Whether the Franco-Japanese Treaty of 1907 süfficiently the question of Hainan it is feared the Japanese may occupy as a base for blockading the south China coast, or not, there can be no doubt as to the position which France has consistently taken with regard to that important place. As far back as 1897, on March 3 of that year, the French Government delivered a despatch to the -li Yamen informing the Chinese Goveriiment that France, considering the close, friendly, and neighbour ly relátions between the two countries, attached great importance to the island of Hainan never being either alienated or ceded by China to any other foreign Power, either as final or temporary cession, or as a naval station or coaling depot. On March 15 the Tsung-li Yamen replied "Our Yamen considers Kiung-chou (the island of Hainan) as belonging to the territory of Chip which consequently exercises over it the right of sover-eighty. How could it cede it to foreign nations? Furthermore, it is nowise a fact at present that it has lent it temporarily to-foreign nation: That declaration despite its quaint phrasing, was and is taken as stating that China would not act contrary to France's wishes in the matter, and while it is hot necessarily binding upon Japan, or any other country, it does serve sufficient notice of the enormous interest France has in seeing that the island does not fall into the hands of any Power other than China. On examination of the situation it would seem that at no time has France obtained protection by agreement with other Powers of her special interests in the island, but it is clear that it would be a malter of grave concern to her if anything were done to interfere with them,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.