i i Wason DS575 G78+ 1893 AS/A I 1 CORNELL. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY '^"'iiiMiiSfiiiliSmRiflf.'?.'??* ''■'"" "er Majesty's 3 1924 023 182 045 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023182045 SIAM. No. 1 (1893). e COPIES OF DESPATCHES FROM HER MAJESTY'S AMBASSADOR AT PARIS RELATIVE TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN. AND FRANCE FOR CONSTITUTING A NEUTRAL STATE BETWEEN THEIR POSSESSIONS IN INDO-CHINA. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. December 1893. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFIUE, BY HARklSON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, PRINTERS IN' ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from BYRE AND SPOTTISWOODE, East Harding Street, Fleet Street, E.G., 32, Abingdon Street, Westminster, S.W. ; or JOHN MENZIES & Co., 12, Hanover Street, EDiMBDiiaH, and 90, West Nile St.^ieet, Glasgow ; or HODGES, FIGGIS, and Co,, Limited, 104, Grafton Strew, Dijbi;n. [C— 7231,] Price Id. ^ 3 5-7 S- Copies of Despatches from Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris relative to the Agreement between Great Britain and I'^rance for constituting a Neutral State between their Possessions in Indo-China. No. 1. The Marquis of Dufferin to the Earl of Rosehery. — {Received August 2.) My Lord, Paris, August 1, 1 893. I HAVE the honour to inclose copy of a Protocol which was signed yesterday at Paris by M. Develle and myself, whereby the Governments of France and England agree to recognize the necessity of erecting a buflfer State between their respective possessions in Indo-China. I have, &c. (Signed) DUFFERIN and AVA. Inclosure in No. 1. Protocol signed by the Marquis of DUfferin ajid Ava and M. Develle. • * « • . EN vue de pr^venir les difficult^s qui pourraient fialtre d'un contact*" direct entre dies, les deux Puissances sont d'accord pour reconnaltre la n^cessit^ de cdristituer, au irioyen de sacrifices et d'abandons r^ciproques, une zone neutre entre leurs possessions. Les limites de la zone neutre seront d^termin^es ult^rieurement. (Sign^) JULES DEVELLE. DUFFERIN AND AVA. Le 31 Juillet, 1893. (Translation.) WITH a view of obviating the dif&culties which might arise from a direct contact , between them, the two Powers are agreed to recognize the necessity of constituting, by means of mutual sacrifices and concessions, a neutral zone between their possessions. The limits of this neutral zone shall be subsequently determined. (Signed; JULES DEVELLE. July 31, 1893. DUFFERIN AND AVA. No. 2. The Marquis of Dufferin to the Earl of Rosehery. — {Received December 4.) My Lord, Paris, December 1, 1893. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith the original of the Protocol signed by the Representatives of this Embassy and of the French Foreign Office, to whom was delegated the task of determining the configuration of the neutral zone, which, in accordance with the terms of the Protocol of the 31st July, signed by M. Develle and myself, is to be constituted between Her Majesty's and the French Republic's possessions in Indo-China. As your Lordship will observe, the Protocol in question recommends that a Technical Commission should be appointed with the view of ascer- taining the geographical and political features of the area it is intended to neutralize. "■^^^^ J ? s- as-*/ V I also inclose a second Protocol, signed by M. Develle and myself, which lays down as the' leading principle of the proposed delimitation that the territory in question should comprise a breadth of not less than 50 miles between its eastern a;nd western boundaries, accompanied by a recommendation that the Technical Commission should examine how the existing geographical and political characteristics of this region can be most con- veniently harmonized with the foregoing desideratum. The Protocol also contains a reciprocal engagement precluding either Power from seeking to obtain exclusive advantages to the detriment of the other within the State to be thus constituted. I also append two notes which have been exchanged between M. Develle and myself, in which an assurance is conveyed that neither England nor France has any intention of seeking to monopolize the rights of transit, whether by land or by water, through the province of Kyaing Hung. 1 have, &c. (Signed) DUFFERIN and AVA. Inclosure I in No. 2. Protocol signed by the French and English Delegates for the discussion of the Buffer State on the Upper Mekong. THE Undersigned, named by their re- spective Governments, in order to examine in what manner, by means of reciprocal contributions, an intermediary zone might be constituted between the British and French possessions in the region of the Upper Mekong ; Being arrested in the course of their labours by the difficulty of determining, according to positive data, the limits and the geographical configuration of the dif- ferent provinces situated in that region ; Have recognized, by common agreement, that in order to establish, under normal geographical conditions and without causing disintegration, a zone of sufficient extent, it would be desirable to proceed to an in- quiry on the spot by Technical Agents of the two countries. (Signed) E. C. H. PHIPPS. H. AUSTIN LEE. LES Soussign6s, ddsignes par leurs Gouvernements respectifs pour examiner de quelle mani^re pourrait ^tre constitute, au moyen de contributions reciproques, une z6ne intermediaire entre les possessions FranQaises et Anglaises dans la r6gion du Haut-M6kong ; S'etant trouvds arretds, au cours de leurs travaux, par la difficulte do determiner, d'apr^s des donn^es certaines, les Umites et la configuration geographique des diverses provinces situees dans cette region ; Ont reconnu, d'un commun accord, que, pour ^tablir, dans des conditions geo- graphiques normales et sans occasionner de morcellement, une z6ne d'une etendue suffisante, il conviendrait de faire proceder k une enqulte sur place, par des Agents Techniques des deux pays. Fait h Paris, le 25 Novembre, 1893. (Signd) JUSSERANn. PAUL REVOJL. Inclosure 2 in No. 2. Protocol signed by the Marquis of Dufferin and M. DeveUe. THE Undersigned, haying taken cog- nizance of the Protocol signed by- the English and French Commissioners on this day, and having approved it, have recog- nized, by common agreement, that the Technical Agents designated to proceed to the Upper Mekong should not lose sight of the following points : — 1. The geographical examination which they will have to undertake will deal with the course of the Mekong from its entry into Kyaing Chaing until its entry into Luang Prabang, with the limits of the Pro- [839] LES Soussign^s, ayant pris connaissance du Protocole en date de ce jour sign^ par les Commissaires Fran9ais et Anglais, et y ayant donne leur approbation, ont reconnu, d'un commun accord, que les Agents Techniques designes pour se rendre sur le Haut-Mekong ne devront pas perdre de vue les points suivants : — 1. L'examen geographique auquel ils devront se livrer, portera sur le cours da Mekong, depuis son entree dans le Kieng- Kheng jusqu'^ son entree dans le Luang- Prabang ; sur les limites de la Province de B 2 vince of Kyaing Chaing, and with those of Kieng-Kheng, et sur celles de la partie de that portion of Muang Nan which lies to Nan au nord du fleuve. the north of the river. 2. The breadth which the two Contract- 2. La largeur que les deux Puissances ing Powers propose to give to the inter- Contractantes sJ; proposent de donner a la mediary zone between the British and z6ne intermediaire entre les possessions French possessions is, in so far as the FranQaises et Anglaises est, dans la mesure geographical and political configuration of ou la configuration g^ographique et poli- the country will allow, to be about 80 super- tique du pays le permettra de 80 kilom. de ficial kilometres. The Technical Agents marche, environ. Les Agents Techniques shall note carefully what geographical and devront noter soigneusement quelles limites political limits would best attain this object, g^ographiques et politiques atteindraient le mieux ce but. 3. It is agreed that the navigation, 3. II est entendu que la navigation, le transit, and means of communication in the transit et les moyens de communication' zone thus constituted shall be free from seront libres de toute entrave dans la z6ne every impediment, each of the Contracting ainsi constituee, chacune des Parties Con- Parties undertaking not to seek any advan- tractantes s'engageant a ne rechercher aucun tage which is not equally secured to the avantage qui ne soit ^galement assurd k other. I'autre. Fait k Paris, le 25 Novembre 1893. (Signed) DUFFERIN and AVA. (Signe) JULES DEVELLE. Inclosure 3 in No. 2. The Marquis of Dufferin to M. Develle. -My dear M. Develle, Paris, December 1, 1893. IN answer to the question that you were good enough to address to me on Tuesday, ■with reference to the rumour that we had come to an agreement with China concerning the State of Kyaing Hung, I beg to inform you that at present no such Treaty has been- signed, and that we have no intention of seeking to obtain any monopoly, either for railways, Steam-boat Companies, or any other mode of transit or communication, to the detriment ;of any similar French commercial undertakings. It is understood that in the above respects the field is left as open to French as to English enterprise. In acknowledging the receipt of tliis note, perhaps you will kindly intimate' the willingness of the French Government to accede to a reciprocal engagement. Beheve me, &c. (Signed) DUFFERIN and AVA. Inclosure 4 in No. 2. M. Develle to the Marquis of Dufferin. €her Lord Dufferin, Paris, le 1" De'cembre, 1893. VOUS avez bien voulu me faire savoir, par votre lettre de ce jour, qu'aucun Traitd n'a 6t6 signd, jusqu'ici, entre la Grande-Bretagne et la Chine, au sujet de I'fitat de Xieng Hung, et que I'Angleterre n'a nullement I'intention de chercher a obtenir aucun raonopole, soit pour les cherains-de-fer ou Compagnies de Navigation, soit pour tout autre mode de transit ou communication, au detriment d'entreprises commerciales Frangaises de m^me ordre. II est entendu que le champ devra demeurer libre, a cet dgard, pour les entreprises Frangaises et Anglaises. Je m'empvesse de vous accuser reception de cette communication, dont je prends acte bien volontiers. Rdciproquement et conformement a votre demande, j'ai I'honneur de vous faire savuir que la deUmitation des possessions Frangaises, du c6te de Xieng Hung, n'a pas encore 4t6 faite, mais que, dans les negociations que le Gouvernement de la R^publique aura k suivre, a ce sujet, avec le Gouvernement (liinois, il compte se guider d'apr^s les principes m^mes que vous avez bien voulu eiioncer dans votre lettre de ce jour, et auxquels je ne peux qu'adherer sans reserve. Agreez, &c. (Signe) J. DEVELLE. (Translation.) Dear Lord Dufferin, Paris, December 1, 1893. YOU were good enough to inform nae in your letter of to-day that no Treaty has yet been signed between Great Britain and China on the subject of the State of Kyaing Hung, and that England has no intention of seeking to obtain any monopoly, either for railways. Steam-boat Companies, or any other mode of transit or communication, to the detriment of French commercial enterprises of the same kind. It is understood that, in this respect, the field will be left open to French and English enterprise. I hasten to acknowledge the reception of this communication, of which I gladly take note. In return, and in accordance with your request, 1 have the honour to inform you that the delimitation of the French possessions on the side of Kyaing Huug has not yet been made, but that, in the negotiations on this subject which the Government of the Republic will have to carry on with the Chinese Government, they intend to be guided by the same principles as are laid down by you in your note of to-day, to which I have only to adhere without reserve. Receive, &c. (Signed) J. DEVELLE, n S 2 O e o 53 s 1 s n a- $^ "^ s- ^ ■^ 0. 1^ ^ S G* ? '^ ^ J PS •i &■ § »• r s s ff e* 00 .0< to ^ &a 1— 1 P a* C s a P ^ c*- U3 i s Cf r*- 5 « i-U 5- E, ? P rt- CD oa W 1 p 1 ^ *< C5 0- 1! K- CD CD fft- S' Mf S s 1 g" s p- ET. < 3 •n (C r i s CD -n fD "^ ? ^ OQ ci^. cn n fD CO cn s 01 > oq ^. 2' ET. 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