The herald., 1896-01-19
The English Diplomats Feel Very
Comfortable
THE MEKONG CONVENTION
IsiRegarded as a Triumph of British
Diplomacy
Matter Look More Peaceful Than Week Ago
but War Preparations Are Still
Pushed
l Press Special Wire.

LONDON, Jan. 1s.-[Copyrighted, 1896,
by the Asso. ,ated Press. 1T seems to be
the general opinion here among English
that this event 9 of the past week have in no
way impaired the prestige of Great Britain.
The agreement arrived at with France re-
rartiing Siam Is, for instance, gravely
looked upon lit some quarters here, as
being an excellel 1t reply to Emperor Will
iam's dispatch 10 President Kreuger on
the result of the Transvaal invasion, in
the French newspa pers.
La Liberte of Palis on Wednesday had
an interview with M. Berthaut, the French
minister of foreign fairs, in which he was
quoted as saying:
The Makong convention does not modify
our external policy. The English news
papers are wilfully mistaken in declaring
that England has obtained frances Coop
Grafton in the settlement of English for
eign difficulties"
Yet, in the face of this, the newspapers
here look upon the Meke ing agreement as
being triumph for Britis h diplomacy and
a slap at Emperor WilliaI n. On the other
hand, it was credibly announced today
that the AsEantee war had been ended,
with the complete sub mission of King
L
great satisfaction. as it frees Great
Britain's hands from what once promised
to be troublesome lit tie war.
The elation at Great Britain's apparently
successful issue from a delicate situation,
combined with the confidence aroused by
the promptness with which the naval
preparations were carr led out, has given a
tone of cocksureness 10 q portion of the
press and majority of the people.
The Ltandard is so elated that it talks
about Great Britain's holding her own
against any of the five or six of the great
powers, and thinks it a matter of supreme
indifference as to how the powers may
group themselves.
The St, James Gazette, however, strongly
reproves Englishrnen for uttering such an
opinion, describes the Standards remarks
as swagger, and asks pertinently if Great
Britain is prepare ed to take on France.
Russia, Germany, Austria and the United
States, and says:
ssSurely this is making a great deal too
much of the fact that we built few IRON
clads and cruisers rapidly during the last
few years."
Continuing, the ST. James Gazette pro-
ceeds to enumerate the vulnerable points
of Great Britain's armor, namely, insult
ficient numbers of cruisers, lack of trained
sailors and officers to man the fleet, tiny
army, etc.
Discussing the chances of invasion by
0Tcdb DTlt<tiAs Sdptdih WI LutWltZ Iudk0S
the remark that an invasion of this country
would be dangerous, but it is in no way
impossible.
Although matters look decidedly more
peaceful than they did a week or SO ago,
the production of war material here ap-
pears to have been increased rather than
diminished. The staff of workmen at the
dockyards and arsenals has been increased
largely, and it is looked upon as being sig
nifcant and as having direct bearing
upon the future that the workmen have
been mostly promised permanent employ
ment.
The admiralty department telegraphed
to the iron work manufacturers of the
Midlands yesterday to dispatch immedi-
ately further consignments for pushing
the completion of the war ships now in
hand.
The military authorities have enrolled a
large number of additional employees at
the government gun factories, and the men
are all working overtime. Cartridges for
the new magazine rifles are being turned
out by the million, and enormous quanti-
ties of shells are being manufactured. The
factories are also turning out as rapidly as
possible large numbers of field and naval
guns, and steps are being taken to push
this branch of the defenses very strongly.
The importance of the agreement with
France regarding Siam, previously alluded
to, is insisted upon in view of the fact that
might at any time have led to serious
differences between Great Britain and
France.
Moreover, it states that two other causes
for dissension have been removed by the
same agreement, one being the result of
the removal of the British treaty of COM
merce with Tunis and the other being
based on the agreement of a mixed COM
mission which would proceed to fix the
boundary between English and French
possessions in the Niger basin. The settle
ment of the latter question, no doubt, will
do much to remove the bad blood which
has existed for some time past between
France and Great Britain, as it will disarm
the Chauvinist French colony policy, who
used it to shrek against Great Britain.
Great Britain extends her sphere of in
huence to the Siamese part of the Malay
peninsula lying between Lower Burmah
and the Straits settlements. Thus her In
dian empire will extend uninterruptedly
from Beluchistan to Singapore. Great
Britain, however, -withdraws from the
region north of the Mekong, which will go
to France. This latter point is the most
difficult for the English to swallow, as it
means the withdrawal of a British post.
The most instructive features of the ar
rangement is the manner in which Siam is
treated, or rather robbed by the agreement
of the two powers. All that remains to her
now, and this is secured by the agreement
is the valley of the Monam, which, how.
ever, is the most fruitful region of the
country.
The admiralty department informs the
Associated Press that the destination oi
the flying squadron of the British wal
ships now off Spithead, has not vet beer
determined upon by the admiralty, and
certainly the war ships are not going .e
Bermuda or anywhere in American waters
at present.
Recent statements have appeared in the
London papers claiming the foreign office
was preparing elaborate maps and g
lengthy report on all phases of the Vene
suelan question. In regard to this state
ment high official at the foreign Office
stated to a reporter of the Associated
Press: "We are not preparing any new ol
special maps, for we are satisfied witt
those now in use. The statement nov
largely circulated, is made out of whole
cloth. While Lord Salisbury has not ye
authorized us to announce the fact. We
may say he is preparing a full report o.
the whole matter, which will undoubtedly
be submitted to parliament soon after it:
assembly February 11.''
When asked about the cable dispatches
which the Daily Chronicle has been pub
fishing from Washington. the foreign office
official remarked:
I'VE are inclined to think the letters re-
ferred TO are copies of certain documents
relating to the matter which were pub
1ished in Paris some years ago at the insti
cation of the Venezuelan government Az
stated recently to the Associated Press
they do not cover the entire ground, as they
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