New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-19
DEVELOPMENT OF SIAM.
THE RECLAMATION OF WASTE LAND BY
THE BUILDING OF CANALS

THE BUILDING OF CANALS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: This Is the second Of a series Of articles
on Siam. In these articles l hope to show the
present condition OF the country. and thus TO
suggest 10 American manufacturers the posi-
bilities for American trade.
There Is an S000-light incandescent central
lighting station in Bangkok, which was pur-
chased In 1890 from the English Bursh Com
pany by Siamese company FOR the purpose OF
lighting the Kings palace and for the use OF
the public This plant was not operated until
1894. the company met with financial diff
cuties. and the plant was turned over to H. h.
Bennett, an American engineer, under a twenty
years exclusive franchise. TO furnish light for
the Government and for the public. since that
time this has been operated fairly well by an
American syndicate. This plant, which is at
present valued at 100000, United States cur
rency has recently been sold TO a Danish COM
pany, called the Siam Electricity Company,
Limited, and will be extended and improved.
Most OF the supplies for these works have been
purchased in Europe. but recently several or
ders have been placed in America
RoADWAYs AND CANALS.
Tbirty-flv years ago there were no streets In
Bangkok but all traffic was carried on by
beats and the numerous canals, which In those
days were the only public highways, still com
pete with the traffic on the streets. AS late as
ten years ago there were no more than nine
miles Of paved streets in the whole city TO-
day there are over forty-seven miles or paved
streets and many new ones are being opened UP
each year, on which the old iron and wooden
bridges are being replaced by modern steel
bridges.
The King himself builds one new steel bridge
each year out Of his private funds as gift 10
the city, and this is opened to the public with
some ceremony on the Kings birthday.
The Government imports from England every
year considerable quantities Of bridge materials
for new bridges.
There are also in the city Of Bangkok alone
more than seventy-fve miles Of canals travers-
ing every part Of the city. and a large percent
age of this mileage has been made in recent
wears The tendency just now, however, is to
huild streets rather than canals in the city.
Outside OF the city, and extending all over the
vast alluvial plain Of Southern Slam, are
great number OF canals. hundreds OF miles IN
extent. which serve as the highways OF the
country These canals have all been dug With
in the last fifty years and up to ten years ago
were the only means OF communication except
by paths through the jungle. They serve 10
connect the three great tidal rivers whlch no"
in somewhat parallel courses to the sea- but as
a result Of the action Of the tides they are rap
idly sitting up and becoming useless.
EXTENSIVE CANAL BUILDING.
,ro- ,,oor. aoo the Siam Canal and Irrigation
COMPANY was formed. through the encourage
mont Of His Majesty the King. This company
racai,ed large concessions of land and was
formed for the purpose OF digging canals Tor IT.
r,oation az well as highways. and for converting
large tracts Of low land into PADDY OF rlce
eelds This company is now opening up TWO
,o blocks OF land. o. the left side or the
uenam. Klong Rang SIT. canal sixteen metres
,,ide and thirty-fve miles long, connects tie
two rivers Menam Chow Phya ana Mehai"
Nachon Nayk. Several miles sou'h Vi ,''''
canal and running parallel to H. Is a"o'"e'
main canal and about the same distance hor'h
third. twelve metres In width lheSe .'''.
r,o,r canals furnish the chief water supply Vi
.,',a .,,s,orn Every mile and half branch or
,.oro, canals are TO cut these three main chha'S
at right angles ,,, ~.
-, ore-balf OF the work OF this DOCK mas
haor COMPLETED and a tract OF waste iahu TWEEN
,r.evo by thirty-hve miles in extent Is oe.ne
hrougbt under cultivation. Ten years ago ''''o
,roct ~ land was waste swamp ana Juhsie' an"
,nbahited only by the elephants anu O'"'
beasts To-day II is occupied by over seventy
thousand people and its product furnishes o''
~ the richest revenues of the country
on the opposite bank OF the Menaf' Is anoe"e
sucb block or system. lying between the Nienai'
Chou Phya and the Menam Nachon C"a''''
The work on the main canal OF this DOCK Is only
fairly we'll begun ,,, "a
At present all the work OF the conpa"y 20
delaved on account OF some question reia'"e "
the concessions. When all obstructions arc ,e
moved which Is confidently expected /" 'ne
near future, the company. which has no" on''
four machines at work-one dredge anu .i'ee
excavators-will Immediately increase ts III
and drive the work TO completion IN tour vi N''
years. ,,,,povE,D LAND
According to the agreements by wh'ch ,ne coz. ~,
cess,ons were granted the company derives ~
reyenue from the sale Of lands bordering 'ne
oorois a. they are opened. The lana mus oe
Ia ot not more than about ~ 80 In goid an
go a percentage Of this TO be PAID oy inc
o,o,nants ON each canal when the worK upoh