River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-05-06
TIE KING OF SIAM.
Plans for his Intended TOur..His Ad.
miration of the United States.
Chicago Times.


miration of the United States.
Chicago Times.
Unless something happens to make
change of programme you will have
visit from royalty within the next few
months. The King is going to England
to invest Queen Victoria with the order
of the White Elephant, and it is his in
tention to prolong his journey to the
United States, and return to Siam by
way of China and Japan. Chulanlon-
korn is anxious to be the first eastern
potentate to make the tour of the world;
he is an enlightened and progressive
monarch, and desires to learn all he can
that will enable him to rule his people
intelligently and to develop the resour-
ses of Sam. He has profound ad-
miratien for the United States. and
thinks a journey through that country
will be of great practical advantage to
him in carrying out his wishes for the
land of the White Elephant.
His plan is to leave Bankok on the
23d of April for Singapore, where he
will take passage on one of the Mesa
geries Maratlmes steamers for Marseilles
He will be due in London about the 9th
of June, and is to remain in England
nearly a month; his departure from
Liverpool for New York is fixed for the
Sd day of July, and consequently he
should arrive on American soil on the
18th or 18th of that month. do not
know the programme for his movements
in America, and doubt if it has been
arranged, but 1 understand he will sail
from San Francisco on the steamer
the LIST of September, spend month in
Japan and another in China, and reach
Bangkok ON his return some time in
December.
The king will be accompanied by his
excellency the foreign minister, and by
his three younger brothers as aides-de'
camp. He will also have a suite OF
about thirty noblemen and dignitaries
of the realm, and the whole party will
be in charge of Capt. Bush, who is the
| highest foreigner in the Siamese SER
vice, has lived more than thirty years at
Bangkok, was trusted friend and adj
wiser of the old king, who died in 1869,
and is high in the confidence of the
young king to-day. 1t is to be hoped
that the journey will result in an in
create of the commercial relations be-
tween Siam ana the United States,
which is great desire of the king. From
his early youth he has had a warm
place in mis- heart for the citizens of the
great republic, and has given much at
tention to the study of the peculiarities
of our laws and institutions. Since he
became king he has manifested friend
illness in various waya, and when any
American of prominence has visited
SIAM the young ruler has shown him
the hospitalities of the country in most
liberal way. Three years ago, when
the fleet under Admiral Reynolds Wis
tied Bangkok, the admiral and Mrs
Reynolds were entertained at the royal
palace at a banquet specially arranged
in their honor. When the party went
to the dining, room the king gave his
arm to Mrs. Reynolds and escorted her
to the table, exactly as gentleman oil
hurry hill New York might escort a
lady guest. This may seem small
matter to those who do not know the
customs ofthe east, but when it is re-
membered that the position of woman
all through the Orient is far below that
of man, and that no other eastern mon
arch ever gave his arm to escort wo-
man to table before it was done by
the king of Siam, the importance of his
Difference to western customs will be
appreciated. When Gen. Grant was
here like courtes was shown to Mrs
Grant, but this was less significant
than the attention to the wife of the ad
miral, for whom the ice was broken.
Recently the American consul, Col
Sickels, has been joined by his wife
who left New York last Autumn fol
Bangkok by the way of San Francisco
Since her arrival the king has shown
her distinguished honors and so hai
, the foreign minister. The latter gave {
dinner and an entertainment in he
honor that surpassed anything of the
kind ever given in Siam to lady of an,
nationality. Col. Sick els is highly popu
lar with the king and the officials of tn,
government generally, and is frequently
consulted by them relative to Siamest
affairs. He is regarded as an intelli
{ gent and most friendly adviser both per
I sonaily and by his nationality, and {
good deal of the kindly feeling recent,
displayed toward Americans is to b,
attributed to him, A rumor has reach
ed here that he is to be removed, ant
that Gen. Grant has advised that som,
other man should be appointed to tn
consulate. The American resident
,, of Bangkok sincerely trust that the re
port is untrue, as it would be far easie
TO get d worse incumbent than on
equally good for American interests
, When our ex-president visited Siam h,
was detained for some hours at tn
mouth of the Menam waiting for the ar
rival of the officials to accompany hin
Z to Bangkok, and it was whispered her,
/, that he was impatient at the delay ant
blamed Col. Sicke Is for not having tn,
affair properly arranged, when tn,
whole matter was in the hands of tn,
Slamese. The American consul hal
: been consulted about the arrangement
of the distinguished party during thei
/. stay, and the general indepted to hi
country's representative for many in
, terestipg features OF his visit to Siam.
The great sensation of the last feV
months has been the series of events
I connected, directly and indirectly, with
/ the British consulate. / wrote you las
summer of the elopement of Mis-
Fanny, the daughter of the Hon
Thomas G. Knox, her Britannia ma
, jesty's consul general, with aSIamest
+ nobleman, Phra Preecha, the arrest q
the husband for high crimes and mis-
demeanors, the summoning of a gun
boat by Mr.. Knox, and threats to bonn
bard the royal palace if the unfortunate
nobleman was not released. He was
ultimately beheaded and his family
imprisoned according to Siamese law
and custom, with the exception o.
his Anglo-Siamese wife, who was al.
lowed to leave the country. She took
with her the property Of her late hue
band to the value of $4,000, and is
now in England with her father, who
was recalled by the government for his
threat of violence toward the ruler Of
Siam. A new consul general, Mr.. Pal.
| orave has arrival and has establish cd