We do not believe there is much reality in the
fuss which some French papers are making over British and Japanese designs upon Siam. Great Britain has certainly no designs, and it is extremely difficult to believe that Japan has any. What has Japan to acquire in Siam or from Siam that her cautious statesmen should mix themselves up with the complicated affairs of Bangkok ? It is just possible that Siam is asking Kioto for instructors, but there is nothing in any Treaty to forbid that? The truth is that the French Colonial Party, which is essentially a " Nationalist" party, is pining for some pretext to appeal to the patriotism of France. They can make nothing of the Soudan, and are therefore turning their attention to Indo-China, where only a weak " buffer- State" stands between them and a rich accession of territory. They are not, however, likely to carry away M. Delcaase, who probably does not believe that transmarine dependencies strengthen France ; nor will they rouse much enthusiasm in the Army, which regards service in tropical swamps as a waste of trained men. It must not be forgotten that Cambodia is far from completely pacified, and that M. Rouvier, with his difficult Budget still to produce, does not want to be compelled to provide for any new expedition.
