The morning call., 1893-07-15
THE FRENCH IN SIAM.

Powder has been burned on the Menam
and blood has been split. After this, war
in some shape or other seems to be in
evitable. There is talk Of arbitration to
delimit new frontier line between the
Siamese and the French, but between
Christian nations and native princes in
Asia, such negotiations generally end In
handing the oyster to the foreigner and
giving the shell 10 the Oriental.
To understand the situation it is neces-
sary to consult the map. The French
occupy two points in Anam. Hanoi at the
north, the old capital of Tonaun. within
striking distance of the Chinese province
of Kwangsi, and Saigon at the south, on
the mouth of the river Mekong. They
claim to exercise dominion over the whole
strip between the two, from the coast to
the coast range; but they have not made
permanent settlements in that part of the
country. In order to do So and to extend
their territory westward, they now claim
that the future boundary line between
Siam and Chinese Anam shall be not the
mountain range but the river MekoDg,
long and wide stream which takes its rise
in the mountains of Chinese Yunnan and
flows, with many windings, through the
whole Siamese peninsula TO the shore OF
Cochin China. 1t is one of the great
rivers of the southeast corner of the con-
tinent. taking rank with the 1rawaddy and
the Ganges. In compa rison with the Me-
kong. the Menam. on which Bangkok
stands, is a small. almost an insignificant
stream. The power which holds the Me-
kong will control the empire of Siam. just
as the power which holds the Mississippi
controls the center Of this continent.
That the French will effect the conquest
they have in view if they are not interfered
with by some third power goes without
saying. No one can say positively what
the population of Siam is, but it cannot be
much over six millions. and If these millions
are the sort of people who fight to death
for their hearths and homes they will be the
first Asiatic people who have exhibited such
tenacty of purpose. But there are two
powers which must view the French adj
vance in the light of a challenge. One of
these is China, which owns the source OF the
Mekong. and is even now conducting hos
Utilities with the French in a ftful way
around Hanoi. The French dominate the
Gulf of Tonquin, and if the Chinese let
lHcui III tuO CHab
states the fall of Kwangsi. and ultimately
OF Canton. will be mere question Of time.
England is still moro seriously menaced.
More than year ago Sir Alexander Mac
keDzie began seriously to place the country
on the upper Irawaddy under British con-
troll. Mandalay and Borneo have for some
time been held by British garrisons, and
in 1895 IA military railroad connected with
the railroad system Of 1udia will be COM
pleted to Mogonug. A joint Anglo-Chi-
nese commission has been appointed to
trace the frontier between China and the
new British provinces. The commission
ignores the existence OF any power between
the two. If the French push their way up
The Mekong they will presently come face
to face with the British outposts on the
upper Irawsddy, and one of the two will
have to give way. 1t is possible that the
TWO Governments have come TO secret
undertand for the partition Of the
southeastern corner of China. If not, there
is prospect Of trouble.
The French may be undertaking this en-
terprise to divert the attention OF the tur-
bulent class from affairs at home. 1t is
lfflcult to discover any other motive for
ar operation which must be costly in blood
and treasure, and can hardly in any event
add to the power or the wealth of France.