The Treaty signed at Bangkok on March 10th between Britain
and Siam was issued last week as a Parliamentary paper. The new territory which is secured to Britain is an area of about fifteen thousand square miles stretching right across the Malay Peninsula, and the population is estimated at four hundred and fifty thousand. The Treaty also binds Siam not to lease or cede land to any foreign Government between the southern boundary of the Monthon Rajaburi and British territory in the peninsula. In return, Britain abandons her rights of extraterritorial jurisdiction in Siam. Although British subjects will thus come under the juris- diction of the Siamese Courts, it is provided that a European is to be the "Judge " in the case of European British subjects, and that a European is to be present as "legal adviser " in the case of Asiatic British subjects. We presume that Sir Edward Grey has satisfied himself that the abolition of the extraterritorial rights is justifiable, and that the recent reforms in the Siamese Courts are genuine.
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