The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-15

Of the floor those Of inferior rank the second plat
form and, finally, the third or lowest part of the
hoor is resorted to by persons of low rank. 1t
only after returned to my barge that was made
Gware of this rule Of etiquette, rnd consequently,
q the ahront Put upon me, which probably was die
tated by The prime minister's son. who, on leaving
me, as ! stated, nj the fha knan, preceded me in
his own barge up the river. lot only was denied
the support Of the commodore himself, Oh officers,
or marines, but was even denied the services of
Of The boys of the ship, as writer or copyist,
by Commodore voorhees,
Various reports reached me Of The obstacles which
would be thrown in the way of being presented to
the King to deliver the Presidents letter, and at
negotiation, by the mobiles principal officers of the
king dom. who, together with their immediate rea-
tiyes, are the holders Of the FARMS into which the
sugar and other products Of the country are par
colled cut, and who likewise the owners Of the
whole shipping of the country, and who exercise a
monopoly Of its exports and imports, in defiance Of
troaty stipulations with Us. Orthat day met for
the irst time, the high authorities Of the country
at the residence of the acting prime minister, in the
absence OF the premier himself to distant province
There large assembage OF public functionaries
in large hall, placed according to their respective
ranks. Two were seated cross-loegcd, according to
the Asatic fashion but all the others rs we'll as
the crowd outside OF the building. which was an
open one, laid PROSTATE on their faces After the
experience had had Of the position they dis
posed 70 assign to me, had taken TO stipuiate
that European chairs should be provided for myself,
my secretary, and three American missionaries, who
accompanied me az Interpreters. After replying to
various inquiries about my visit TO Siam-whcre ]
came FROM and such other questions-l handed 70
the principal person paper of similar import to The
delivered on tho day OF my arrivals upon reading
which, he stated various objections to the manner
IN which the Presidents letter was done up that
the envelope was not like the one brought by Mr.
-RAbcrts that the seal WAS not like the other,
61e colorcd tape under the sealing-wa that the
letter must be opcred and read before they could
say if it proper TO present it to the Kings that
as TO new treaty, or altering the old one, there
was need Of it. as it was very good one, for Mr.
Roberts made il himself: that American ships could
here if they pleased, but they did not choose
70 come.
To these objections replied that | knew nothing
as to the manner in which Mr., Roberts's letter to
the King was done up, rs the Europeans had
fashions about that about other things that the
letter which before me friendly letter
from the chief Of my country to the chief of theirs,
and was signed by him; that out of great consdcra
ton to their King, it was put IN handsome sandal
wood box, with silver hinges, lock and key, after
the fashion the court of Pekin that as to open
ing the letter and reading it, that would be an
offence, as letters written by sovereign to an
other sovereign We're considered sacred and one
but The sovereign himself to whom it was addressed
had right to open read it, nor could they, with
out great offence to their ling aud to my President
stop or prevent me from carrying and delivering the
letter was directed; that TO Il treaty,
altering the old one, there great need of it, for
when Mr.. Roberts negotiated it, the products Of the
country were not farlned out, they had been since
4
and purchased sugar, which the principal pro-
duction of Siam. of anybody who had il Cor sale at
| the lowest price; but that now, by the regu-
atons sugar must be purchased OF one person only,
and at his price, which price being higher than
they could give, they had been obliged to turn away
from Siam for several years past
| After discussion which lasted about three
hours, of which the above is the substance, asked
| the presiding officer (or all the Others toek no
| audible part in the conversation) to give me a de-
finite reply to my request to be permitted 10 deliver
the Presidents letter. Instead of doing as ] re-
quested he began, as before. to object to the
her in which it was done up: and further that he did
not know It's contents, although he had been fur
nisbedwith translation Of it many days before.
| After consulting with my American friends, as to
the expedieney OF longer prolongation Of the
| ference, as they agreed with me that good was
likely TO come out of it. rose from my chair, and,
| through my principal interpreter, stated to them
| my deep regret at the course pursued by them
| that OF stopping the delivery Of the letter had
been charged with by the President of my country
| to their king, which | thought was taking upon
| themselves responsibility which could not fail to
| fall heavily upon them IS 1t indignity of
very serious character to the President, and an in
| suit to the whele American people; and on him,
| and on those who acted in concert with him, must
lie the onsibihty Of what might hereafter result
from such a great aiiront. After which, bowed
| and retired.
On the 10Th. received communication Of the
same date from his Exceliency Phya Sipipat, in re-
| Ply 10 mine, i'll which, reference is made to the
| treaty negotiated 10y Mr.. Roberts, and to the I'M
| successful attempt Of the commander of the Ameri-
can bark Stag to procure cargo eff sugar in 1910,
which had brought to his notice a proof of the
| existence Of farm monopoly, and which he attri-
| butes to other causes. H then inquiries who my
| informants were with regard to the establishment of
| farmsl Samose ships deriving the benefits there
of and thereby acting iuurously to the trade of the
| United States that it would be embarrassing 70
| enter into further international negotiation with
me. because in the first place. having met together
N n friendly | yvb oh
vented any further amcahle conversation, by stat
| ing il a waste of time that handed paper for
| peruSal, which was about delivering letter to the
| King, contrary to the custom of Siam, which re-
quires that the contents of the letter should be un
derstood before the envoy can be presented to the
| King that became angry, rose up, behaved I'M
becomngly and dctatorially in the hall Of assembly
and reception that this very different from
other ENJOYS who have arrived there to carry out
negotiations SC.
Mr.. Baiiester details the evasions and misreprc-
sensations by Phya Sippat, ard he left Bangkok on
the 22d, attended by SiamsAe officers.
| He obsewes:-As regards the trade of SIAM at
the time of my visit, it was reduced to n very low
condition in consequence of the farm system; for
the very low price given to the Chinese eultvators
of the sugar being below the cost Of production,
these industrious people, the principal cultivators
in Siam, had. for the greater part abandoned their
fields; and, in place of crops Of two hundred and
forty thousand piculs, or thirty-two millions of
pounds weight, before the year 1870, when this
system commenced, that Of 1850 was supposed by
competent residents, not to exceed eighty thousand
pouls, or about ten and half millions of pounds
The arrival of foreign ships had ceased altogether
during tic five previous years, whilst their own
shipping, trading exclusively to ChiH, the straits
of Malacca, and the Island OF Java, had increased
to five thousand tons; and this was more than
could be employed for the expectation Of rice which
might be grown to any extent in that fertile land,
| Is wholly prohibited. On the 2lst Of May, the
plymouth arrived off the river Of Sarawak, on the
southwestern side of Borneo, the Rajarate Of his
Highness Sir James Brooke, whom found absent
on account of ill health but the officers in charge
of the government expressed their gratitude at re-
ceiying so iatterng mark Of attention from the
President of the United States, and their belief that
the rajah will very readily enter into a convention
Of friendship and trade with us, Il liberal footing
Subsequently, in correspondence with his High
ness Rniah Brooke, we agreed the terms of the
treaty Which J perfected with his Highncss the
sultan Of Brun, the basis of a convention which
she voyage which tie rajah was forced to make to
Europe Tor the recovery Of his health prevented