WesWorld

The Poincare government announced this morning the introduction of laws intended to ensure against a repetition of the Palawan tragedy of last year. Their essentials are as follows:

"Warships flying the Filippino flag have demonstrated a marked propensity to explode. When they do this in their home waters, it is a matter of humanitarian concern. Unfortunately, the Filippino government wishes on occasion to support their diplomacy with port visits by one of the ocean-going pyrotechnic devices flying the Filippino naval ensign, and this issue is a matter of vital concern to those running the risk of a port visit by one of those all-too-volatile vessels. And it is the way of this world that standards of training and maintenance on board merchant vessels tend to be lower than those found in a navy. Therefore, for the safety of French ports and shipping, the following provisions are proposed:.

1) Phillipine Navy ships are forbidden to enter French territorial waters, unless inspected by a French Navy officer, and insured through Lloyd's of London to provide for compensation for ships and facilities damaged or destroyed and persons killed or injured in the distressingly likely event that she explodes. This inspection will not only note the material condition of the ship, but the adequacy of doctrine and training, especially in the vital areas of munitions and fuel handling and storage.

2) Merchant and passenger shipping flying the Filipino flag, owned by a Filippino owner, or carrying cargo originating in the Phillippines, must stop prior to entering French territorial waters and recieve an inspection by an officer of the French Navy. These merchant and passenger ships passed by inspection must proceed through French territorial waters under the direction of a civilian French pilot. A fee of 200 French Francs will be charged each Filipino flag merchant and passenger ship, ship owned by a Filippino owner, or carrying cargo originating in the Phillippines, to recover the cost of inspecting and piloting them.

3) These requirements are suspended in the not unlikely event that the ship in question is in a situation posing an immediate threat to the lives or safety of their passengers or crew."

To fulfill these functions, even though these laws have not yet entered force, the Poincare government announced a significant expansion in the budgetary allocation to the Marine Nationale's budgets for Training, Construction of light auxiliaries and combat ships, and their Operations and Maintenance.

Former Foreign Minister Aristide Briand rose on the floor of the Chamber of Deputies in opposition when this proposed law was introduced. "These provisions, should they become law, will needlessly increase tensions in a sensitive region of the world, and will reduce trade in Southeast Asia. These can hardly be fit objectives for a government of France."

Action Francaise replied in an editorial that afternoon:

So the honorable M Briand believes himself an authority on trade and tensions in Southeast Asia. This would be a more plausible claim, were it not for the sons of France who spilled their life's blood in the treachery of Palawan's explosion, with which his hands are red due to his weak, appeasing policy. And it is even more ludicrous in light of the fact that Manila was not bombarded to rubble, as would be a fitting reply. Admittedly, Poincare's response is only cosmetic, a mere shadow of what a ruling Prince of the House of Capet would do in executing judgement on that upstart Filippine despotism, but one must start somewhere..

Official Statement by the Filipino Government by Presidente Piña:

"I am distressed by the recent actions taken by the new French government under M. Poincare. The Philippines hereby files a formal protest with the League of Nations, and until this matter is discussed by the League, all French vessels, military and civilian, wishing to enter Filipino waters will be subject to the same conditions as have been placed on Filipino ships entering French waters."

Statement to The Manila Evening Times by Jefe Almirante de la Vega:

"I honestly find it rather amusing how so many people seem to think of Filipino warships as floating tinderboxes just waiting for a match. To the best of my recollection there have been exactly two Marina de Filipinas warships to explode in the last fifteen years, and one of those was due to anarchist sabotage. No Filipino merchant ships have been lost due to fire or explosion at all! So it really comes as quite a surprise to have someone enacting a de facto ban on Filipino maritime commerce."

Statement to The Manila Evening Times by Presidental Canidate Señor Sebastien de Varga:

"I had hoped that we would have good relations with the new French government, but now it appears that M. Poincare is really a member of the LEFT in conservative clothing!"

Statement to The Manila Envelope by 'a high-ranking member of the Manila Stevedores' and Pilots' Association who wishes not to be identified':

"It's really, really rich that the Frogs would blow up a Filipino cruiser, then not only use that as an excuse to strangle our trade, but express the wishes that Manila should have been 'bombarded into rubble'! I'm afraid to say that unless this unfair discrimination is lifted our people will be calling on the Government to enact a total ban on trade with France, and an appeal to our SATSUMA allies to do the same; and any Frogs who dare trespass on our docks will wish they hadn't, eh Guido?"

:-)

From the Washington Post

...commenting on the recent spat between the Philippines and France over the Palawan accident, an unnamed Navy source commented that the situation reaches new heights of absurdity in international relations. "The idea that someone would blow up their own ship to damage another is ridiculous, especially a major warship. France doesn't exactly have a stellar record when it comes to safety either. Toulon has had its fair share of explosions over the years!"

The Navy has no plans to alter the upcoming joint US-Filipino naval exercise near Hawaii this spring. However, naval officials will use the opportunity to consult with their Filipino counterparts on safety issues to help prevent a repeat of the Palawan disaster.