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being placed on the same footing as that enjoyed by the Americans-drying on unoccupied parts of the coast. The owners of the existing French establishments on the shore-though, in regard to their construction and their tenure they are in excess of their Treaty rights-should be com- pensated, the compensation being assessed by the English and French Naval Officers on the coast.

Such an arrangement would afford a satis factory settlement of the question.

SIAM AND THE MALAY STATES.

The Declaration between Great Britain and France, signed in London on the 15th January, 1896, is satisfactory, and should be upheld, in so far as it guarantees, within the defined limits, the centre of Siam against aggression by either country. It is satisfactory as regards what the two Powers may not do, but it is not equally satisfactory in its silence as to what the two Powers may do, the one on the east of the line, the other on the south and west; and it is sub- mitted that it might with advantage be amended by defining whether or not, as between the two Powers, the territory east of the line, on the one hand, is a sphere of French influence, and the territory between the British Malay States and India, on the other, including the adjacent Islands, is a sphere of British influence-that within the sphere of French influence the action of France will, as far as Great Britain is con- cerned, be unfettered and within the sphere of British influence; the action of Great Britain will, as far as France is concerned, be unfettered. As far as information at the Colonial Office goes, M. Cambon is right in saying that the British sphere of influence, if less extensive, is more valuable; and it is of paramount importance to Great Britain, as including the Kra Isthmus, a canal through which has been so often con- templated.

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It is said that the French, if permitted to push up to the Eastern line, will be more within striking distance of Bangkok than we shall be; but, real danger from this fact can only arise if a distinct and definite Treatý da broken, and if the French get command of the sea.

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If the spheres of influence are defined, it is all important that the Islands off the coasts of the Malay Peninsula should be specified as being within the British sphere.

Hitherto the Declaration of 1896 has worked in an unequal way. It does not seem to have deterred France from a forward policy on the

east.

On the other hand, it has not helped us on the west. In the matter of Kelantan and Trengganu, it is the Siamese who have gone for- ward, not the English, and it is submitted that it should be once for all decided how far each Power will have freedom of action within its own sphere.

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Would it not be well to openly avow our Secret Treaty with Siam as regards our sphere, and invite the French to make a similar Treaty, they have not done so already, as regards their sphere, thus letting the world know that Great Britain and France guarantee the centre of Siam,

and outside the guaranteed territory exercise Protectorates on either side.

If Siam agreed to the above she would be safer

than now.

This is written from the Colonial Office point of view. The India Office is also concerned.

SOKOTO AND THE ENCLAVES ON THE NIGER.

In West Africa all the boundaries between the British and French spheres which had not been previously determined were settled by the Con- vention signed at Paris on the 14th June, 1898, and, with the exception of the line from the Niger to Lake Chad, which is at present being surveyed by a Joint Commission, the boundaries agreed upon have all been now surveyed and finally determined.

There is no desire on our part to reopen any of the questions which were settled in 1898; but the dissatisfaction of the French with the boundary in the neighbourhood of Sokoto has found expression for a long time past in their newspapers, and in July last M. Delcassé referred to the matter in his interview with Lord Lans- downe, saying that, while he fully admitted that according to the letter of the Convention of 1898 we were entitled to the territory comprised

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

།ག། :། ] C.O. 885

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LOND

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPH COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT

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