Island, and the Siamese are retreating. • Viscount Curzon, in a letter to The Times, states that if France claims the entire left bank of the Mekong, it will deprive Siam of half of her territory, and be the means of plaoing bhe Frenoh in the Upper Mekong in juxtaposition to the British-protected Shan States.' ' The Times insists that France cannot thus be allowed toclose the door to British trade in South-western China. Sir Charles Dilke, in an interview with a representative of La Figaro, said he foresaw no - difficulty with respect to Siam, unless France attempted annexation of that country; but speaking of the dispute in Newfoundland, he said that there was great cause for anxiety. Lord Dofferin has returned to Paris, and is' communicating with the French Government respecting the Siamese difficulty. July 21. In the House of Commons to-day, Sir E. Grey, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Foreign Office, said the only part of the ultimatum which concerned England was the Frenoh action with regard to territory in Siam. ' He Btated that Lord Dufferin had returned to Paris for the purpose of exchanging amicable views on the point. Information from Bankok states that the" King and Court are preparing to leave the capital of .Siam, and that reinforcements are being sent to Battonbong owing to the attitude of the French gunboats being provocative. .An answer to the Frenoh ultimatum is ■ expected by the French Government on Sunday. * ' ' £01y23. The Siamese reply to the French ultimatum has been received, bub its contents are being kept secret. - : July 24. The Siamese reply to the French ultimatum is regarded as- unsatisfactory, chiefly wibh respect to the cession of territory in Pavie. The French Consular-general in Bankok has been instructed to leave the city within 24 hoars. The French press declare tbit England has influenced the attitude adopted by Siam, and express surprise thab French cannon have nob been thundering in Siam before this. France has fprmally notified the Great Powers oE the blockade of the Siamese ports. Pxesidenc Carnot is ill. Bankok, July 22. The French demands embrace the cession of 95,000 square miles, including the province which was ceded by Burmah to Siam on condition that ib was never handed over to another power; also '50,000, miles in North-east Siam, where tha French have never advanced. , The indemnity previously claimed was only 200,000 francs. It is believed bhab bhe attack is really directed against England. The Siamese Government is likely ' to pay the money, b'nt will resist the cession of territory. Siam is seeking the advice of England in the matter. It is generally considered that the Earl of Dufferin's return to Paris is a pledge of peace, and will help to remove the difficulties in the way of settling the Siam dispute. - The French Government have refused to grant the request of the Siamese Government for an extension of time for a reply to the ultimatum. ST. Petebsbubg, July 24. The Government are urging the Siamese Governmenb to cede to Russia the island of Junkseyclon, situated off "the north-west extremity of the Malay Peninsula, for the establishment of a naval dep6t. In the early part of June the Paris correspondenb of the Daily News wrote ;— " Some time ago there was a map, a French one, upon the Temps office windows, sebting forth the limits of bhe countries in the far East. The eastern frontier of Siam as it appeared there

agreed with that given in English, German, or, for that matter, other French maps— Sohader'S for instance, which is published by Haohette. This map has now been removed, and its place has been taken by a new one, in which the Siamese frontier has been moved back to the Mekong, the new French scientific frontier." In the course of a lengthy letter the special Paris correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette writes j—" There can be no doubt that the entente cordiah between France and Russia, or the universal French belief in one, has been a new ferment in far Eastern affairs, just as the election of M. de Freycineb by an Indian constituency to a seat in the Senate was some years ago. Lanessan will not only cover himself with glory, like Dodds, if he make the Mekong a French river, bub will add to this the prospect of being able to "make the fortune of himself and friends, and to enhance the value of the French alliance in Russian eyes. Siam, under the hand of France, and Russia threatening on the Herat side, Great Britain would feel in regard to India and Egypt in a tight place. If the French entrench themselves strongly on the Mekong And open railway communication ! between that river and Annan, they are pretty ! sure to absorb Siam later on. I should not wonder if before the year were oub the news came of the occupation of the island of Samit, in the Gulf of Biam." ! Siam (says the St. James's Budget) is shut in by Pegu, which belongs to us, on the west, and Annam, which is under French protection, on the east. It ifr crossed from north to south by rivers which rise in the Shan country, or even further to the north. Beyond the Shan country to the north is the Chinese province of Yunnan. Now Yunnan, is in the more or less well-founded opinions of various persons, a species of Eldorado. I Hitherto it has only been attainable by the Yang-tze-Kiang, which is a long river voyage. It is believed that a bstter and shorter route could be found by a Government which was strong enough to thoroughly occupy the valleys of the rivers that run through Siam to their sources and to build a railway or railways along them. The making of the railways would be easy enough as mere engineering. Of these Siamese rivers the most easterly is the Mekong, which runs parallel with the Annamite Hills. Hitherto it has been believed that the Siamese frontier ran along the crest of these hills, and therefore that the valley of the river is wholly tho property of Siam. The French have discovered that this is a mistake, and that as a matter of fact the frontier line is not the watershed but the river itself. Practically what this means is that the French propose to annex the whole left bank of the river Mekong. The object is to secure the control of the road into China. That the French would do more with the river, if they had it, than they have done with their other colonial possessions is not to be supposed ; bub that, after all, is nob the question. What does concern us is this— that, Siam being a good neighbour and, moreover, a frontier State to us, we really cannot allow ib to fall under a French protectorate, or even to be dominated mainly by French influence.