The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-03
sIAMs LUXURIOUS King.
A Story OF His Glass Pavilion at the
Bottom OF Lake.

| oObbOL1 VI Aah0s
From the San Fraseisco Examiner.
Among the travellers who arrived from
the orient by a recent steamer was one
| Clark RUSSELL q namesake but no relative
| OF the famous novelist of the sea- Mr.. Rus
ell, made rich by the prudent care and
acquisihveness Of his father, a manufact-
urer OF cutlery at Sheffield, has sp,nt the
last four years in wandering about the con-
tinent of Asia, picking up odds and ends,
| scientific and curious, which IL Is his inten-
tion to embody in book. There is one story
that he tells that will especially commend
| itself to the seekers after the strange aud
| the novel.
II was surprised, he said at the Palace
the other day. lat the size and appearance
| of Bangkok. It is the Venice of the east.
The city lies on both sides Of the river
henam. About twenty miles from the east
and on each side. branching out from the
stream, are a great number Of canals, upon
which the dwellings and public buildings
are built. The houses, constructed Of wood
as In most eastern cities, stand upon piles,
and the wash Of the waters around these
supports at night make most unique and
pleasurable sensation. 1t is as though you
we're borne along on gently moving rive,
for the city is as silent as metropolis and
there are no sounds, no changing of street
car bells, no hideous shouting of salvation
hymns to break the spell Farther down
the river you see tier upon tier of floating
houses moored to the bank, in which a large
part OF the population Of $40, 900 dwell.
but that part of Bangkok which in
terests the tourists most is the section set
apart for the king. The palace is Enclosed
in high white walls which are a mile in
circumference. Within them are contained
temples. public offices seraglios. stables for
the sacred elephant, accommodations for
1000 troops, cavalry, artillery, war
elephants an arsenal and a theater. The
palace Of the king is equipped in true
oriental msgnif1cence. Hangings of the
costliest tapestry and mats made Of woven
silver catch the eye at every turn. HIS
present majesty-a luxurious fellow-had
lately erected structure OF which the like
does not exist in the world. In sumner
Bangkok is steamipg sweat room and any
contrivance to escape from the heat is
eagerly entertained.
"Some Chinese architect suggested to the
king that he have erected glass paviliQn in
the great reservoir that occupies part of the
palace grounds. He drew the plans and the
scheme captured the fancy Of the king. The
pavilion is built entirely of glass-wals.
floors, ceilings aud all-joined by an indisso-
luble cement. The plates or slabs of differ
ent sorts and thicknesses and Of variegated
colors we're obtained in France, whittier an
agent had been sent for the purpose When
most unique structure that imagination can
picture. The Chinese architect, true to the
genius Of his race, had ornameuted it with
quaint turrets and gables that made it seem
a toy house.
"By mechanical means it was 80 arranged
that, whom empty, the pavilion would rise
to the surface of the miniature lake AT
little distance it resembles nothing 30 much
as pretty conservatory, such as might DO
seen In the JarGin des Plants at Paris or in
the gardens at London. Happening along
little later you might wonder what had
become of the pavilion. An attendant
would tell you that the king was taking
recreation at the bottom of the lake, and
point to the spire-like ventiators rising
above the level of the placid surface as evil
dence Of the truth OF what be tells you.
''By one door only can the king enter,
and this closes Theoretically after him. At
once this edifce begins TO sink, the valves
in the tall pipes in the roof open and in a
few minutes IL is resting beneath the placid
waters There. in his cool and perfectly
dry habitation, with the softened light
trucking through the panes of colorsd and
figured glass, the king spends the hot SUM-
msr days singing, smoking, eating and
drinking with his harem and favorites
about him."