SIAM.
BANGKOK.
The kingdom of Siam, of which Bangkok is the capital, extends from the latitude of about 23 deg. north to the Gulf called a itself. It is bounded on the west by Burmah and the Bay of Bengal, and on the east by the Lai Mountains. The kingdom proper lies in the vales of the Menam, the country of the true Siame›e. The boundaries of Sam on the Bay of Bengal reach from he possessions of Great Britain in Burman in a southerly line to the boundary betwe n Perak and Quedah - in the Malayan P. ninsula in the latitue of 5 deg. soutn. The Island of Junck Salong, containing enormous depot of tin ore, is included in the territories of Siam. The boundary line runs neary east from Perak across the Peninsula in about the same latitude between the provi: e 8 of Trigano and Pa' ang to the China Sea, thence north to theead of he Guff Siam. The kingdom also comprises the greater part of the ancient domain of Lao and the rich and valuable possession of Bat: ambang, once a part of he k ugdom of Cambodia. The various dependencies and outskirts are peopled by a variety of races, so ne sui generis, o bers illustrating every form and shade of the transition between the original race and th· Annamese on the east, and the Malay and Burmese on the south and east. The former capital of Siam was Ayuthia, si uated on the Menam river (literally the "Mother of Wa'ers"), about 90 miles from its mouth. In 1767 a series bloody and desperate cou bats between the Siames an ⋅ the Bu mese culminated in the capture and destruction of that city by the victorious Burman Gen ral and t e consequent exodus of tue conqu red. They moved down the river about 6 miles and there founded the present pulous and flourishing city of Bangkok. The Chief of te Siamese Army rallied the scattered troops an, building a walled city a l'outaboree, declared himself King under the tit of P'ya Tak. In 17.2 te reins of empire were seized by one of his mest distinguished generals named Yart Fa, who founded the present dynasty, of which His Majesty the pr sent in [the 40th reigning monarch in Sam fw on we have any record] is the fifth in regular descent. The revenue of Siam is very large, an i if prop rl collected would be enormous, but the inertness of the nouity and the frauds practised with the utmost boldness and impunity, have very seriously impaired it. Of the Custom revenue probably not one-eighth of the legitimate amount is ever coll cted The general revenue is farmed out to Chinese,
and a triennial tax is also imposed upon all for igners unrepresented by a Consul, such as Chinese, Annamese, &. The Courts of Justice are hot eds of corruption, and the whole system of juri-prudence is rot en to the core. In the hands of a civilized nation, Siam would ultimately develp into one of the richest and most flourishing
countries in the East.
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The native population of Siam, with Laos, Tavoyans, Peguans, and Burmese, excluding those under Consular protection, is variously estimated at from six to ten millions. No census das ver bn taken until last year. This is in course of op “- tion, and will probab y soon be cò apꞌ red. The number of Cainese in the kingda is believed to be not less than on m.alion hree hundred thousand.
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The city of Bangkok is situated on both sides of the Menam, about thirty miles from where tais magundecat str am empties i self into the Gulf. On the east bank of the river art lices of the two Kiags, the foreign tongs, the Cons lat 8, the principal rice mills, and most of the Public Offices. The lo t is principally occupied by ta • Case a id. Mahomedan residents, though the Foreign Offic and t e Yaens of the Prime Minister and his father, the ex-Regent, are situated on canals I adig rom it. Ta bulk of the business is, however, transacted on the east. Here a very fair road, the Chaw n Krung, extends from the palace wall to Paklat, at the mouth o the riv r, and a telegrapă line connects the mouth of the river with the business portion of the city. This line is now in progress of extension by cable to the outer bar beyond the Light House. The principal trade of Bangkok, and the foundation on which not only its prosperity but its actual existence mainly rests, is rice. Tuis article is drawn in immense quantities, not only from the