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

a'lz-ss1s~-E-~-
TUE MOST FAMOUS TEMPLE IN SIAM.
Siam is the Wat Chcng, opposite the
royal palace. 1t 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 y.seven feet long.
The most interesting temple in Bang
kok is the temple of the Emerald God
within the royal enclosure, devoted TO
the use of the Kings family. 1t is
most ornate, is filed with the rarest
specimens of Oriental and European
art, and, crowning all, is the little
emerald Buddhn only loot high, n
solid mass of diamonds, sapphires 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 magnificence, cost
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
hn 20 1atl Ia
bread, or rather rice, and leaning
against the tree is his large umbrella.
When a woman ladies' few spoonfuls
of rice into his bowl he hides his face
behind fan, for fear the ladys charms
may interrupt his contemplation of
holy things.
Bangkok is lighted by electricity and
has system of electric street railways.
Great strides in education have been
made in the last few years. The Gov
ernment is n monarchy, the reiening
monarch having the right to nominate
his successor from among his sons.
Legislative power is vested in the King
in conjunction with council of minis
/ ters, most of whom are his half broth
! ers.
Slams military force consists of q
standing army of II, 900 men, and the
people generally are liable to be called
ont as required, but there is no armed
militia. Every male inhabitant over
twenty-one years old is obliged to serve
three months a year. There are, how
ever, a good many exemptions from
) this rule. These include members OF
| the priesthood, the Chinese settlers
who pay n commutation tay, slaves,
public functionaries, the fathers oi
three sons liable to service, and those
who purchase exemption by n fine OF
from S3 to 81 month or by furnish
ing a slave or some other person moi
subject to conscription as substitute.
The Government Possesses upward ot
so, 900 stand of arms, beside IL consid
cradle stock of cannon. The army il
largely oflicered by Europeans and has
been very largely increased of lat,
years, both in efficiency and equip
ment.
The naval equipment consists of two
screw steamers of 1000 tons and eigh'
guns each, several gunboats, officeret
chiefly by Enghshmen and Danes, ant
some sea-going yachts. One cruiser
of $500 tons is being built. There ar,
forts with heavy guns at the mouth o
the Bangkok River. There is bar n
the mouth of the river, however, whicl
effectually prevents the entrance o
vessels drawing more than thirteen
feet of water.
The National revenues amount to
about so, 900, 900 year, of which tn,
land tax produces 81 ,435, 900; tax OF
spirits, $500, 900; tax on fruit trees
1926, 600 opium, 5000, 900 gambling
$500, 900; customs, $4,000; til
mines, $3.50, 900; edible birds nests
Sl35, 900, and fisheries, S135, 000 Al
the taxes, with the exception of tn,
customs duties, are farmed. There i
no public debt, and power has onl,
lately been given to the Hong Koni
and Shanghai banks local branch t,
issue limited amount of paper money
There is comparatively little industr,
in the country, mainly due to the stat,
of serfdom in which the population il
kept by the local governors. Through
out the whole country the natives are
liable to forced labor for from one t,
three months each year. The conse
quence is that the land, rich in man,
parts, is badly cultivated. Not NOR
than one-twentieth of the available
land in the delta of the Menam is cult
vated The dense forests of uppe
Siam make teak cutting an importan
industry. Gold exists in some of tn
rivers, and for the working of it con
cessions have been granted to Britisl
, and French companies. Gem mining