June 2, 1902. ]
Such are the outlines of the dispute. We must reserve all comment on it for another issue.
$400
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. exercise of an exclusive control which has Battambong, in addition to the already been stretched beyond its original intentions garrisoned Chantaboon, is equally indefens and legitimate claims, object to the pre-sible. According to the French newspaper sence of other than French assessors account, France has practically committed an act of war. Siam is weak and the French Colonials are plainly enough trying to force a quarrel on her. England and France signed a joint agreement in 1896 to respect the neutrality of the Menam Valley and the central portion of the Siamese dominion, when the provinces of Battambong and Angkor were expressly excluded from its provision. Does this mean that we are going to watch the barefaced robbery, following many others, of the neighbours of our Burmese posses; sions? If so, then it is plain that Siam is outside the scope of the Anglo-Japanese agreement, and the country's doom may be regarded as sealed. But we can hardly believe that this will be allowed to take place. Events have been slowly leading up to the present situation, and our statesmen can have no excuse if they have ignored the fact.
was unable to follow the reasoning which ascribed to the representatives of the national Governments in China jurisdicial functions in relation to Chinese resi. dents in the Foreign Settlement. The at the Chinese Court which exists to intention was announced of convening a decide cases against. Chinese subjects in special meeting of ratepayers to consider the French Settlement. An agreement to the matter. This meeting was held on the recognise this objection, with the corollary 16th instant, and its result has already been that all cases where other than French announced by us.
interests are involved are necessarily removed to the Mixed Court of the Foreign Settlement, is fraught with no serious danger or inconvenience to the commnuity, the North-China Daily News concludes, but such an arrangement, made for and by the French authorities for their convenience, most emphatically cannot justify the French Consulate in requiring the extradi- tion of natives from the Foreign Settlement on any alleged ground of reciprocity. This conclusion seems reasonable enough. The decision of the question will be awaited with interest, for it has considerable bear ing upon harmonious working of the two Settlements at Shanghai.
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THE PEKING-SHANHAIKWAN
~ RAILWAY
(Daily Press, 24th May.)
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(Daily Press, 28th May.) We gave a short account two days ago of a matter which has been agitating the Shanghai community, arising out of certain claims, endorsed by the Consular Body, made by the Acting French Consul on behalf of the French authorities for special privileges and powers over natives residing in the Foreign Settlement. On the 16th instant a Shanghai ratepayers' meeting showed beyond doubt that the ratepayers strongly sympathised with the Municipal Council against the Consuls. The Consular
FRANCE AND SIAM. Body has referred to the Consuls General for Great Britain and Germany for dis-
(Daily Press, 27th May.) eussion with the French Consul on the The other day a French newspaper informed questions at issue. But M, RATAR, the its readers ..... "there was no Siamese The strong, even violent, language used by representative of Frace, has announced his question." inis somewhat enigmatical; the Russian and French Press with regard intention of referring to the French Goy-statement apparently meant that there was to the agreement concluded by Sir Ernest ernment the various views, and it is
no difficulty between France and Siam SATOW with the Chinese Government would gathered therefore that a settlement of the of any serious moment. At the present be difficult to comprehend, were we not matter will take some time. Our Shanghai moment, read the Indo-Chinese journals, used to the
" bluffs of our friends on the contemporary, the North-China Daily News, one would sa that there is very much of a Continent. The agreement, which was submits that, in the meanwhile, and as Siamese Queson. The disturbances which signed on the 29th April, was in substance a reasonable modus vivendi pending the have brought about the situation arose in as follows:-The Peking-Shanhaikwan rail- decision of the French Government, it the Laos territory. Strictly speaking, the way will be handed back to China on the 1st is in every way desirable and right that Laos region is on both banks of the Upper June provided the other Powers agree: the two Settlements should work har Mekong, but the term is usually applied by All military transport arrangements, as moniously together under the simple the French to their own portion only, on agreed upon by Count VON WALDERSEE and procedure, which requires that according the east bank of the river; for the news-the British Railway Administration remain to the domicile of the défendant shall be papers speak of the "neutral zone between in full force. One British military co decided the Court before which he must Laos and Siam." The disturbances seem director and two assistant directors, one appear in the first instance. The French to have travelled further South and to be German and one Japanese will be appointed. newspaper, L'Echo de Chine, takes up the affecting Battambong, including the neigh- All contracts, etc., entered upon by the cause of the French authorities very bourhood of the port of Chantaboon, which British Railway Administratiou are to be warmly and has devoted no less than the French occupied in 1893. and still hold, carried out. All new railways within eighty sixteen columns of one issue to a dis. in defiance of the agreement of that year. miles of the existing line shall be built by cussion of the question. The case depends We gave in our issue of yesterday the China and not by any other country or very much on one of the conclusions latest information which has reached us foreign syndicate. There have been some at "which" L'Echo de Chine arrives. It from Bangkok with regard to Laos affairs, proposals, the Peking correspondent of the is stated that the French Government's which did not make the matter look very North-China Daily News says with reference orders to the Consul-General for France serious. However, it was stated that to this, to build railways from Tungchow forbid him "to go beyond the limits of the French forces had been despatched to the direct to Chingwantao, and from Fengtai quartier Français for the exercise of his scene of action from Saigon and Wieng to Kalgan, and probably the last condition jurisdiction at Shanghai." If that be the Chun, on the Upper Mekong. But a tele- mentioned above is to guard against con. case, asks the North China Daily News,gram to Haiphong from Saigon, dated the cessions to build these railways being how comes it that the French Consul-15th instant, puts રી very different granted to parties whose interests migh, General is a member of the Consular Body aspect on affairs. The message runs:---- conflict with the management of the present of the International Settlement, and that "M. KLOBUKOWSKY, our representative in railway. he has on more than one occasion in the "Siam, has demanded his recall. He will This, then, is what the Novoe Vremyȧ past claimed the right to the post of Senior leave Bangkok immediately. New detach- denounces as "audacious and provocative,” Cónsul ? 'It must be obvious," continues "ment of troops are leaving Saigon for the and what the Temps regards as tantamount our contemporary," that, if in addition to “neutral ground between Siam, Laos, and to an abrogation by England of the "exclusive control of the affairs of the “Cambodia. Ubon and Battambong are policy of the Open Door." We were of French Settlement (subject always to the "in military occupation. Nevertheless, course prepared for opposition, and Dr. "admission of the inalienable treaty rights "M. KLOBUKOWSKY yesterday sent reas- MORRISON had telegraphel to the Times at of non-French residents therein), the "suring, almost good news. Communica- the beginning of the present week that the "French representativo claims and exercises "tion with the regions occupied by the agreement had evoked opposition on the his rights as one of the Consular Body of troops is difficult.' Now Ubon is well part of several Powers, notably Russia and "this Settlement, it is imperative that he across the middle Mekong, beyond the Belgium-on the ground, he added; of under "should conform to the procedure and "neutral zone and in undisputedly, takings given by the late La HusG-CHLIG
observe the regulations of this Settlement Siamese territory, on a tributary of the But the bare-faced insincerity of the Russian as regards its internal administration. If Mekong which a map before us calls the and French attacks might still surprise, but "be acts in a dual capacity, he cannot Se-mun. By the Franco-Siamese treaty of for the habitual attitude of these friendly "retain, in regard to this Settlement, any 1893 France is allowed to intervene, when nations. The Temps sees in the agreement right of exclusive control; it follows she thinks it necessary, in a strip of terri-n British desire to prevent Russia's acquisi "therefore logically and necessarily that tory twenty-five kilometres broad along tion and consolidation of a political hege
his assessor, like those of other nationali-the west bank of the Mekong-the mony at Peking by the conquest of ties, should fulfil his proper functions at neutral zone in fact. But by sending | Chinese railways. How the seong "the International Mixed Court.”. The troops to
Ubon, which is considerably Russia of the Chinese railways British journal sees no reasonable doubt further west, she had violated the frontier in her political hegemony at Pekin
entire question having its origin in | in a most unwarrantable way. The in accordance with the policy of the fact that the French authorities, in the military occupation of the province of Door, which France and Russia pretend to
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