The Temps of Wednesday publishes an account of how the
French gunboats forced the passage of the Bangkok river. At 6 in the evening, preceded by the steamer Jean Baptiste Say,' they began the ascent of the river, and were at once fired on by the fort commanding the channel, which is armed with Armstrong guns. To this fire the French ships replied, and also to the fire of seven Siamese gunboats anchored in the stream. The Jean Baptiste Say' was hit and put hors de combat ; but the war-vessels, in spite of the explosion of a submarine torpedo, went on, and crossed the bar just before dark. The 'Inconstant,' which was hit and slightly injured by the Siamese, rammed and sank one of the enemy's gun. boats, and the Comete ' " stopped the rifle-fire of the Siamese training-ship, which had caused the death of two French gunners." " Towards 9 o'clock the forts of Paknam opened fire at a range of a quarter-of-a-mile. The gunboats all this time were making ten knots against the stream. It does not appear that the cannonade, taking plane, as it did, in a dark night, had any effect on the forts. At all events, our ships were not struck in the hulls. At 9.30, the ' Inconstant' and Comete ' anchored in front of the French Legation at Bangkok, having accomplished an act of rare daring. The Siamese projectiles caused only slight damage." The French have, no doubt, the right to be proud of their sailors' pluck and daring ; but the odds were, of course, as always, very much in favour of the Power supported by " the resources of civilisation."
