Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1893-08-04
THE ROOF OF THE WORLD

sNsu buo lt0Ol Sl tn0 W 0TlQ WIFI
squanimity, although it is arpar-
eat that at the present moment
there are clouds OF discord relline
around its ample curves Tbs
trouble watch has recently sprung
up bstwssR France and Siam
leoks very much like q foar-cor-
nsrsd row, involving even thIi
Rosf of the World. In whatever
May happen the United States
have no special interest. Their
trade with Siam amounts to llttls
more than the occasional sxporta-
tion Of a Minister to Bangkok.
They may condemn Frances at
tack on Siam on the ground that it
is very like big fellow attacking
little fellow without much prove
eatisn, but the condsm nation can
be only neutral and strictly moral.
Beth China and Russia have
appeared upsn the scene OF aetien,
and although England has not yet
been heard frem nneh there can
be little dsubt that tho grswl of
the lion is not far off. In helping
France just at the present msment
Russia is opposing interests In
which ChiAa and England happen
to 10 directly interested. Eight
years ago France attacked Anam
and over-ran it by the aid of sups-
rior arms. China protested be-
cause Anam was one Of the Inde
Chinese countries of which the
Celestial Empire is the aeknowl-
edged suzerain. Ia coming to the
aid of Siam now China means to
indicats that she has by no means
forgotten Tonquin. She is the
suxsrain of Siam also, and as
sush she could act in honor stand
by and see her fsudstory wantonly
harried by discenteatsd Euro
pean Power. II her protests
were disrsgardsd In the ease of
Toneuln, she will probably have
them all carefully considered In
that Of Siam, seeing that she and
England are in the swim together.
1t is net a little singular that
Chiaa and England should have,
for once, identical interests upoA
two important questions. Eug-
land and China are both concerned
in apholding the integrity OF Siam,
the former because she hopes to
fnd an overland roajs fer her
M merchandise from Rasgoon through
the Shan and Laos country to the
valley Of the Ysag-tse- Kiang and
thence to the Chinese seas. Chi
ma has thsassnd reasons fer be-
ing interested ia upholding the in-
tsgrlty of Siam, net ths least OF
which is that hitherto King Chul-
alankern has besn q very regular
and profitable payer of tribute in
exchange for the bare right Of ak
istsncs.
China and England have inter
ests together in Central Asia
which necessarily clash against
those Of Russia. There are pee
pie in Iadia thsosophists OF
soothsaysrs, psrhaps-who be-
lisys that the decisive battle OF
the world will be fought en- the
Bam- -Darys, or Roof OF the
World. The Great aad Little
Pamirs are countries whioh are
gigantic iabislands, fertile, well
wstsrsd snd of vast strategic ina
pertanss, inssmueh as any Power
oecupying them cosld strike cut
vuln.rsbly In every airsction-at
China or the east, at the Transox-
m eeuntries sn the zerth and
vest, aHd at India and Afghsnis-'
tan On the south and southwest.
For what appear 70 ne sxcsilsAt
reasons, sthnslogiealiy and sthne-
graphically, China claims that the
Pamirs bslssg to her. Russia,
which has ne mortal right in
Turksstsa except ths right OF Goa
quest, desires to swallow the
Psnirs. just as she has already
dsvoursd Khivs, Sanarsond,