Evening star., 1893-07-27
THE BLOCKADE OF SLAM.
There II No Intention Of Bombarding
Bangkok.

1
Bangkok.
1t is stated that an effective blockade OF
the Siamese coast by the French feet will
| only begin on Saturday or Sunday next
Until then all the powers will not have
| received notice Of Frances intention to
establish blockade. The Chinese charge
d affaires had an interview at Paris yester-
day with the chief officials at the foreign
| office In regard to Siam.
| The Chinese charge d'affaires. 1t is stated,
informed NJ. Deville that Siam had no ter
| latitude q degrees. which parallel was
| claimed by the French as the northern
He regarded It as unlikely that the black
! hags would JOIN the Siamese in the event
Of hostiiities with France. but he thought
broiled the black nass might resume the
| offensive in Tonquin.
| Great Britain's Interest.
The Paris Debats. after noting that the
region south Of the sd parallel, to which
France hopes to extend her territory in
Siam. includes the provinces ceded by
| war makes these comments: This. we
believe. Is what the Marquis Of Dufferin
and what China also will direct attention
| to. II Is useless, therefore, to shut our
| eyes to the fact that. beyond certain
Siam. but perhaps with England and Ger
| tainly with China"
| Siam Desires Peace.
NJ Payie the French minister resident,
prior to his departure from Bangkok had
a final interview with Devawongse. the
| Siamese foreign minister, who said that
| his government was astonished that
France considered their reply to the
French ultimatum as a refusal to comply
1t was impossible. he said. to accept def
| nitely an indefinite proposal. France had
never defined her rights in AMMAN and
Cambodia. but the king. earnestly desir-
ing peace and a speedy settlement of the
whole case. had declared his readiness to
abandon in AMMAN and Cambodia all the
posts that had been attacked, as well as
the territory near them, including Stung-
treng and Khong. although these places
were admitted to be Siamese.
British Residents .. Bangkok.
The British residents at Bangkok met
yesterday to complete measures for de-
fense in case the dangerous classes, de-
prived by the blockade of employment. at
tempt to raze and loot the city. 1t has
been arranged that landing parties from
points. The siamese probably also will
quarter a detachment of troops In the most
populous quarters; The government has
issued a proclamation warning the popuiace
| to behave peacefully and refrain from at
| lacking foreigners.
Capture Of Fort Donson.
Capt. Vfllers, who is in command Of the
French forces at Khong, reports that the
| capture of Fort Donson by the French
| governor of the Island Of Khong was
killed during the attack and his death has
| tened the retreat of Siamese. The French
/ nag has been hoisted on the island OF
| Rongsamlem, which will be made the basis
| OF future operations The French govern
! ment has also decided to take possession
| The French cruiser Eclaireur has been
! ordered to Brest to be fitted out with a
new armament. She will proceed thence
to Siam to join Rear Admiral Humann' s
! fotiiia.
| A Paris dispatch to London Times says
Lord Dufferin had an audience with NJ.
| was held at o'clock this evening. but
| the greatest secrecy was maintained as
| to what took place at the meeting. An
other cabinet council will be held on Sat
urday next
The Temps gives detailed account of
how the French gunboat forced passage
| tered the channel about o'clock In the
| evening and i'm nediately both forts and the
siamese sunboats opened fire on the French
| warships. The French gunboats crossed
| the bar notwithstanding the explosion OF
| a submarine torpedo directly ahead Of the
| fleet. The Inconstante rammed and sunk
| About o'clock the forts at Paknam
| opened fire at range of quarter Of a
were making ten knots an hour against
| the stream.
England's Fleet in the East.
Lord Rosebery, British foreign secretary
yesterday summoned Lord Roberts, re-
Gently commander-in-chief in India, to the
position of affairs in Siam. England has
an adequate fleet on the East India and
Chinese stations. numbering twenty-eight
eruiser cruiser of 7sso eons France can only mus.
ter nineteen vessels. Of which the largest
Is only 400 tons.
this pacific blockade will induce Siam 70
surrender at discretion. Should Slam still
| resist and the blockade be made effective
British interests would suffer severely
| The London merchants interested in the
Siamese trade have forwarded joint let
to Lord RontdnE to the IN
ade of Singapore and Hong Kong.
These colonies would become dependent
M France % Will have % an interest in benefitine
| Cochin China by a long blockade. which
probably would produce a famine, perhaps
| a native revolt, at Singapore.
Admiral Human intends to occupy the
| Island of Rosishang. In the Gulf Of Siam
an important strategic position. He must
4 before he can take hostile action.
| Bangkok Not to BE Bombardsd.
| The Paris correspondent of the London
Standard telegraphs: 1T is stated semi
officially that the blockade will not be con
fined to the estuary Of the Menan, but
1
| blockaded. 1t is reported also that there
| Is no intention to lombard Bangkok, al
| though the batteries on both sides of the
| river at PaiSnam and on the island mid
| stream will be destroyed. The royal pal
ace, where 900 soldiers are believed Il
| be massed, will be attacked and occupied.
The decision to blockade the coast o.
Siam in the present aspect Of the situation
| entails greater perils to the peace of tn,
| eastern world than any menace of the las
| two decades. The element Of danger lie
almost solely in the sudden clamor of tn,
| French people for war and in the fact tina
the government Is in the hands of mel
unable to resist or control the storm the!
| themselves raised
The events of the next seven days. 1
shaped by the French policy of the pas
| week will bring a chorus of shrieks from
the Paris press and boulevards demanding
| a declaration of war against England. say
London dispatch. That desire Is nov
| scarcely disguised. The Siamese imbSogli
is considered by press and public solely fl
the anti-English aspect. The governmen
Is being bounded in every possible wa,
to insult and defy Great Britain. England
fortunately. is meeting the emergency II
a most tolerant. dispassionate spirit.
| Germany Rejoiees.
| A Bangkok dispatch says that Capt. a
NJ. Jones. British minister to Slam. actin
under orders cabled from London, main
tanned a strictly non-committai attitude 4
the matter of the Franco-Siamese imbro