FRANCE IN THE FAR EAST.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12187, 7 June 1907, Page 7

FRANCE IN THE FAR EAST.

)'UR flfl(''!l Yl' 1(S ll'lat'MU* lIMAC lICPU s.l r.uncd Wi't.vcn I'lPiite and Siani". \i last the old 'onfliii ha- endtd, a mutu.ilh H.it itrl.ittorv tit;ily v ;<s signed at Bangkok «ni tfareh '2-, isi'd the King of Sium i.- to by' lh«'«ru*st >t t'i* Republic. This soiticnioiii is descnlicd by t lie Paris corrcspordrut ot tl'o Tinioß if, nip ol the happy res ilt.s ot the enteato roidiale. ".Sinm wes t^i perceive the grout change that had taken place ii> inti'rjM<i«>nal n-lntiona. She proposed in 1903 t lie rrsumption of nogot'itioiiK in order to settle definitely ail outstanding qiirHious. Tlic resnli of thi- negotiations is tint France finds her colonial domain increased by nome 20,000 «ju:ire kilometres of rich territory, the Cambodian province* of Bnttamkui?, Hiemlcap, and Siaufon, which the treaty <»f 1901 had left to Siam. There are 11ip f.mioi'« ruins of Angkor aud 200.000 hardworking pe:\smts who are now French sabjects. AY hat does Siam receive in exchange? The port of Krat, near Chenfnhu». the retyioM of Dansai. in the district of L.IOB, entirely peopled by Siamese, and four ports on the Mekong. Thp Kia mrse law Courts are given 'iv the cunvoition widi-r juriisJiclion over certain j.opul«tionß hitheito do]ieudeut on Fiance, but at the rtanio timp French Bul.iects are grouted th« right <>f acquiring properly iv mi. TJi<» siguific«in<-v is cousidci^bip. r.ot only li«ennep it opei'o up new fieldn of e.\]:a?isio/i for French lndo-China. but becanso. c(.iiiciflinjr a^ it (|w« with th« Ang! -«! U" inn delimitation <>f the zones of infiu(>i<*> in Contf.nl Asia, it is ono frrsh guanutco in c.tao of a Euvoyr-ui war ot the inaintf).u;ce of peace in the Fai Fast, and a v<>ry im portant one."