FOREIGN TELEGRAMS.
London, July 20.
China is preparing to
back Siam in her dispute with France, and is disposed to render her
material assistance.
La Figaro publishes an interview with Sir Charles Dilke on the Franco Siamese question. Sir
Charles stated, in reply to his interviewer, that he fore-saw no difficulty
between France and Great Britain in regard to Siam, unless the annexation of
Siam were attempted by France. He feared, however, that the Newfoundland
fisheries question would give rise to grave complications.
Mr. George Curson, Parliamentary Secretary to the India Office in
Lord Salisbury's last Administration, has written a letter to the Times on the
Siamese question. He says that if the claim of France to the entire left bank
of the Mekong River is allowed it will deprive Siam of half her territory and
place the French on the Upper Mekong into junta-position with the
British protected Shan States.
He insists also that France
cannot thus be allowed to close the door to British trade with South-western
China.