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SIAM-LAWS TOUCHING AFFAIRS BY LAND.
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Mayor of Bangkok will publish this, so that the people may understand, that on such and such a day, such and such a party will fire cannon for the purpose specified. Thus doing, the Royal servants, and all the people will not have the occasion to be in doubt
of the matter.
Again,-if any one would fire small arms in the vicinity of the palaces of Princes, or at the dwelling of the officers of government, great or small, for the purpose of training children, grand-children, and other relatives or servants to shoot at a target, it is allowed. But a written notice must in every instance first be given to one of the officers above-named, of the purpose of such an act. This notice may be given on the same day that the exercise is to take place. An officer of the military departinent will then be sent to examine the target, to see that it is out of the way of the people passing; so that when the exercise takes place no person shall be shot.
Shooting Game with small Arms.
Again, if any one would shoot birds, or other animals, he may do it in the woods, and in the fields, where there is no temple or village, or home (for man), and where there is no thoroughfares for the people. As regards shooting on temple grounds, or in villages, or the homes of men, or by the thoroughfares; sometimes the persons engaged are trusty persons; sometimes they are drunken, and will sometimes, unawares shoot and wound of kill persons. And when the person who did the deed is taken and brought before the court for trial according to law, he pleads that he had no intention of doing it; and consequently long disputes arise, so that it is very difficult to settle such questions. Such fire arms are instruments of death, and will kill at a long distance, and beyond the reach of the eye of him who uses them, as when bushes or the siding of a house intercepts the vision where the ball can enter and kill.
When and where it is not allowed to shoot Game.
For this cause a law has been made forbidding to shoot small fire arms by the temples, or villages, or homes of the people. Even in the field and woods it is forbidd to shoot at elephants, horses, cattles, buffaloes, and other animals, which their owners are feeding. If a man disregard this law, and wilfully shoot at random, he shall be fined a sum not less than one hundred and sixty, and not more than four hundred Ticals, according as he shoot little or much.
And moreover, if he kill an elephant, a horse, or ox, or buffalo, or other animals which their owners are nourishing, damages shall be estimated according to the worth
of the animals killed.
Shooting men by Accident.
If a Siamese subject shoot a person, wounding or killing him, he shall be adjudged according to the old law of the land. If a foreigner shoot a person, and wound or ill him, the Consul to whom the man belong shall adjudge the case according to the law
of his own country.
Sailors not allowed to go ashore with Arms.
Art. III.-Masters of vessels and merchants who come to live in Siam, shall for- Lid their sailors or other hired servants, whether Siamese, Chinese, or other foreigners, white or colored, to take with them instruments of death, as short or long guns, or knives, when they go about on the rivers, or canals, or on land. If these servants have business leading them to make purchases, they shall not take weapons of death with
or comprador of the employer go with them to watch over them. In case a master of a Chinese, or other foreigners, white or colored, and leave them to go about the rivers vessel, or merchant do not enjoin this upon his sailors, or his other servants, Siamese, and canals, with instruments of death about their persons, in the day time or night time, and they fall into contentions, and an officer of Government or a householder all assist in seizing said offenders for the purpose of delivering them over to their Consuls for adjudication, and they do not allow themselves to be seized without re- sistance, and a fight ensue between them, and wounds be made upon their
persons of whatever kind, uo punishment shall be inflicted upon those who seized them. If they whall wound or kill (any of the party who seized them) the Consul to whose jurisdic- tion they belong shall adjudge the case according to the law (of his own country.)
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