Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-20
SIAM FIRST OPENED FIRE.
Then the French Gunboats In the
River Answered.
Surprising How Both Sides Avoided Hit
ting Each other--The War Cloud Seems
to Have Blown Over. AtIN

to Have Blown Over. AiN
LONDON, July l3,--The Times CORE. |
spondent at Bangkok tclegraphs that the
Siamese government has refused to permit
two more French gunboats to enter the
Meinam river, 20 miles from the mouth of
which Bangkok is situated, and has threat
ened that it the gunboats attempt TO cross
the bar at the mouth of the river they will
be sunk, and France will be held officially
responsible for beginning war on Siam.
France, the correspondent adds, has
officially held that this action is practi-
cally declaration of war.
TROUBLES SPREADING AND TRADE STOPPED.
BRUSSELS, July l3.-The Independents
Beige SAYS that the troubles between the
French and Siamese on the AMMAN
frontier are spreading and that all trade
has been stopped.
LONDON, July IA dispatch from
Bangkok, capital of Siam, states that 20
Siamese were killed and Ia wounded, yes
terday during the exchange of flres be-
tween The forts at the mouth OF the
Meinam river. and the French gunboats
Comete and Inconstante, which forced the
passage of the bar in the face OF orders
from the Siamese government prohibiting
their entry into the river.
BANGKOK, July 15.-The French gunboat
Forfait arrived at the bar at the mouth OF
the Meinam river to-day. This is the
fourth French warship to arrive-the
Lutin, Comet and Inconstante being al
ready here. 49,
When the Forfait arrived she saluted the
British cruiser Pallas, which is lying off
the bar, and her salute was returned by
the British warship.
| A better feeling now prevails in the city.
The French captain, Thoreux. has
| arrived within two days journey of Bat
tambang, a village on the Gulf OF Siam, TO
the southeast of Bangkok. He is in com
\ mand of party that is conveying the re-
belious Annamites who were recently
captured by the French at Khong on the
| Meikhong. ",
BANGKOK, SIAM, July 16.-This port is
| open to trade once more. All ii quiet, and
the war cloud seems to have been blown
| over.
Admiral Human, the commander of
| the French naval forces in the China seas,
who came here yesterday to negotiate a
| peaceful solution of the questions which
have been agitating France and Siam, has
| given the Siamese authorities assurance
i that no attack upon this city is contem-
| plated. The Siamese government has
agreed to make no discrimination against
the ships of the French, promising to treat
them like the ships of the other great
powers.
FORTS FIRED FIRST.
PARIS, July 16.-Rear Admiral Human,
| who was in command when the gur,boats
| Inconstante and Comete crossed the bar of
| Menim river and proceeded to Bangkok,
has made brief report of the incident to
the government. The gunboats did not fire
on the Siamese forts at the rivers mouth,
he says, until the forts. without any pre-
vious warning or demand, had fired on the
gunboats, NJ. Pavie, French Minister resi-
dent in Bankkok has been instructed TO
protest against the firing from the forts as
an indefencible act constituting a viola
ton of international law, inasmuch as the
friendly relations established between
France and Siam by the treaty of 1855 had
secretary of the Siamese Legation in Paris,
denies, in an interview, that the Siamese
were the agressors in the affair. The con-
flict was due he says, to the fact that the
French commanders misunderstood the
orders of their government not to cross
the bar.
VERY POOR GuENERs.
LONDON, July 17.--The Times correspon'
dent in Bangkok telegraphs:
II have inspected the French and
Siamese ships and the Paknama works. II
is surprising how both sides succeeded ir
avoiding hitting each other. The hall
hours cross fire must have been of tht
widest character. The only real damage
: was done to one Siamese ship. OH which
shell exploded. killing 10 and wounding I
dozen men. The port guns are in perfec
order, not even the sun roofs were dam
aged.
"0utside the bar l found the Forfai
: (French gunboat), whose captain threat
ened to kill all foreigners in the Siames,
| service. Captain Vii, the Siamese harbo
master, at once replied TO this threat b,
! presenting himself With the avowal tina
! he was German subject. Thereupon thu
| nd
Ger to return Wis visit. Nevertheless,
found the lighthouse and the lookout shil
abandoned.
: Entire ignorance prevails here as to tn
attitude of England. The feeling of tn
, trading community tends towards panic
and this is not likely to subside until tn
business men get plain answer, to tn
governments acquiesce in the possible ex
tinction of Siam and the destruction o
!. British interests p
Z SAIGON, SIAM, July 17.-The trouble
E between the French and Siamese on th
o Mekong river continue. A body Q
d French marines have captured the fort
9 at Donthane and Tapham on the Uppe
q Mekong.
! The French loss in the assaults wa
2 six killed OF wounded.
gagements. ~.
THE NEWS CONFIRMED IN PARIS.
h PARIS, July IVA dispatch receive
here to-day confirms the unofficial re
o ports from Saigon as to the French sue
x cesses on the Upper Melong river. TIL
9 press of this city is most bitter again:
y Great Britain for her attitude in .th
- Franco-Siamese dispute,
}. The newspapers generally insist tina
l. France must deal quickly and sharpl
g with Siam. -
d The Solicit says that Bangkok will b
i bombarded by the French gunboats onl
- as o last extremity, should all othe
i means of arriving at an understandin
d with Siam fail.
|. A FRENCH MERCHANT VESSEL CAT
TURED. c.r
LONDON July ia dispatch fror
IT Saigon says that the French merchar
vessel Jean Say, which recently arrive
at the mouth Of the Menam river, wa
n seized by the Siamese and sunk, pr,
" sumably for the purpose of blocking III
: channel in a futile attempt to preveI
81 the French gunboats from ascending
II Bangkok.
T The crew of the Jean Say were il
is treated by their captors, who conveye
Ii them to Bangkok, where they wei
q thrown into prison.
y A PROPOSITION OF PEACE.
BANGKOK, SIAM, July 17.--The go
eminent of Siam has consented to viii
Ia draw the troops in the Mekong vale,
.. provided that France agrees to also sui
pend hostilities.
IN FRENCH FEELING TOWARDS SIAM.