The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-28
THE KING OF SLAMS TRAVELS.
How He VIII Visit England and How
Queen Victoria VIII Entertain Him.

London Daily Mail.
The King of Siam, his Majesty, Chula-
longkorn |, intends visiting England during
the coming summer-not, as has, been
celebration, for which he viii! hardly be in
time, but for an eXtended stay. At the first
blush this visit would appear to be an IN
dication Of a desire OH the part of the Sia-
mese TO repulse the coquettish advances of
the French in favor of the solid advantages
of English friendship.
A Daily Mail reporter, who had an inter-
view with an official yesterday, learned.
however. that the coming visit does not al
together imply this, because the King OF
Siam is coming to England after a tour of
Europe. in which his Majesty Will pay his
respects to France by calling at Paris be-
fore crossing the channel.
The King will make the voyage in his
yacht, the Maha Chakri, a vessel of 200
tons. constructed for him at Leith by
Messrs. Ramage & Ferguson nearly four
vessel carries six 47-inch guns, and about
a dozen small, quick-iring guns. She VIII
lish naval officers, Captain cumming and
Lieutenant Sanders, who nave been lent by
the admiralty for the purpose. The services
been secured for the trip. On his arrival
in this country the King will be received by
the Queen at Windsor or Osborne
The royal yacht will make her first call
at Venice. His Majesty, after a short stay
i'm the city of gondolaS, will travel through
Russia. 1t is intended that the tour shall
be sufficiently comprehensive TO allow Of
visits to the principal places of interest in
Sweden and Denmark, and possibly a short
call in Belgium, before arriving in Paris.
The itinerary of the journey has been ar
ranged with a view to arriving in England
in the latter end of July or the first week
in August. 1t is proposed, it is understood.
to have the royal yacht come from Venice
to Havre. so that the passage of the chan
mel will be made on her, the vessel COM
ing up to a special anchorage in the
Thames.
The visit of the King OF Siam to England
will be an especially popular one for two
reasons. In the first place his Majesty.
who is a man Of about ~forty-five years. is
a cultured monarch and a munincent patron
of the arts, science and letters. although
he did not have the advantage OF an Eng
lish tour in his youth. as has been stated.
Secondly. Siam Is. in some respects, almost
as English as if il were a British colony.
More English is spoken there than any
other foreign language, and most of the
trade is in the hands OF Englishmen. Eng
land and Engiishmen are looked up to and
respected in Siam. and fiattered by the
proof of sincere Observation-Disclosures. His
Majesty reads English well. speaks IL "A
little, and understands Ii perfectly. For
many years past he has sent numbers OF
relatives and friends to this country. as
students. and all have done extremely well.
Members OF the Siamese royal family have
been educate at Harrow, at oxford and
at Cambridge.
One OF his Majesty's nephews is now be-
ing educated at Woolwich as a cadet in the
Royal Military Academy there. And one OF
the Kings own pms Is preparing for the