New-York tribune., 1902-12-03
THE TROUBLES IN SIAM
FORMER UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC
REPRESENTATIVE IN THAT COUN-
TRY DENoUNCEs ABSURD
ATEAyFNTS
STATEMENTS.

STATEMENTS.
To the Editor of The New York Tribune
Sir: Reports recently received from BANGKOK
Siam Indicate that the discomfort which mas
prevailed for a long time in the northern trlou-
tary provinces of his majestys dominlons Is IN
creasing cable dispatch TO The Associated
Press from Saigon, which appeared IN Ine IT'D
une of November 49, confirmed this intelligence
and stated that there had been several encouh-
tiers between the Siamese troops and the lnsur-
gents A Bangkok newspaper unfriendly to the
government states that the mode OF warfare
conducted by the siamese in the northern prov
inces has been simply barbarous, ana aoos;
''The siamese forces are giving no quarter. ard
the insurgents are hunted down and treated as
wild beasts of the chase. Innocent families
are said to have suffered equally with the
guilty and after being killed or captured their
heads were chopped off and carried through the
country on the points of long bamboos. until
the inhabitants fed in terror to the WIDER
nesses leaving everything to chance, so great
was the savagery of the troops, who are said
not to have warred against the Shans. but
against women and children and peaceable fam
lilies, until the country at present is desolated
uncutivated waste of plundered homes. weep
ing mothers and wailing children
When we realize that it is a part of the cum
ningIy devised scheme of Slams enemies to cir
cuate through the public press and by othG
means such outrageousIy absurd statements as
those contained in the foregoing account, very
little Importance will be attached to them AT
an early period in it's history Siam was warlike
and aggressive. 1t conquered and controlled
large portion of the once powerful and compara-
lively civilized kingdom of Cambodia, and
claimed tributary rights from Southern Burmah
and nearly all of the Malay States. During the
seventeenth century the union between Siam
and her provinces was somewhat disrupted by
internal factionaI feuds. such exist to-day
among the Shan tribes. and since the establish
ment of British rule in India several dependen-
cies of the siamese crown have become English
territory by annexation. To-day that interest
ing country occupies anomalous position, as
1t lies between the provinces of France on the
east and English territory on the northwest
and south; so that it may be safely considered
only a question of time when the sovereignty or
the kingdom will be abrogated by peaceable or
forcble possession by both of these countries.
unless other treaty powers which are vigtlantly
watching them intervene to prevent their spoil
atons. During the early part of the last CEN
tury the occupation by France Of the port OF
Saigon led to the extension of a French pro-
tectorate over AMMAN and Cambodia, which
finally resulted in the REIMBURSEMENT Of Siamese
domination and the ultimate establishment of
Virtual SuZera1nIy IndL tileCLudlly SSCiUuCu dAl
pretensions TO tributary rights which the SIAM
ese crown had heretofore successfully main
tanned.
At the close of the war OF 1924 Burmah ceded
the Tennasserim provinces TO the British Gov
ernment or what was then called the East In
dia Company, and the native authorities also
surrendered to it a valuable strip OF territory
that belonged to Siam. lying directly the route
that afforded a safe and trustworthy passage
to the Burmans and Peguans in their retreat
after their devastating invasions OF Siam and
Cambodia- During the present century the
British Government. In pursuance OF its tradi-
tionaI policy, which 2r, Gladstone characterized
as the lust of unmeasured territorial acqutsi-
tion" absorbed other dependencies OF the Siam
ese crown. as well as the island OF Penang and
Province Wellesley, which became undisputed
portions Of the colossal empire OF Great Britain
In 1857 the French Government sent mission
TO Siam, accompanied by a feet OF naval yes
sells and force of one thousand French troops
This mission was received with considerable
pomp by the Siamese, and the troops were per-
niitted 70 land and occupy a certain portion or
the city OF Ayuthta then the capital OF the
kingdom, but three years afterward a reYOlu-
ton occurred in the country. which resulted in
the overthrow of the royal family. the execu-
ton Of Constantine Phaulcon, who had virtually
usurped the Office of Minister of Foreign Al
fairs and the final expulsion of the French from
the country This revolution frustrated the de-
signs Of the French King, defeated the ambition
of Phaulcon who II Is believed. intended TO OBJ
tain possession of the throne. and postponed,
until almost the present day. the establishment
of q French empire In the East.
The Bangkok correspondent of THE London
Times" In a recent letter 10 that paper says:
In any consideration of the Siamese question
IL must not be forgotten that the campaign
against Siam has been recommended in the
press of French Indo-China French influence
in Siam is not sufficient to please these poiiti-
ciansi therefore. says one anonymous diplomat,
let us seize Rorat- 1t Is the terminus Of their
railway: 1t is not In the Menam Valley and
England viii not. can not, interfere. The pro-
lection OF their numerous subjects Is the one
reason alleged tfor no other Is pOSsible) and the
various writer's delight in vague charges against
Siam OF opEresStng these pTotegeS."
1t will therefore be that with England
on the one hand and France on the other il is
doubtful whether even by the subtle art of
diplomacy MS majesty will be able 10 prevent
for any great length of time the absorption by
these two great powers OF the most proltnc por-
tonS of his coveted domain A recent Bangkok
newspaper says: ut Is the consensus of opinion
that Siam must make up her mind to lose Chan
taboon. She is perhaps more anxious about her
rich and fertile dependencies in the Peninsula
and the longing glances cast at them from
Singapore than OF any danger which threatens
her from Chantaboon": and it intirnates that
the time is not far distant when Kelantan
IrinSganu and Patani will be separated from
Siam and become integral portions of the Fri+
ish Empire. DAVID BANKS SIcKFIs
New-York, Dec. %
FAFORS ANNEX ALTON OF psN.,y,