Passaic City record., 1893-08-26

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guns each, several gunboats, oficered
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 at
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 $40, 600, 900 year, of which the
land tax produces 81, 435, 600; tax on
spirits, $500, 900; tax on fruit trees,
1926, 900; opium, $500, 900; gambling,
$500,000; customs, $4,000; tin
mines, $3.50, 600; edible birds nests,
$135, 900, and fisheries, $135, 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
is carried on in various districts on
the western side of the Malay peninsula,
where tin and coal are 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 be held as slave beyond the age
of twenty-one. Chinese coolies do
most of both the skilled and 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
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
pleted railroad from Bangkok to PAX.
nam, fourteen miles, and another one
in construction from Bangkok to Ban
Mai, on the Patriew River, and an
other one from Bangkok to Korat, 165
miles through very rich undeveloped
rice growing plateau. Another rail
road has been surveyed across the
mountains connecting Bangkok with
the Burmese cities. Telegraph lines
aggregating 1880 miles are in opera
tion. There. is postal service in
Bangkok, and in 1885 Siam joined the
International Postal Union.
Along the entire southern and east
ern frontier of Siam is territory either
absolutely annexed to France, acknowl-
edging French protectorate, or IN
which French influence predominates.
French intervention in the affairs of
AMMAN began in 1887, and was termin.
ated by treaty in 1884, establishing
a French protectorate. AMMAN main
tains an army of 23.230 soldiers, of
whom about half are natives. Cam
bodia recognized the French protec-
torate in 1868 France has 300 soldiers
here. In Cochin China France has
1880 French soldiers and requires
contribution of 5, 600, 600 francs toward
the military expenditures OF AMMAN
and Tonquin.
Tonquin, with population of s, ,0OO,-
900, of whom 400, 900 are Roman
Catholics, was annexed to France IN
1884. In 1889 there were 11,475
French troops here, besides $500 ma
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