New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-06

LANDS VIEW OFITS FOREIGN OFFICE-wHAT
THE FRENCH THINK-MR. GRENFELL's
SECESSION FROM HOME RuLE-THE
CowAN LErTER-BIMETALIIsM
THE YACHT RACES.
(BY CABLE TO rHR rRrBUHED
copyright 1898 Blythe Tribune Amoeionon.
London, Aug. 5.-The French raid on Siam is
for the present complete. France and England
have TO terms and signed protocol
specting British interests. Lord Dunern returns
10 Walmer, and Lord Rosebery goes to-day or to-
morrow 10 Homburg for three weeks. Nothing
will be done about the delimitation Of the from
tiers or the organization of buffer State till the
French elections are over. France has prOpounded
and, in Lord Rosebery's somewhat dry phrase,
Siam has accepted, two different sets of terms at
different times. On the first the condemnation of
the civilized world has been passed in no doubt
fnl words. The second, which made known
officially on Tuesday. constitutes summary
treatise plunder made easy for the future.
France scizcs the only port of communication be-
tween the capital of Siam and her two richest
provinces. BY excluding Siamese troops from all
that part OF Siamcse territory lying within six
teen miles of the M"long she insures a state of
for the Gallo champion of order to appear as
constable and remain as caretaker. Lest this
process should not be speedy enough, she sets up
two centres of disalecion and intrigue in the
shape Of two French consulates in the heart of
the Sianesc Kingdom.
The French greedy of glory, and this is
what they think glorious. They hate England,
and TO the pleasure of acquiring territory by the
methods of the bandit is added that Of having,
as they think jockeyed England There is room
for difference of opinion on this latter point
There is in certain English quarters doubt and
uneasness. Mr. Curzon, who knows Siam, gave
expression to both these feelings in the House
of Commons, and Mr.. Balfour declared that Mr..
Curzon spoke for the whole Conservative party
Both, however, are aware, and indeed admitted,
that they are not in possession of full materials
for Judgment
The criticism of the expert is retrospective.
1t is not that Lord Rosebery has conducted
negotiations unskfuny, but that he did not put
his foot down enough. 1t has been known
for wears that France coveted Siam. She has on
the spot, in the shape of the GovernOr-General of
Cochin China. VI. De Lanessan freebooter. who
has written and published book in which free
booting is advocated as patriotic duty. II hr
had not expected England to intervene he would
long since have made hut mouthfu of siam II
was, however his opinion that with England as
a Watchdog French aggressions upon Siam must
be cautious. and at first slight. He would have
been content, and more than content, with a few
thousand square mics on or toward the moith
of the Mekong, and few thousand francs in pay
ment of the least impudent claims of the most
pressing French adventurers. Not in his widest
dreams did he think il possible to pull of all at
once the huge scheme of annexation and eNtor
ton now completed.
England had only to say q gear ago. or a few
months ago We recognize your claim TO terri
tty up to a certain point Beyond that we shall
regard French efforts unfriendy," and VI. DE
Lanessan would have stayed his hand at the point
indicated Such is the view Of the Anglo-Siamese
expert. and his complaint is that in the vas
hury- -burly of Imperial concerns England found
70 time notice NJ. De L,nessan', proceedings.
and 70 give him the needed warning. If Lord
Rsehery thinks il desirable 70 reply TO their crti-
cisms his reply will he made later. Meantime
he has to endure, not only the censures OF Mr.
Curzon, but the praise of Mr. Laboucfere. The
latter would DE injurious if people were not
aware that il WAS meant 10 he injurious.
II is remarkable that while English Conserva-
tiyes suspect that NJ Develle may have out
manoeuvred Lord Rosrbcry. the French Cons"r-
yatives and Radicals are convinced that L"rd
Roscbery has outgener,llcd VI. Dev"lle They
are moreover. angry about the stories OF french
apologies TO the Lnglish commanders and OF the
English gunboats remaining at Bangkok IN spltc
or the French Admrals orders TO them 70 leave.
1t is inconceivable that Admiral Human should
have given such orders. AMI nothing is known OF
them at the English Foreign Office; but on the
runOr pcrcnptOry orders were tei"eraphc'
to the British ships to stay where they were anu
they stayed.
H.. raIiS al. fhn str
English press upon their brigandaee in Siam IL
would be odd if they did They set themselves
TO find explanations of the high moral tone when
prevails in London The most natural one does
not for some reason occur to them. IL the Eng
lish stood alone their censures upon France
might be set down to jealousy and malice, or 10
the disappontruent of would-be marauder VINO
sees another marauder seize his prey before his
eyes. There IL, however, no reason 10 suppose
that England, however wicked she may nave
been in times past, or whatever property OF other
rople she may have annexed had now any de-
signs upon Siam Ii is in truth certain that she
had not An integral and Independent Siam
suited her purposes better than vassal siam
One French paper thinks the English lndigha-
ton an affair of nerves. The nerves OF the whole
English nation are out OF order Inc theory IL
q pretty one, or would be were IL not that u'c
nerves Of all Christendom are eqnalY o"' Vi
order The French have no nerves, ana never ge'
excited about anything.
Cne would rather like 10 hear 10 what they
attributed the unanimity of American opinion.
Probably they would not take the trouble 70 ma
q cause for it, They would say it did not matter
sThe Paris Herald" prints very hostile snmhla
ries of American opinion day by day under th'
very eyes of the French and of the French Foreign
Office Nobody seems to mind. il Is DISTRESSING
to have TO say so, but | really think they 90 not
mind. The goodwill of France 10 America mas OF
late years seemed purely platonic. The frenci
view of Anerica il In mattcrl of litcratnr, anu