The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-28
BLOCK ADE BEGINS
Notice Given to Vessels to
Clear from Bangkok,
TOMORROW IS THE DAY.
Unless They Leave Before Then They
Must Submit to Detention.

ndrd-Lord Ho~ebery tntimaIes that Eng
land VIII Not Interfere with the BIocknds
Frances Territorial Claims Are. How.
ever. Matter of Serious Importance to
Eneiand-Awnitiug the Result of Lord
Dunerin'- Interview with MInister De.
,siIr-Franco Won't Permit Foreign Inter
terence In tho NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Neutral.
BANGKOK. July 27.-Notice was given to-day
OF tho blockade by tho French fleet. outgoing
vessels nave been warned that they must clear
from Bangkok and koh 81 Chang before Satur-
day or submit to detention. The blockade will
extend along the entire coast Of Siam.
Tho French fleet. with NJ. Pavie. French Min
istcr Resident. have gone to Koh 81 Chang.
The general expectation IL that early in
August the French fleet will attack bangkok
and land some 5000 men. There is little
doubt here that Frances purpose is to make
Siam French colony.
The Siamese Government is exceedingly
anxious to avoid open warfare. When the gun
boat Lutin was at the Menam bar early this
morning the Foreign Minister sent to NJ Pavie
note to the effect that the King and his ad-
visers were most anxious to maintain peace.
All such efforts. however. are believed by the
English residents to be vain.
Unless England intervene to assist in q set
tlement Of the dispute, there can be little ex-
recitation or even hope that France will refrain
from extreme measured
Every steamer here cleared out Wednes-
day, except the Hydra, which carries the mail.
She sailed for Singapore to-day. The CAPTAIN
OF the Forfait has given notice that the block
ade began from D o clock on Wednesday after
noon.
Proceedings will he take en- according TO in
ternationai law and treaties. against vessels
trying to violate the blockade 1t closes COM
pletely the lay OF Bangkok. in addition to the
whole Siamese coast and the islands north
ward OF the line running between the Malay
and Indo- Chinese PENN sulas along the thir-
teenth parallel Of latitude.
Perfect calm prevails here. The Swift Brit
ish warshpi has left to recruit the health OF
her crew at sea Only three gunhoats remain.
representing England. Germany. and Holland.
LONDON. July 27.--In the House Of Lords the
Earl Of Rosebery. Secretary OF State for Foreign
Affairs. announced that he could not make a
full statement regarding Siamese affairs until
he received q report from Lord Dufrsrin. the
British Am bassador to France. as to what had
taken place at his second interview with NJ.
Develle. tho French Foreign Minister. This
interview took place Yesterday and the report
OF the British Ambassador was not yet at hand.
The Earl assured the House that he had no
reluctance to take the members into his con-
fdence. but he could not give the desired in
formation. solely because NJ. Develle had not
been able to receive Lord Dufferin until yes
terday He added that 1t might be desirable
to again define the attitude of the Govern N ant.
~ From the outset Of the trouble Great Pritain
had refused to intervene in the dispute. upon
the merits Of which the Government did not
feel called upon to express an opinion. 1t had
itaa 70 rnr ha
safety OF British lives and interests in Bang
kok. it was to be regretted that some per-
sons appeared to suspect that in those
provisions. which were none too large
to be taken among large Oriental
population. was encouragement to the Siamese
to persevere in hopeless resistance Of the
French. 1t was hardly necessary to say that
the BritishGovernmenth had from the beginning
sedulously avoided giving any advice to Siam
beyond the occasions when she had asked for
1t. but Great Britain had urged hsr to make
terms as quickly as possible with her powerful
neighbor. Nevertheless. the British Govern
ment was by means Indifferent to the
events that are now passing in Siam. Great
Britain had Arst place in the great commercial
interests there. her shipping amounting to
eightY-seyen per cent. OF the tonnage and her
. trade to nnety-three per cent. Of the total
France de,med that a blockade was necessary.
This blockade might raise some questions Of
International Jaw but Great Britain had not
yet been formally notified OF its establishment.
and perhaps It was not too much to hope that
the necessity might yet be averted.
The proposed territorial arrangements at
tendant upon the dispute involved matters
TINT concerned Great Britain. Tho Govern
ment was glad to believe that France was no
less alive than Great Britain to the value OF
Siamese independence. regarding 1t as n mat
ter of import that France and Great Britain
should not have conterminous frontiers. be-
cause that would involve both countries in
great military expenditures and create great
Liability to panic.
The Earl concluded by saying that the papers
which he would lay upon the table at the
earliest possible moment would embrace the
negotiations that had been carried on for the
past three years.
Sir William George Pearce. member OF the
House OF Commons for Plymouth asked the
Government whether France would consider
lice rontrahAnd OF war during the blockade OF
Inc Slamese coast Sir Edward Grey. Parlla-
meniary Secretary Of the Foreign ONCE, re-
Tered Sir William to the Blue Book on the
subject for the information he desired Sir
Edward added that the question as to what is
or what Is not contraband does not arise In
connection with blockade.
In response to further questions. Sir Edward
taII that precise Information as to the date on
which tho blockade would commence had not
yet been given. The Government had given
no advice to slam unless It had been asked for.
GREAT Britain regretted that france deemed a
blockade necessary. In view OF the British |
shipping interests involved No full state !
rcnt as to the situation was yet available. hut |
ompiete information would be given as soon |
as possible
g The Hon. George \. -CurGon. memher for the |
SSosthern Division OF Lancashire. asked If tho |
government could not give decisive iniOrnia- |
pio kade
III Iiward replied that at present the Gov |
.ihlnent did not have an idea Of Frances in
tehtipn, with reference to the character OF the
blockade. He said that France had given as
sufanre to Great Britain that sufficient time
MMo4i De accorded for the departure Of ships
.hNl' Dad their cargoas previous to tho
ugY mat the block hde begins.
he statement Of the Parliamentary Secre-
,Ayy Was otherwise In effect similar to the ono
H'a,lt IN the House OF Lords by Earl liosebery
Nlr aries Dixie said in an interview this
sN-hiNg that he believed the MARQUIS OF DUFF
ieil and NJ DeVelle had reached an agree