New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25
WHAT SIAM WOULD BUY.
MINISTER KING GIVES SUGGESTIONS TO
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS.

gest to American manufacturers the possibilities
for American trade.
RICE MILLS.
Rice forms the principal industry of Siam.
There twenty-six steam rice mills in Bang
kok, and although the first in the country
was started by an American, of these mills to-
day four are European and all the rest are
owned managed by Chinese. Some Of these
Chinese firms represent large capital. Seven of
these mills have their own electric light plants,
for one Of which installations recently fur
nished by an American house, otherwise all
these supplies and the rice milling machinery
used here come from England and Scotland. A
few years ago the paddy hush" or rice husk,
which is used for fuel. was so cheap that much
waste was permitted in it's consumption; now,
however, the rapidly increasing price of fuel has
created good market for this husk. and efforts
are being made to economze by introducing
more improved methods of combustion.
Teakwood furnishes the second industry OF
the country, and there are ten large steam saw
mills and many smaller hand mills for the man
ufacture of teak lumber in this city. Three OF
these mills have their own electric light plants,
and all of them get their machinery and sup
plies from Great Britain
SHIPBUILDING FALLEN OFF.
Twenty years ago shipbudng was carried on
extensively At present, however, there are only
four small docks and shipyards, and only small
boats turned out. There have been built
average for several years about twenty
five steam launches of from seventeen to thirty
tons burden about twenty-five cargo boats
craft about 90 feet in length by Is feet BEAM
and lorchas, Chinese sailing craft, ITO feet
in length by % feet beam, while hundreds Of the
smaller boats of all description that swarm the
rivers and canals turned out every season.
dustry come from Europe.
Besides this there are four good sized machine
shops and foundries, and the shops of the two
railroad systems, which supplied by Europe.
The large electric lighting plant for the city and
the two power houses for the electric tramcar
system have been furnished with supplies
bought in both Europe and America.
There are in the city twelve printing eStab-
lishments in which English type is used, and
twice that number in which Siamese printing is
done. These include in their output three daily
papers, periodicals and books of all descriptions.
besides many lesser publications and much job
work. The printing supplies for the city for
the most part come from Europe. America is
furnishing some, however. and American
paper has within the last year made decided
hit and is just now in increasing favor.
Lubricating oils for all these manufactures are
supplied by the Vacuum Oil Company and the
bphAA
which find in the native castor oil of this sec
ton a vigorous competitor this castor oil SELL
ing anywhere from $12 to $14 Mexican per
picul 033 pounds)
During the last six months the importation of
crude petroleum in bulk from Russia and
Borneo has been going on, and efforts are now
being made TO introduce it as fuel, to be used
in the different manufactures and in the many
steam craft that ply in the inland waters. The
to oahl Ia
cess, and, in any event, promises but little in
the way of trade in this commodity.
THE GREAT USE OF VEHICLES.
AS a result of the gradual Improvement of the
streets of the city. which has been going for
the last two years, many vehicles of all descrip-
lions are used. The extended nature of the city
and the consequent great distances make travel
by carriage almost necessity, hence Bangkok
is probably much ahead of any other city in the
Far East In the of wheeled vehicles. The
demand at first was for the most part supplied
from outside sources but OF late there is spring
ing up decided industry in this line here in the
city. Ninety per cent of the carriages used are
manufactured in Bangkok. Whether sup
piled from the outside or by home industries
without a single exception these all strike the
American as unnecessarily heavy and clumsy
things.
The streets of the city are dead level, no
point for miles around being more than thirty
six inches above the high water mark. This to-
gether with the fact that they made of
brick or macadam and hence least trying on
the wheels, render them most conducive to the.
use of light running vehicles Of all kinds An
other thing to be taken into consideration is the
size of the ponies used here. The native ponies
that have proved themselves best fitted TO stand
the trying climate are small, weighing only from
five hundred to seven hundred pounds and i'll
fitted to draw the heavy vehicles in use So eX-
cusively are these little animals used that there
not more than thirty full sized horses to be
found in the city.
In view of these facts, 1t would seem that the
different types of the light running American
vehicles would prove desirable if once intro
duced. The workmanship and the material
would need to be first class to meet the trying
demands OF the climate, which changes quickly
from extremely wet to hot and dry; but If well
put up there is no doubt that under the existing
favorable circumstances they would wear quite
as we'll as the cumbersome vehicles now in use
while their greater lIghtness and beauty would
win for them place in this market
A CHANCE FOR PAINT. OIL AND VARNIsH.
American paints, oils and varnishes are I'M
known here as yet. But in view of the large
amount of building now in progress in the city,
Of the considerable amount of work being done
in the docks and shipyards and the rapidly in
creasing industry of carriage making. there is
no doubt that there is an opening here for
American trade in this line of goods
The greatest obstacle in the way of America n
trade this port is the increased cost of freight
caused by the repeated transshipping in Eng
land or Europe and in Singapore Hong Kong
through line of steamers from New York to
Manila. with regular sailings that can be de-
pended upon, Will he a great assistance as this
will require only transshipment at Singa-
place American goods on an equal footing for the
most part with goods coming from Europe
There is but one line Of steamers from this port
direct to Europe, the East Asatic Line whose
boats sail from Copenhagen to Bangkok and
whose service consists of one steamer each way
every three months. HAMILTON KING.