The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-08-30


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TUE MOST FAMOUS TEMPLE IN SIAM
Siam is the Wat Chcng, opposite the
royal palace. II lifts its sacred spire
300 feet from the ground, and every
inch of its irregular surface is covered
with glazed and colorcd ornamental
ton, while little bells hang from every
possible projection, and every zephyr
sets them tinkling.
Another famous temple contains the
mammoth sleeping Buddha. The re-
clining statue is eighty seven feet long.
The most interesting temple in Bang
kok is the temple of the Emerald God
within the royal enclosure, deeoted TO
the use of the Kings family. 1t is
most ornate, is filled with the rarest
specimens of Oriental and European
art, and, browning all, is the little
emerald Buddhn, only foot high, II
solid mass of diamonds, snpphires and
other gems Several far loftier temples
in Bangkok cost 800, 900 apiece, but
the private temple of the King, sur
passing them all in mngnifcence, cost
81, 900, 900.
Buddha priests in yellow garbs are
seen everywhere in Bangkok. They
are not permitted to work, and many
young fellows enter the priesthood
simply because they are thus sure of
an easy, pampered existence. On the
ground beside this old fellow you see
the bowl with which he saunters out
in the morning to collect his daily
bread, or rather rice, and leaning
against the tree is his large umbrella.
When n woman ladies' n few spoonfuls
of rice into his bowl he hides his face
behind fan, for fear the lady's charms
may interrupt his contemplation of
holy things
Bangkok is lighted by electricity and
has n system of electric street railways
Great strides in education have been
made in the last few years. The Gov
ernment is monarchy, the reigning
monarch having the right to nominate
his successor from among his sons
Legislative power is vested in the King
in conjunction with n council of minis
ters, most of whom are his half broth
ers.
Slams military force consists of n
standing army of 1900 men, and the
people generally are liable to be called
out as required, but there is no armed
militia. Every male inhabitant over
twenty-one years old is obliged to serve
three months year. There are, how
ever, good many exemptions from
this rule. These include members of
the priesthood, the Chinese settlers
who pay II commutation tay, slaves,
public functionaries, the fathers of
three sons liable to service, and those
who purchase exemption by fine of
from 80 to 81 month or by furnish
ing slave or some other person not
subject to conscription as substitute.
The Government possesses upward of
so, 900 stand of arms, beside consid-
cradle stock of cannon. The army is
largely officered by Europeans and has
been very largely increased of late
years, both in efficiency and equip
ment.
The naval equipment consists of two
screw steamers of 1000 tons and eight
guns each, several gunboats, oflicered
chiefly by Englishmen and Danes, and
some sea-going yachts. One cruiser
of $500 tons is being built. There are
forts with heavy guns at the mouth of
the Bangkok River. There is bar Mt
the mouth of the river, however, which
effectually prevents the entrance of
vessels drawing more than thirteen
feet of water.
The National revenues amount to
about so, 900, 900 year, of which the
land tax produces 81, ,435, 900; tax on
spirits, $500, 900; tax on fruit trees,
1925, 600; ; opium, 5000, 900; gambling,
$500, 1000; customs, $715, 900; tin
mines, $3.50, 900; edible birds nests.
Sl35, 900, and fisheries, $l35, 900. All
the taxes, with the exception of the
customs duties, are farmed. There is
no public debt, and power has only
lately been given to the Hong Kong
and Shanghai banks local branch to
issue limited amount of paper money.
There is comparatively little industry
in the country, mainly due to the state
of serfdom in which the population is
kept by the local governors. Through
out the whole country the natives are
liable to forced labor for from one to
three months each year. The conse-
quence is that the land, rich in many
parts, is badly cultivated. Not more
than one-twentieth of the available
land in the delta of the Menam is culti-
vated. The dense forests of upper
Siam make teak cutting an important
industry. Gold exists in some of the
rivers, and for the working of it CON
cessions have been granted to British
and French companies. Gem mining