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ENGLAND, France, anD SIAM.
of any
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A summary of the agreement between Great Britain and France in relation to Siam, which has been telegraphed out to Bangkok, places rather a different complexion on the affair from that given to it by Reuter's brief messages.
The territory in dispute between Great Britain and France has been recognised as belonging to the latter, but the former has given no sanction to any dismemberment of Siam. It was stated by Reuter, it will be remembered, that France was to obtain the province of Battembang, but if so it will not be by virtue agreement with Great Britain: It appears to have been supposed in certain quarters in Bangkok that France and Eng land had been carving up Siam and had agreed to a division of the spoils. France was to take the territory up to Khorat. and England was to take the Siamese Malay States. This is now found to be altogether a mistake. England does not guarantee to Siam the continued possession of Battembang, neither does France guarantee that Eng- land shall not occupy the Siamese Malay States, but on the other hand neither power assents to any appropriation of Siamese ter- ritory by the other, while both severally agree to respect existing treaties. Central Siam, that is, the valley of the Menam and its tributaries, is guaranteed absolutely, the two Governments engaging that neither will, without consent of the other, under any pretext whatever, advance armed forces into that region, or acquire any exclusive privileges therein. The engagement does not extend to the territory to the east or south-west of the region indicated, but it is explained that in making these engagements in regard to the central portion of Siam the English Government must not be considered as implying any doubt or disregard of the title and rights of Siam to other portions of the kingdom, but to have been actuated by considerations of the commercial and in- dustrial importance of the regions in ques- tion; and diplomatic notes have been ex- changed giving assurances of the joint solici- tude of the two Governments for the security and stability of the kingdom of Siam, and of their desire to maintain with it the most friendly relations and to respect existing
states. If Siam wishes to hold her own she must advance with the times, develop her resources, and establish a just adminis tration in all her provinces. She has already exhibited some inclination to adopt Western improvements, but has hardly done anything yet to amend her system of government. Her mandarins are as corrupt as those of China and are not inaptly termed "province eaters."
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THE POSITION OF FOREIGNERS IN JAPAN AFTER TREATY REVISION.
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[February 5, 1896.
judicial circles, but n't the same time it admits that the responsible statesmen are honestly endeavouring to correct, these faults. We may hope that these efforts will succeed in elevating the judiciary entirely above suspicion before the cessation of the exterritorial system, but even if some suspi- cion still remains Japan will be by no means unique in that respect.
The last point taken refers to limitations on the freedom of the press "Then in the Treaty ports "there is a considerable sum of money "invested in newspapers. We have a case on record in which the editor of a paper was seized and imprisoned and the print- ing presses sealed for fourteen days, when it was found he had committed no offence? That would ruin any paper that depended on public support for its existence. We "do not suppose that the foreign newspapers "when they come under Japanese laws will express opinions on any topics. To avoid suspension they will be colourless, at least we presume
the editors who then remain "in Japan will prefer to be mere collaters of news to spending the bulk of their time "in prison. Yet occasions must occur when it will be necessary to point out abuses, and those in charge may then find themselves inside the walls of a Japanese prison. There is time to re- medy some of these things, but they will "not be remedied if people sit quietly down "and assert that because the Japanese are " contented therefore the foreigners will find "the change pleasant. A great many people "will hardly know the difference, numbers "of foreigners will griu and bear it, but
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for some people residence in Japan
It was generally anticipated by Europeans that after the victory achieved by the Japanese over China life in the Land of the Rising Sun would become almost unbear- able on account of the inflation of Japan- esc pride that it was supposed would take place. The anticipations have been wholly falsified and foreigners have been subjected to no special annoyance whatever. This gives the Japan Mail occasion to ask whether other forecasts, still awaiting confirmation or contradiction, may not prove equally erroneous. We refer above all," says our contemporary, to the prediction that, so soon as the foreign resillents pass under Japanese jurisdiction, life will become almost unbearable owing to official inter- ference, police surveillance, and so forth. Are there, in the lives of the Japanese people themselves, any features of au un- bearable nature? Do the police exercise any embarrassing surveillance over their own countrymen or countrywomen? Speak- ing from a tolerably long experience we will simply be an impossibility." It is answer both questions emphatically in the probable that when foreigners pass under negative. Officials are not clothed with Japanese laws the editors of the Eng- any irksome authority in Japan. The lish newspapers in Japan will find it law does not allow a policeman to intrude necessary to moderate their critical tone upon the premises or pry into the affairs towards the Government, of the country. of a Japanese subject, except under That this restraint will prove irksome there circumstances recognised everywhere as can be no doubt, but here again it must be "justifying such action. Is it not probable remembered that similar restraint has to be that, just as success in war has made Japan exercised in almost every foreign country. more tolerant and liberal, so the satisfaction The number of English papers published of recovering her sovereign rights will on the continent of Europe can be counted “impel her, not to abuse the confidence almost on one hand and those that do exist thus placed in her, but to prove her indulge very sparingly in comment on the 'self worthy of it?" The Japan Gazette domestic politics of the country in which traverses the arguments of its contem- they are published. The change implied We cannot see what England has obtained |porary. Frankly speaking, it says, there by the transfer from Consular to Japanese in exchange for the surrender of her claims
jurisdiction cannot but be unpleasant to the to the territory on the Upper Mekong,
foreigners resident in Japan, but after unless the compensation is to be looked for
the change is effected they will find them- in some other quarter of the world where
selves still as well off, as regards personal a similar dispute was pending. So far as
liberty, as if they had selected as their place Siam and the Mekong are concerned, the
of residence certain other countries that arrangement appears to be an entirely one-
could be named. In Russia, for instance, sided one in favour of France, and it can-
the restrictions on foreign newspapers, if not therefore be described as satisfactory, in
there are any published there, are probably the light of our present knowledge. It
greater than they will be in Japan, while as to does not even secure the integrity of Siam's
the general administration of justice in Japan, present boundaries. A wedge in the
more confidence may be felt than in, say, middle is guaranteed, but the territory to the
some of the South American republics. The east is to be considered in France's sphere of
surrender of exterritorial jurisdiction by the influence and that to the southwest in Eng-
powers was undoubtedly a great concession land's sphere. Both powers, while professing a
to Japan, and the burden of that concession present desire to respect existing conventions,
falls on the foreigu residents in the country. may find it to their interest at some future
That it is a burden there is no denying, and time to advance their boundaries within their
no sophistry can remove its unpleasantness. respective spheres. It is not at all unlikely
Hitherto the foreign residents have been that sometime the Siamese Malay States
subject only to the jurisdiction of their own may have to be incorporated with the British
authorities; under the new arrangement, Malay States, and if that came about France
when it takes effect, they will be subject to would be almost certain to take Battembang
native jurisdiction just as if they were as a counterpoise, and is very likely to do so
living in any other country where exterri- without waiting for any British advance.
toriality does not prevail. They will be no Diplomatic notes may be very useful things
worse off than the foreign residents in most in their way, but they cannot be expected
countries and will probably be much better to stop the natural expansion of great
off than they would be in some countries, but powers on the borders of semi-civilized
they will naturally not think that reflection
conventions.
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is no reason to believe that the Japanese have much cause for complaint or "that they find their laws irksome. But "is this any argument? A slave is thank- ful for a small measure of liberty which to a free man would be unbearable. The question of importance, then, is not are the Japanese contented, but will the foreigners find the new fetters chafe?" To this the Gazette gives an emphatic answer in the affirmative. In the first place it refers to the laws against gambling, which might interfere with whist parties. To that the answer might be made that if playing whist for stakes were prohibited it would hardly rank as a first-class international question, and, further, that it is not likely the police will be employed regularly searching the houses of foreigners in the evenings to find out whether it is played or not. The next point taken is the dispersion of political meetings held in private houses. That, we think, is hardly likely to constitute a grievance amongst foreigners, but even if it were felt as such, it must not be forgotten that there are various European countries where similar laws prevail and where the protection of exterritoriality has never been thought of. Our contemporary refers, too, to the prevalence of corruption in
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