The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-19
FEARS JAPAN
French Deputy for Indo- China Sounds
Note of Alarm.

Paris, May I'm. Francois Deloncle,
Republican, deputy for Indo-China,
has submitted to the special parliament
tary committee on naval affairs a re-
markable report on the urgent neces-
sity for strengthening the defense of
Indo-China against the peril of a Japa-
nese invasion.
'Indo-China," he says, has only two
enemies to fear, namely Japan alone, or
China encouraged and supported by
Japan. The former constitutes a real
danger for Japan has much to gain and
little to risk and her isolated position
makes her almost, inVulnerab BILE to us. She
could in a few weeks throw 100 900 men
into Indo-China and easily reinforce
this first landing party. The first phase
of such a struggle would consist of
Japan's effort to secure mastery of the
sea in order to reinforce her troops.
Owing to Japan's great superiority in
naval forces in far eastern waters our
feeble division would not risk decisive
battle but would fan back on our only
naval base, Saigon. There it would be
bloekaded as the Russians were block
AIDED within Port Arthur. With our di-
vision thus bottled up Japan could OPP
pose the junction of the blockaded
warships with the relief squadron and
having secured the mastery of the sea
japanese transports would be free to
land invading forces. She has two adj
mirable anchOrages ready for her
transports at Kamranh Bay and Port
DayOt She probably would take the
first as nearer to Saigon. Japan would
thus be established on the sea route
connecting Tonquin and Cochin-China
and who could prevent it. In the pres
ent condition of our defenses could we
resist such an attack? Evidently not,
and within a brief time Indo-China
would be the prey of the invader"
Solution of the Problem.
The report then examines the means
,s5f, rf-xr to for a
defense of the colony and says the best
solution Of the problem is to strongly
reinforce Indo-China so that the colony
may be able to defend itself for several
months against the japanese until
French naval divisions reached the the
ater of operations. The programme to
accomplish this consists of a large aug
mentation of the naval forces IN the
far east an increase OF the military
force of occupation to a minimum OF
IS 600 men. the establishment of strong
naval bases at Saigon, Kamranh Bay
Along Bay and Pulocondor and the es-
adjustment of torpedo boat and sub
marine boat stations at Cape St. James
Kamranh Bay and Turan.
The report concludes with asserting
that it would be puerile to disregard
the gravity of the situation Therefore
it is necessary to make large sacr1hceS
to place Indo-China in readiness &c
meet the shock
cost of the work, namely the fortihca-
ton of Tonquin, guns and armament
S2s. GOO. 600; coast defenses, including
strengthening the naval base at Sal
gon Si4, OOO. 900, and the establishment Of
torpedo and other stations, s6,OO0,OOO,
! total of S42,000,0OO.
NJ Deloncle is a member of the spec
iaI parliamentary committee on nava
affairs which appointed him to submi
/ a report with a programme Of the de
/ tense necessary to place lndo-China II
| a condition to resist an attack