The Mekong Exploration Commission, 1866–68: Anglo-French rivalry in South East Asia*

Abstract

The political map of mainland South East Asia seems unnecessarily complex with more miles of international frontier than any other region of comparable size except Europe (where frontiers now count for less) and West Africa. Nor do the attenuated configurations of Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia owe much to physical geography. Their borders are the product of political advantage as perceived in the context of AngloFrench rivalry in the South East Asian subcontinent in the late 19th century. Such things as natural features, ethnographic realities and economic logic received scant attention at the time. Each imperial power aimed simply to deny to the other as much territory as possible, with the important proviso that, whereas to the French an eventual contiguity of the imperial spheres