Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-22
KING NoRODoMs COURT.
A Curious Country In the East and Its
Queer Old Potentnte.

A Curious Country In the East and It's
Queer Old Potentnte.
From the London Times.
The night after my arrived in Pnom-penh
there was a reception in state at the
French residency. It was known that the
king was to he present, and tweuty-three Of
his loyal subjects crouched In the shade
opposite the residency to witness his re-
ception. A body of native militia, the Mil
liciens Cambogiana, kept untidy guard IN
the street. and when the king drove up In
victoria, escorted by eleven Cambodians
on ponies and followed by the victorias Of a
selection Of his sons. there was considera-
BILE enthusiasm. His majesty was received
with present arms!' and the fanfare OF q
cornet that was rot in tune. Music was
played during the reception by the royal
band OF Manila, men who would have play
ed. perhaps. with moro spirit had their
wages been less in arrears.
King Norodom Is quite curiosity; he Is
little w1zened-up man, with gray hair
and stoop and with peculiar expression
OF feature which is usually-l write with
thropoid apes. AL the royal family live in
Pnom-pehn, in kind of mock palace, a
rambling pile Of disjointed buildings of diff
aerent Shapes scattered over large in
closure surrounded by wall Of brick and
plaster. Where there is plaste. 1t is falling
on In flakes. where there is wood it is
Worm-eaten and rotten, where there is
any IRON 1t Is rustins and useless 1t is
palace MT lot such king. At the main en-
trance TO the palace two Cambodian mill
tiamen keep guard with their hats awry,
tnelr Khaki coats in rags. their rifles held
ike brooms. On the river bank in front of
Ghe paiace there is an old Flagstaff, while
drawn above the water line there is a royal
state barge, with dragon head and seven
rorked tail. but the paint has peeled Of,
ana the craft Is no longer seaworthy.
KING NOrOdOm has IN,
peculiar way in Cambodia since 1SGO but
since 1857 he has had the advantage of be-
ing directed and protested by the French
1t was in 1867 that Franco entered into q
treaty with Siam, by which she agreed that
the two provinces of Angkor and Batan-
Dang should remain in Siamese possession
ana by the same treaty Siam formally
recognized the French protectorate in
Cambodia. Since 1867. then. We are al
ways told that Siamese influence was with
drawn from the councils Of Cambodia AS
an actual fact. however. Siamese influence
sun counts for something. though the
french Will not allow that IL is So in the
Cambodian court. Norodom passed his
early years in Bangkok, and spoke Siamese
before he spoke Cambodiaa. 1t was Siam
which gave the crown Of Cambodia to his
rather, Ang-Duong. and 1t was Siam which
elected him king on the death of his father
Inc king Is not a prince Of high moral
character; ne has probably never attempted
to escape from the trammeIs of his en-
vironmcnt: he will even on occasions mock
at Buddha; but none the less he cannot for
get that for him the highest living object
OF religious generation must be the King
OF Siam. In Pnom-penh there are nearly
lorty Slamese employed by the king in 20
sltions OF more or less confidence and /
nave II on authority which is beyond cayil
that the most intimate personal friends Of
the king and his only confidants are Siam
csc. and that Siamese is the language
which the royal lips speak from choice.
King Norodom Is a very much married
man, his establishment comprising at least
'SOo wives and concubines. He has fifty-six
sons and daughters, who are recognized by
the French as his lawful progeny OF this
number more than half are sons. so that
the succession, If ever the French permit
Dlin 70 nave successor. Is well assured
hlng Norodom came to the throne in 1860
ana the same year a statue in his honor
was erected In Pnom-penh. 1t is an euues-
trlan statue and Is the only public lnonu-
ment In the city. 1t was, of course, made
IN france. and represents the king dressed
as FRENCH general mounted on a charger
ana Saluting the armed hosts of Cambodia
rarely nave seen more impressive work
OF art; and 1t Is unfortunate that, left
neglected In some waste land, it has be-
come oVergrown with jungle. On the
pedestal there is an inscription which testi-
nes mat the statue was erected to Norodom
by his grateful Inandarins and subjects"
The statue. we are told, was the spon-
taneous Offering of a grateful people, and
one can we'll believe it, though 1t surely
has not often happened that Indigenous
tribes IN Asia have ordered from Paris
equestrian etiiSies Of their newly crowned
kings.