Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-29
S IA M AND STA M ESE
The Country Which is Now Bone Of
Contention.
Causes Of the Diniculty Between France and
sism-Extent of the siamese Empire
Its Great Natural wealth-Its Capital.
From the Pfttsbure Commercial Gazette

From the Pittsbure Commercial Gazette
The trouble between Siam and France is
only another phase Of the ever-recurring
and never-ending eastern question, the diff
ference between this and former appear
ances being, that in this case the trouble
has broken out little further east than
usual. For over 200 years the French have
been longing for an eastern empire.
In the time of Louis XIV the dream of
empire seemed about to be realized, and
but for the almost accidental formation of
q company of English traders the empire
Of India might have been French instead of
Of English. The marvellous growth of the
East India Company. the equally marvellous
success Of its armed agents in Hindostan,
put an end to the French hopes. and until
the present generation little or nothing was
accomplished.
About 17s7 the French, however, estab-
lished a foothold in the Indo-Chinese penin-
sula. and. by treaty with the government
Of Cochin China, acquired the Islands of
Pulo Condula and the right to establish a
station on the main land. The right, how
ever. was never exercised until 1915. when,
dispute arising between the government
Of Cochin China, Saigon. the capital, was
occupied and the whole of Cochin China
became French province. In 1862 further
conquests began and the surrounding coun-
In the following year the kingdom of
Cambodia was formally taken under the
protection Of France. which then began to
north In 1884 trouble broke out, or was
provoked. 1t matters not which, between
the people of Tong King and the French,
then Of cRns WAS %aae
French province. This left the two French
possessions in this part of Asia widely
them, the coast territory lying between
them and known as AMMAN was taken pos
To the west OF this territory lies the val
ley of the great river Menong, or Mekong.
which, rising in Tibet over 1900 miles
away, flows with many windings in a gen.
portion Of China, part Of British Burmah
and Slam, passing through the French do
minions Just before entering the sea. The
Asia. both in the length of its course and
the volume Of its waters, comparing favor
ably with the Ganges. the Indus or Bra
possession of the coast lying to the east of
the river was Of little value without the riv-
er valley itself. and. accordingly.
BILE and coveted territory, have laid claim
to the east bank Of the Menong and all its
course the river flows through Siamese ter
| ritory. this claim was equivalent to q de-
mand on Siam to give up about one-third
to one-fourth of its best territory.
This, in brief, is an explanation Of the
difficulty at present existing between
France and Siam. and so many possibili-
ties of trouble are present that 1t Is no
easy matter to foretell the end.
Extent of Siam.
The limits Of Siam on the north and east
have always been rather indefinite, for to
the north, adjoining British Burmah, there
lay a number of semi-independent states,
which sometimes owed allegiance to Siam,
and sometimes to Burmah. as the influence
nfh ar N.Iar ted he
same difficulty existed in the east where
the Annamites SOM times paid tribute to
China. and sometimes to Siam. Slam it:
self has In times past been a dependency of
the Chinese empire. and even now a sort of
allegiance is acknowledged and a tribute
paid.
So far as the Siamese territory can be es-
| timated its utmost limits at the time of its
greatest extent were about LOO miles from
very nearly one-third the size Of the United
States. That. however, was before the
English conquests in Burmah, which con-
| siderably reduced the nominal size Of the
empire. Its present area is estimated at
600 square miles, while 1t has popula-
| ton of 2oOO,O 600 Siamese. 100000 Luosians.
| and l. 0O0. 900 each of Chinese or Malays.
The government Of Siam is in some re-
spects much like that of other countries
| having a limited monarchy. while In one
particular 1t is curiously different. There are
| two kings. first and second. each Of
whom has a state establishment. but only
one is honored as a sovereign. the other
| whole country is divided into districts. the
| government Of each being administered by
a local official. who is siamese. or Luosian:
or Malay. according to the prominence Of
| people Of these nationalities In the popula-
ton
The reigning king is Chulalong Kom L.
known also as Somdetch Phra Paraminde
| Maha, who assembled the throne in 1868,
and who governs by means of a council Of
Sers pr appoinsed by himself r MominaIy
| limited monarchy, there are SO many ways
| Of setting aside the established laws Of the
themselves the Thai. 1.-THE free" and their
| kingdom the Muung Thai. "the free king
DOM" they are practically under the same
kind of government as most other Asiatics.
The King of Siam is. comparatively
| speaking. a rich monarch, having an an
| nual revenue somewhat exceeding e, ZOO, 600.
of which sum f2ST 900 come from the land
| taxes, $4,000 from the taxes on fruit trees.
| 100000 from the spirit tax, 100000 from
5ah from the customs sn dues s
QUO from the tin tax, $4,000 from the tax
/ on edible birds nests, and about the same
| amount from the fisheries tax.
The fertility of the cultivated land in the
Menong valley is described by travellers as
| something wonderful.
The Siamese have been given a bad repu-
! tation by travellers as being turbu,ent,
Quarrelsome and destitute of good qualities,
| but apparently they do not deserve il, for
peaceable. polite and kindly people. They
| are not particularly good looking, having
| q Mongolian aspect, with large heads, broad
| faces, wide mouths, short noses low fore
heads and the teeth. in accordance with
the prevailing fashion, stained repulsive
black.
Bangkok, the Capital.
Bangkok, the capital. is in many respects
| a singular city. Its population is estimated
| all the way from 10000 to 10OupQ, and is
curfously mixed and cosmopolitan. Siamese
and Chinese predominant in its streets,
though the Malays are also very numerous
| and frequent Europeans demonstrate the
presence of western civilization and inter-
eSts.
The army Is differed by Europeans, chief
ly English and Danes, the navy rs COM
business enterprises in Siam, most Of those
which connect 1t with the outside world
are superintendent by Europeans
Bangkok is the eastern Venice Former
ly all its houses were built on the land, but
the prevalence of cholera many years ego
50 alarmed the government that IL ordered