New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-29
READY TO lombard BANGKOK.
THE SIAMESE CAPITAL MENACED BY A
FRENCH GUNBOAT.
THE FRENCH ADMIRAL EXPECTED TO REACH
THE SPOT soON-sIAM PREPARING FOX hE'
sISTAyCE BLOCKING THE
MEINAM RIVER.

MEINAM RIVER.
,., 1ro GA dispatch 10 "Thc Times
from, pongto,t capital OF siam, says that INC frc"'
gnnhoat Lufn has anchored in the Mei'"i i"'
opposite the centre OF Bangkok. and mas maue p'.p
ara,lons TO fire upon the city. Inc 'op"'as'' Va Wv
r,,nboat have been struck and guns nave peeh H ~,
in the fighting tops. The French Admiral III HIS
flagship Is expected soon 10 nrve In slamese "a'ers
from Saigon. .,,o,s
Siam. the dispatch adds. though extremely anxious
to maintain friendship with the French Is de.'rn'''u
10 resist aggression and IS preparing hersc' 'o my
contingency that may arise. Inc oeiehs'' w. Wv
country will prove stronger than expected. lhrec
sbips have been sunk at the entrance OF 'he 'i''n"
River twenty miles from Bangkok This reduces
the channel TO The narrowest limits possible Ior USE
and the Government Is ready at moments hou'e
10 complete the block TO prevent the ingrcsS anu
egress Of vessels.
The French naval demonstration at bangkok mas
been rendered necessary by some warhKe ln'iuen's
which have occurred since the publication In Inc
Tribune on MAY 81 OF the general causes Of the fraco
sIanese difficulties. 1t was explained theh .""'
France having accepted the protec,orate OF Anndeh
was bound to expcl Siamcse invaders from Annnmeso
territory occupied by the French The Me Kong RiVer
wa, practically considered the frontier between
AMMAN and Slam and Annamese soldiers were driven
at first from the right bank OF the river "i'hou'
much trouble But they returned and killed the
native troops whom the French had sent to occupy
the evacuated posts which finally retaKen by the
French soldiers and their native allies Inc court
Of Bangkok disavowed the action of Its mandarins ana
affairs seemed to be proceeding quietly when French
official NJ Grosgurin, escortlng n Siamose mandarin
to make sure that he would not return TO Annamese
territory fell Ill the way and was murdered by 'he
mandarin himself. This fact, taken In connection
with some other incidents, convinced the Frehch
Governor OF Cochin China and TOnkin that the friend
rnui.. ~ fhn
were not sincere, and warlike measures have been
| undertaken.
1t came out at last that in April Cabinet Council
had been held Bangkok. attended by all the high
officials Of the Court The most violent adVersaries
of France at that meeting were Prince DewaVohgSee'
brother Of the King and Minister OF Foreign Ahairs
the direction of which lie leaves to a Belgian ad
venturer, NJ Rollin Jacquemyns; and Pha surisacR
Muder, Secretary Of War. who, although pretending
10 be a friend Of France and having been appointed
grand officer Of the Legion OF Honor, has secretly
directed all the recent attacks against the French
posts In the contested territory.
Rear Admiral Human, chief commander OF the
French naval forces in the China seas, Will soon ap
pear Off bangkok, with his flagship, the cruiser La
Tromphante, and two or three smaller vessels IL
habitsns, because IL Is neary twenty mil up he Meta
River which is anly three feet deep al low tide ana
thirteen feet deep AT high water. But The entrance
be blockaded causing the commerce Of the place
| manded by European officers cannot compete win
the French vessels for it is composed only OF small
| army OF siam numbers 10000 men, on paper, but
these troops can hardly be relici with the exoep
ton Of the $500 5000 soldiers forming the gar
rison Of the capital. The cavalry counts only $50
Australian horses, 100 of which. at The most, are
tilery Of the royal guard comprises few small
bronze guns each drawn by one horse and as 10 me
elephants. there only five OF them. all gray
for the famous white elephants of the siamese Court
seem TO exist no longer.