The Indianapolis journal., 1893-07-23
JOHNNY BULL WORRIED,

He Sees Siam Pie Going Around and little
Chance to Get a Piece.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON, July 22.-Siam's answer 20
Frances ultimstum can hardly be gwen be-
fore Sunday night. Until then. therefore,
every body must await in uncertainty the
developments of the final act in the dIplo-
matic drama. The situation. as revealed
by the answer. will be discussed exhaust
lively In the House of Commons on Mon.
day. Several members have given notice
of interpretations, and Sir Edward
Gray, Parliamentary Secretary for
the Foreign Office. is expected TO
made fresh statement as TO the govern
ment's attitude. If naval operations be-
come necessary before Bangkok the
French admiral. Human will be able &c
command the dispatch boats Pluvier and
lnconstante. the gunboats Lutin. Comete.
Where. Lion and Ashley, the ironcIad
Triom Dhante and the cruiser Forfait For
the first time In six months the question
of home rule has been relegated
to second place by British editors
and politicians. Ali eyes are turned east
ward, and the historic Spirit of anImoMtY
between the two great nations which bor-
der the channel is being revived In its
pristine vlgor. Not even the Victoria
Camperdown disaster mopopoliZed the at
tention of the British public as does the
diplomatic struggle at Bangkok and Paris.
The newspapers are full of leaders, com.
ments. contributed articles and letters con-
cerning British interests in Siam. AL
though less bitter and belligerent
than the French colleagues, the Lon
don editors are not less earnest and
they take every occasion TO emphasize the
Importance of Great Britain's relations TO
the Slamese government continuing friend
ly. Some, Notwithstanding the ultra
Tories profess to see ahead o grave crisis
in eastern affairs. All Englishmen pro-
nounce Frances threatening action to be
pure robbery, executed by force of arms.
Great Britain's interests In this solemn
Question are not regarded as merely CON-
mercial. although the houses engaged in
the SIamese trade have raised no
small part of the popular protest
against Frances action. The opinion ef
high political circles is that more impor-
tant international matters than England'g
immediate trade with the East are at stake.
Siam has long been regarded as the buffer
between France and England In the east,
and the prospect that this buffer would be
mutilated or halved Is believed to threaten
trouble for the British in Bnrmah. The
territorial claims of France are not limited
to the region $50 miles wide end $50
miles long inhabited by tribes which
Siam has ruled but nominally and ex-
plored only by French travellers. They ex-
20
and if granted will separate Siam and
bring French and British possessions In
Asia into immediate conjunction. This
Siamese territory which France demands
chiefly because she cOvets it. 10 one OF the
most fertile and advanced districts of
Slam. The surrender of it 10 the French
would annihilate large British trade
Neither England nor China is likely TO re-
main passive IN case France persists In her
endeavors TO exact this IN pledged pound OF
flesh.
George X. Curron, secretary of the In
dian Office under the last Salisbury admin.
istratlon, and now Conservative member
of Parliament for southwest Lancashire,
has written an article for tue Nineteenth
Century aud two stinging letters TO the
Times on the question of French intrusion
in Siam. He asks Englishmen IL they cap
not be made TO realize that Frances pre-
sentation is a blow struck more at England
than at Siam. The realization of Frances
hopes he says. means the interruption of
the entire carrying trade between Bang
kok. Singapore and Hong Kong. This trade
is IS per cent British. 1t is worth several
million pounds annually. If France be al
lowed to play her game unimpeded, he
predicts the trade will be permanently
crippled.