Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-07-29
THE SHIPS FIRED UPON.
French Vessels Run the Gauntlet
of Shot and Shell.
A sIAMEsE GUNBoAT RUN DOWN.
Rammed and Sunk by the French War
ship Inconstante-No Further Damage
Done to Either Side-The French Fleet
Now at Bangkok.

Rammed and Sunk by the French War
ship Inconstante-No Further Damage
Done to Either Side--The French Fleet
Now at Bangkok.
PARIS, July 81 1t is stated that an eff
fective blockade of the Siamese coast by
the French fleet will only begin on Satur-
day or Sunday next Until then all powers
will not have received notice of Frances
intention to establish blockade.
The Chinese charge d affairs. it is stated,
has informed NJ Develle that Siam had no
territory east of the Mekong as far north
as latitude %. which parallel was claimed
by the French as the northern limit of
their influence. He regarded it as unlikely
that the Black Flags would join the Siam
ese In the event of hostilites with France,
but he thought that if they saw France
and Siam embroiled the Black Flags
might resume the offensive in Tonquin.
The Temps gives detailed account of
how the French gunboats forced a passage
up the Menam river. The gunboats en-
tered the channel about o'clock in the
evening, and Immediately both forts and
the Samese gunboats opened fire on the
French warships The French gunboats
crossed the bar, Notwithstanding the ex-
plosion of submarine torpedo directly
ahead of the fleet. The Inconstante
rammed aud sunk Siamese gunboat
About o'clock the forts at Paknan
opened fire at range of one quarter of a
mile. The French gunboats all this time
were making ten knots an hour against
the stream. At $50 o'clock the French
feet anchored in front of the French lega-
ton at Bangkok The cannonade had lit
lie effect, owing to the darkness.
Lord DuffeGn had an audience with NJ.
Develle yesterday. A cabinet council was
held at o'clock last evening, but the
greatest secrecy was maintained as to what
took place at the meeting. Another cabi-
net council will be held tomorrow.
The police of this city, by order of the
government, are Selling cheap maps of
Siam, which are offered for sale on the
boulevards, and which represents the
Siamcse frontier in accordance with En-
glish ideas.
SAIGON, July 27-Captain Villiers, who
! is in command of the French forces at
Khong, reports that the capture of Fort
Donson by the French produced an excel
lent impression. The governor of the
Island of Kong was killed during the at
tack and his death hastened the retreat OF
the Siamese The French flag had been
hoisted on the Island of Rongsamlem,
which will be made the basis of future OPP
erations. The French government has
also decided to take possession of other
| islands on the Gulf of Siam.
LONDON, July pa private telegram
! from Bangkok announces that the British
gunboat Pigmy has replaced the Swift be-
fore Bangkok. for the protection of Brit.
ish residents. England has an adequate
feet on the East India and China stations,
numbering twcnty-eight vessels, including
the Imperiense, n cruiser of 1890 tons.
! France can only muster nineteen vessels,
of which the largest is only 400 tons.
1t is believed that NJ. Develle hopes that
this pacific blockade will induce Siam to
surrender at discretion. Should Siam still
resist aud the blockade be made effective,
British interests would suffer severely
| The London merchants interested in the
/ Siamese trade have forwarded a joint let
ter to Lord Rosebery. pointing to the In
| jury which would be inflicted by the block
ade of Singapore and Hongkong.
The Standards correspondent says he
believes that the French cabinet is becom-
ing more amenable in its negotiations
with England over the Siamese dispute
A Bangkok dispatch to The Daily News
Us that Captain II. NJ. Jones, British
minister to India, acting under orders
cabled from London, has maintained a
strictly non-commttal attitude in the
matter of the Franco-Samese imbroglio
BERLIN, July a7.-The Tageblatt rejoices
over the prospect that England, who scorp-
| fully holds aloof from the dreibund, may
become embroiled with France over the
Siamese affairs. England, says The Tage-
blatt, will be taught a lesson, and she need
not expect to receive German support.
Other newspapers express similar senti.
ments, although in milder language