New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-07
SLAMS FIRST RAILROAD.
THE WORK OF AN ENTERpRlsTNG KING.

/
ally opened to traffic the first railroad in his do
miniOns, connecting the capital. Bangkok. with
| tho port OF Palsnam. al the mouth OF the Menam
/ River. On this occasion, il Il als0 made known,
| His Majesty delivered speech. in which he
| fcrred with eloquent enthusiasm to the progress
which his country IL now making in what are
conventionay called the arts Of civilization This
railroad Is not near 80 great nor so important a.
| many others in many parts OF the world. Yet
there Il scarcely another so richly invested with
picturesque interest suggestive In its prOxi-
mate contrast OF nigh civilization against print
| tive simplicity
| The very idea Of railroad in Siam seems in
congrnous. True. the capital city Of that country
has for years enjoyed such "modern improve
ments' as street cars, electric lights, passenger
elevators, telephones and newspapers Yet they
all still have an exotic air. They seem like curl
osites on exhibition. All around them lies the
world of centuries ago In no other Oriental
country that has much come into contact with
Europe and America is conservatism so marked
and persistent in the Land Of the White Ele-
plant The ancient manners and customs still
flourish intact The old time cercmonials. endless
professions. innumerabc umbrellas on display, are
still observed. The overwhelming mass OF the
people are exactly they hundreds OF years
in the nature of the people themselves. They are
tho pcrsoni6cation OF easy-goin9. If not exactly
indolent, they are absolutely unambitious; ml1
aniiable, contented with whatever befas them.
Does the King increase their taxes? They smile
and work little harder "a 10 paw them. Does
he remit q tax? They smile and do less work.
II is all the same to them. The Alpha and Omega
of their creed is that whatever is, is right"
Now it might be supposed that the chief bull
wark and support Of this conservatism was the
King himself, who is tho absolute ruler OF the
country, with power Of life and death over his
subjects and who is indeed regarded as half III
wire. But such is not the case. On the con.
trary. ChnlaonkOrn is the chief factor Of progress
and liberalism. 1t is he personally who is to he
credited with the Introduction of all the modern
improvements" the land enjoys. lie ia an intel
gent and progressive monarch, who fully real
ICES the desirability Of getting in line, far as
possible, with European civilization. He has
done away with many Of the old court customs
Visitors when they enter mis- presence do not have
to kneel and knock their forehead, against the
floor, as in former times: but they may walk
squarely up to him and shake hands with him, az
though he were the President in the White House
True, His Majesty has imported some Of the vices
as we'll as the virtues Of the western world For
example, he smokes cigarettes. BIT on the whole
he has done exceedingly we'll for his country.
Some thirteen or fourteen years ago the King
decided that it would be we'll TO have sOme rail-
roads built in Siam. Accordingly he engaged
number Of European engineers to survey routes
and prepare plans and estimates. The advance
of the French in Tonqun, on his eastern borders.
fastened him. for he was persuaded that railroad
system would be potent aid to defence against
invasion. But rivalry between foreign spectators
caused much delay. English and German con-
tractors were both eager TO get the concession for
building the roads, and each was determined. by
hook or by crook, to prevent the other from got
ting it, The Germans told the King that they
were the natural enemies Of the French, and would
therefore surely defend him against an attack
from Tonquin. The English, on tho other hand,
told him that TO let the Germans in would eXas-
perate the French and provoke attack and
that moreover the proximity of the British En-
pire in Durmah and Tindostan made il advisable
for him to look to it for alliance. His Majesty
listened with patient courtesy to all these argyll
ments and then announced that he didn't care
row Of pins-or words to that efect-about any
such things. All he wanted was frst-rlte rail-
road at the lowest possible price. Therefore he
would grant the concession TO the lowest response
bic bidder. The result was that an English com
pany got the Job, and has built the road. The
line as stated, extends from Bangkok to Paknam,
the chief seaport Of the Kingdom
1t was nearly two years ago that the work was
actually begun, the King personally turning the
first sod The ceremony that occasion was
picturesque and impressive, especially in its
curious mingling of Oriental and Occidental man
ners There was a great crowd present. including
the King and his Ministers There were many
foreigners. looking practical and busnesslSe. and
a host Of curious happy-go-lucky natives. There
was much dignity and formality about ii all, as
was fitting. But there was also great deal Of
ease and informality The Minister of Public
Works, Prince with an unprononnceaba name.
began the programme by reading an address 70
the King To this the latter listened courteouslv,
but with an amused air. as though it were really
a little superiuous to read to him document
which had already been submitted TO him Ter
m mad and TeTs n n Done to
Minister but really addressed 10 the general as
semblage. He spoke easily and eoquently. dwell
ing upon the greatness Of the country AMI tho
progress already made in the arts Of modern civili-
zation and then portraying with entirely war.
rantable enthusiasm the great advantages that
OF other roads which in the near future .wouli b,
connected with il. The Siamese scarcely seemed
to know how to receive this speech, hut the Tor
by leading off in hearty applause, in which al
Joined.
These formalities gracefully concluded. the King
TOOK n spade 1T MS Hdfiu> anu Stt'pp'u "
where y wheebarrow was standing. 1t was
spade OF the most improved Ncw-England pattern.
but the blade was made of silver. presumably
solid. and the handle was composed of soliI
shaft Of ivory. The wheelbarrow also was OF
American design but was made of ebony, and
silver. His Majesty thrust the silver blade of
the spade into the ground. energeticllly pressing
it to its full depth with his royal foot. and then
lifted a goody spadeful Of soil and d'posirei II
in the wheebarrOw. Then the Crown Prince
came forward; a handsome and amable ybnny
gentleman who had recently celebrated his coming
Of age with characteristic Siamesr rites. IL took
No the handles OF the wheelbarrow and trundlrd
it along a carpcted pathway, twenty-five or thirty
yards, and then dumped the spadeful of elrth
which it contained upon the ground. The King,
the royal family the Minister Of Public " orks
md a number of notable guests followed him as
lie wheeled the barrow and looked with cafncst
Interest al the snalefnl of clods as he tirnel