The Duily Press of the ith instant has the following in reference to the recent naval engagement off Pakuam tilities have been commenced in earnest between the Siamese and Mrench forces, A aval engagement has taken place, with particulars of whith a repre: suutative of this paper has been courteously supplied by M. Gueyraud, the Frenel Consul who yesterday evening received " telegram feom the Adunral, It appears that on Thurs day wight, the 13: h inst., the French yun-boats Lncons aut and Cométe were lying off Pakuam at the south of the Meinam, when they were unexpectedly attacked by a fleet of Six Siamese gunboats, nnd at the same time the forts at Pakuam opened: tire, followed which rein the repulse of the Siamese, and the Frenchmen immediately proceeded up the river and anchored vit Bangkok, Obstacles ud been plied on the bir of the river, which was supposed to be closed to navigation at night and to require careful pilotage during the daytime,—'Lor-pedes had also been placed in the river. Notwithstanding these obstacles, however, the French succeeded in making their way up without meeting with any accident, The gunboat Lutin was alrendy at Bang: kok, where she has been stationed for some time, sv that there are nuw three French vessels lying ut the city.
What will happen next? Tt may be that this encounter will prove the beginning of the end and that Siam, having been worsted, will make her submission without, offering further resistance to the French demands, which will naturally be increased by this event.
The European community at Bangkok have for some time past been preparing for emergencies, registering themselves at thole respective Consulates, making inventories of their property, and lodging their valuables with the branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai bank for safe custody. i ies breaking out, a lawless elements of the city, particularly of the Chinese, might take place, which the Siamese authorities might be unable control. The European residences are so scattered that any scheme of concerted defence in such an emergency would be difficult to carry out. All possible preeautious have, however, been taken, and there ate now a number of foreign men-of-wae anchored in the river, which itis to be hoped may be sufficient to overawe the elements of disorder, The vessels are in adit British cruiser Pallas and go pd Steiff, and the Netherlands gunbo: The British gunboat Juphac and the German gunboat Wolf ure on their way from Hong:
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.