Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-08
A Half.BrOther TO the King OF Siam,
Coming to America-A New
Visitor to be
Lionized by the World of Fashion-His
Royal Highness Now in London
King ChulalOnkOrn.

continents other IMAM tnat on winch ne was
born. 1t is not for pleasure alone that he Is
travelling, but to study as we'll the manners,
customs, laws, civil and military institutions
of Caucasian civilization. Since the reign
of the father Of the present king, an enlight-
ened and statesmanlike policy has pervaded
| the councils Of the Siamese government, and
the king is anxious TO place his thriving
country on a level with those of Europe.
| For this purpose the entire court has been
urged to devote itself TO the study OF West
ern language and literature, and, encouraged
| by the example of the king himself, has
| made remarkable progress. Prince Pris-
dang is we'll versed in European manners,
speaks several languages huently, and has
decided taste for political literature. He
! was expected to have sailed from London
last month, but as no notification has yet
reached Mr.. David B. Sickles, ex-United
States consul to Siam, it is to be presumed
| that he will not leave the seat of the British
| government while political questions are at
| such fever heat at present. While in this
| country he will be chdperoned by Mr.. Sickles
and Colonel Vose, of the Seventy first Regi-
ment. These gentlement are making prepa-
rations to secure the prince hearty welcome
upon his arrival, and provide every facility
| to enable him to fulfill the objects of his
| Journey. He will remain in this country
| for several months. Among other things he
will make thorough study of the National
| Guard system, its mode of organization, main
| tenance and arming. The Seventy first
| Regiment will, therefore, be very attentive to
| him. Colonel Vose has received the score OF
| the Sismese national air, entitled "Sang
| Kreseam Barsmi," and the bandmaster OF
| the regiment is now at work rehesrsing il
with his men. At Washington Secretary
| Frelinghuysen will take charge Of the ar
] rangements for his welcome, and reception
worthy of his rank will be rendered him.
He will then make an extended tour through
the West, as also through the manufacturing
towns of the East, and thus his visit, while
| interesting and instructive to himself, bids
| fair to afford another outlet for the products
of American industry.
AN ENLIGHTENED MONARCH.
The kingdom of Siam came into promi-
| neut notice some two years ago, when Som
| ditch Phra Paramonde Maha Chulslonkorn,
the reigning king and present incumbent OF
the throne, decided to go to England, to be
| himself the bearer to Queen Victoria and
the Prince of Wales of the Order of the
White Elephant. His majesty is one of the
most enlighteded representatives of Asiatic
royalty, and the manner in which he dealt
with the troubles created by the secret socie.
ties of Chinese laborers in his kingdom, the
solIcitade' shown by him as to the CONNER
cial prospects of his country, and his NUM-
:,
canals, roads and harbor surveys
necessary for the development of commerce,
have secured him the warm cooperation of
the representatives, OF European powers in
his States. The king is himself Buddhist
of the Buddhists, for in the estimation of a
large section of his co-religionists he stands
at the head of the faiIb being the
son of a priest whom the priests of Ceylon
themselves recognized the premier Bud
dhist in the East Nevertheless religions
alike are welcomed, and glance at the
Baugkok directory shows how extensively
Roman Catholics and Protestant missions
have awaited themselves OF the mon
arch's liberal views. The present
king of Siam, the fortieth of the
line, assembled the throne in 1868, succeed
ing his father, the great priest prince,
whose life was among the most remarkable
in Eastern history, while bis talents and ac-
complishments exceeded probably those of
any previous Asiatic ruler. Born to the
throne, this great monarch deprived of it by
the sudden death of his father, while he
himself was a child, his friends, fearing for
his life, dedicated him to the service of the
temple. Until beyond his fortieth year the
prince remained priest, studying with rare
diligence all that Eastern missionaries and
the Siamese hierarchy could teach him, hav-
ing given up all hope of ever ascending the
throne. The reigning king, however, died,
and, instead of being succeeded by his eldest
son, the people called the priest to the
thrane, and the character of his rule justi-
fed their choice. As a ruler the father of
the present king gave Siam its first import
ant impulse toward reform and civilization,
and in his own person set an example of
industry and enlightenment which was
mystery His SAnerit studies made him
recognized in the East a veritakle sage,
while his scientific attainments aston
ished the Western savants who Wis
tied his kingdom TO observe the
eclipse OF the sun; On arriving
they found that the royal astronomer, abso-
lutely unsided, had already accurately fore
cast all the circumstances of the phenomenon
and could discuss with them in English the
most abstruse points OF meteorological re-
search. AS an author he was not alone vol
luminous and erudite, but practical also,
compiling, himself, manuals for schools and
examining the scholars in person periodi-
caIly, preparing calendars for public use
and other works of the same kind. His
family, eighty four in number by thirty-hve
members OF his harem, all married after he
was forty years of age, were educated to
certain standard; but the eldest sons, the
present king among them, received more
than ordinary tuition.
KING CHULALoNKoRN.
King Chulalonkorn has, therefore, as
cended the throne enjoying advantages not
possessed by any of his predecessors, and
during the fourteen years that he has
reigned his government has been exemplary
In person he is tall and slender, with a face
of great intelligence, which lights up won
derfuly when interested, and the Prince
Prisdang is said TO resemble him very much.
Still young and strong of constitution, fond
of manly exercises, with his appreciation of
Western ideas his country bids fair to attain
a very high degree of prosperity. His pres
ent palace is built of imported stone, put
together by imported workmen, and fur
nished with everything modern and luxuTi-
Gus. He is nov building magnificent new
palace, which will in every way eclipse the
old one The furnishing alone will cost over
100000. The king has no queen, as there
is no Siamese woman of sufficiently high
rank to permit an alliance matrimonial. His
harem, however is by no means lacking IN
number few years ago the king lost his
f4vorite, the light of his hSrem, in the most
distressing manner. She was young and
remarkably beautiful, and was being taken
to the further palace in one OF the royal
barges, when a passing steamer, coming
too near, swamped the barge, together with
the rowers, the kings favorite, her baby and
its nurse. All the Siamese are good swim
mers, and each struck out for himself or
herself, no one daring to lay hands on a
member OF the kings harem under PAIN OF
death. The poor girl, covered by the up
turned barge, could not extricate herself,
and there, in the sight CT those willing and
anxious but afraid to render assistance, she
drowned. The water was so clear that her
every struggle was distinctly visible, and all
saw her sink to the bottom, yet no arm was
stretched forth to her rescue. Her death
was a fearful shock to the king, who rea ly
loved his beautiful slave, and he shut him
self up in his castle by the sea, inconsolable
and heartbroken. His people are anxious
that he should marry some foreign princess,
so that he may have legitimate heirs to the
throne. In case of the present kings death
the elder of his own brothers would sue
coed him.
CURRENT GOSSIP.
Just before his accession to power in