Democratic messenger., 1893-08-26

buuunn priests III yellow SurDS 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 woman ladies u 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 a system of electric street railways
Great strides in education have been
made in the last few years. The Gov
ernment is monarchy. the rei9ning
monarch having the right to nominate
his successor from among his sons.
Legislative power is vested in the King
i'll conjunction with council of minis
ters. most of whom are his half broth
ers.
Slams military force consists Of
standing army of II. 900 men, and the
people generally are liable to be called
out rs 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, IA good many exemptions from
this rule These include members of
1 L =
who pay communication tay, slaves,
public functionaries, the fathers of
three sons liable to service, and those
who purchase exemption by fine of
from S3 to 81 month or by furnish
ing slave or some other person not
subject to conscription as substitute.
The Government possesses upward OF
80, 900 stand of arms, beside II consid-
cradle stock of cannon. The army is
largely officered by Europeans aud has
been very largely increased of late
years. both i'll efficiency ani equip
ment.
The naval equipment consists of two
screw steamers of 1000 tons and eight
guns each, several gunboRts. ofiicered
chiefly by Englishmen and Danes, and
some sea going yachts. One cruiser
of 300 tons is being built. There are
forts with heavy guns at the mouth of
the Bangkok River There is bar nj
the mouth of the river. however. which
cffectually prevents the entrance of
vessels drawing more than thirteen
feet of wafer.
The National revenues amount to
about $4,000, ,000 year. of which the
land tax produces 81 435, 900: tax on
spirits. $500. 900; tax on fruit trees.
1925. 0DO ; opium, $500, 900; gambling,
$500, 900: customs, S7l5, 900; tin
mines, $3.50. 900: edible birds nests,
Sl35, 000. and fisheries, Sl35, 000. All
the taxes. with the exception of the
customs duties. arc farmed. There Is
no public debt, and power has only
lately been given to the Hong Kong
and Shanghai bank local branch to
issue II 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 consc
quencc is that the land, rich i'll many
parts, is badly cultivated Not more
/ than one-twentieth OF the available
land III the delta of the Menam is culti
vate1 The dense forests of upper
Siam make teak cutting an important
! industry. Gold exists in some Of the
I rivers, and for the working of il con
cessions have been granted to British
aud French companies. Gem mining
is carried on i'll various districts ON
the western side of the Malay peninsula.
where tin and coal nre also known to
exist.
Domestic slavery is in gradual abo-
lition Such slavery as exists is en-
tirely debt slavery. The present King,
by an edict, decreed that no person
born after his accession to the throne
can he held ts L slave beyond the age
of twentv-on Chinese coolies do
most of both the skilled anil unskilled
labor in the south especially in the
mills and mines. In the north forest
work is confined almost entirely to
the Burmese, karens and khamus.
Nearly the whole OF the trade is in
the hands of foreigners. In late years
many Chinese. not subject, like the ma
tives, to forced labor, have settled in
the country. The foreign trade cen
ters in Bangkok. In 1891 the exports
from Bangkok amounted to about S.
900, 900, the imports to about $1,000,
900. Teakwood and rice comprise a
large part of the exports. Machinery.
iron, hardware and cotton goods com
prise large part of the imports.
Railway building began seven or
eight years ago. There is one COM