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From the taking over of the reins of government by the late King in 1873, British influence in Siamese official circles has been paramount. King Chulalonkorn's education, commenced under an English governess, and completed by personal study, on the spot, of the methods of government obtaining in India and the Netherlands Indies, fostered in him the conviction that the position of Siam could only be rendered secure by a complete reform of the government on Western lines, and the adoption of a comprehensive programme of development under State supervision. The result has been an era of reform continuing to the present day, affecting in turn every institution of the country, and greatly improving the condition of the people. The present King, who received his foreign education at Oxford, is a most cultured gentleman with strong British sympathies, and may be expected to carry on the good work commenced by his father. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that British assistance should have been invoked in the reform of the various departments of State. Competent European advisers of all nationalities were engaged for the various offices, and of these British officials, seconded by the home and Indian Governments, were in a large majority. At the present time the administration of Finance, Justice, Education, Customs, Agriculture and Immigration, Mines, Forests, Police, and the Registration of Companies and Trade Marks is carried out with the advice and under the supervision of expert British officials. It is noteworthy that, in the main, British advisers should have been chosen for those departments which control the economic development of the country, and there is little doubt that their whole-hearted and single-minded devotion to their duties has also reacted to the advancement of British mercantile interests in Siam. British influence, in this respect, is likely to be main- tained after the war. The last outstanding political differences were settled by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, whereby Siatu handed over to Great Britain her rights in the Malay States of Kelantan, Trengannu, and Kedah in return for a modification of British extra-territorial rights in Siam. The future will probably witness the steady development of the economic resources of the country, and the extension of its sea-borne commerce, and, provided that enterprise and foresight are exercised, there would appear to be no reason why Great Britain should not only maintain but improve her position as the leading foreign lower in Siam.
In the mercantile sphere British interests have been fortunate in having, on the spot, branches of some of the greatest and strongest of British trading corporations in the Far East, many of them closely associated with the development of British Burma, and attracted to Siam by the similarity of the products of the two countries, notably rice and teak. These houses have their headquarters at Bangkok, the capital of the country, and the port through which, virtually, the whole of the foreign trade passes. ln view of the fact that these merchant houses control the British trade with the country, and any extension of British enterprise after the war rests largely in their hands, it is considered desirable to append a brief description of their respective activities.
The Borneo Company, Ltd.--The Borneo Company, Ltd., with headquarters at 28, Fenchurch Street, E., and branches at Singapore, Batavia and Sourabaya, were established in Bangkok in 1856, and are the leading firm of general merchants in the port. Although a portion of their work is in connection with general imports, exports, shipping and insurance, their attention is devoted principally to rice and teak. They operate a rice mill and teak sawmills, and hold forest concessions in Northern Siam. They are agents for the P. and O., Blue Funnel, N.Y.K., and the other leading British steamship and insurance companies, and for the Asiatic and Anglo-Saxon petroleum companies, who possess oil tanks in Bangkok for the storage of kerosene and liquid fuel. The Borneo Company, Ltd., are also Lloyd's agents, and are the largest coal suppliers in the port.
The Arracan Co., Ltd., of 575, Old Broad Street, E.C., and branches at Rangoon, Akyab, Bassein, Moulmein and Calcutta, established a branch at Bangkok some thirty years ago in order to develop the Siamese rice trade in addition to their existing trade in Burmese rice. The firm possess one of the largest rice mills on the Menam, and head the list as the most important shippers of rice from Siam. They also hold agencies for fire insurance and shipping, and are of first-rate standing.
The Bombay-Burmah Trading Corporation, Ltd., with their head office at Bombay, and branches at Rangoon, Moulmein, Oost Java, and Batavia, practically confine their sttentions to teak. They operate large timber concessions in the interior, and are among the first three shippers of teak from Bangkok. They also hold shipping and insurance agencies, but their import business is negligible.
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The Siam Forest Co., Ltd., have their head office at 2, Fenchurch Avenue, E.C., and branches at many up-country stations in Siam. This company own very large forest concessions in Northern Siam. From these, the logs are floated down the rivers to their sawmills, are here prepared and fashioned, and are exported mainly to India, United Kingdom and the Continent. Apart from their interests in the timber trade, the firm conduct a general business as import and export merchants, importing chiefly piece goods, gunny bags, hardware, machinery and coal, and exporting rice, hides, pepper, sticklac and other native products. They also hold shipping, insurance and mining agencies.
Messrs. Denny, Mott & Dickson, Ltd., of 14, Fenchurch Street, E.C., are principally concerned with the timber trade, and operate a modern sawmill at Bangkok. They specialise on the high-class conversions required by shipbuilders and rolling-stock constructors. In addition, a general import business in both hardware and piece goods has been conducted for some years.
Messrs. Steel Bros. & Co., Ltd., of 6, Fenchurch Avenue, E.C., and branches at Rangoon, Moulmein, Akyab, Bassein and Mandalay, opened their Bangkok office in 1907, and confine their attentions to the export of rice to Europe.
Messrs. Syme & Co.-This well-known Eastern firm with its headquarters under the style of Ker, Bolton & Co., at 7, East India Avenue, E.C., and 22, West George Street, Glasgow, has the following branches in the Far East:-
Philippine Islands: Messrs. Ker & Co., Manila, Iloilo and Cebu. Java: Messrs. Pitcairn, Syme & Co., Batavia, Sourabaya and Samarang. Straits Settlements: Messrs. Syme & Co., Singapore.
The Bangkok branch has been opened quite recently, and the firm are paying particular attention to the development of an import business, particularly in piece goods and sundries. Their first-class financial standing, and wide knowledge of the requirements of the trade, should enable them to develop the import business successfully. They are also desirous of obtaining shipping, insurance and general agencies, and can be strongly recommended to British manufacturers desirous of extending their trade with Siam,
In the engineering import trade, British interests are well represented, and this is largely accountable for the fact that 50 per cent. of the iron, steel and machinery imported into Bangkok is drawn from British sources. The rice and teak mills; slipways, docks and repair shops on the Menam; Government railways; and the lighting, tramway and other electrical enterprises in Bangkok absorb increasing quantities of material and machinery, to supply which the following British firms of engineers are established:
The Siam Engineering Co., Ltd., Bangkok.-This firm specialises on work for the Government departments, and has executed many large contracts for electrical, irriga- tion and other plants. They act as agents for several well-known British manufacturers, including Tangyes, Ltd., Babcock and Wilcox, Ltd., and Glenfield and Kennedy.
Messre. J. IV. Macarthur & Co., Ltd., are well-known importers of iron, steel and machinery, and also build steam and motor launches, for which they hold the agency for "Kelvin engines.
The Bangkok Dock Co., Ltd., operate docks, slipways and repair shops on the Menam. Their activities embrace civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, and they have recently opened a large motor garage, in conjunction with which they are now building motor launches. The company has a large staff of trained engineers, and acts as agent for such well-known companies as the General Electric Co., Ltd., Loudon, Ruston Proctor & Co., Ltd., the Pulsometer Pump Co., George Angus & Co., Ltd., Newcastle, and Stephenson, Brown & Co., Glasgow.
Mesare. A. J. Corbett & Co, are in charge of the Siamese interests of Messrs. A. and J. Main, and have secured valuable orders for steel buildings and also bridge work for the State railways.
The United Engineers, Ltd., are successors to Messrs. Howarth, Erskine, Ltd., the well-known Eastern engineering contractors, who have had a branch at Bangkok for many years, and have constructed some of the most important buildings and bridges in the capital. A large European staff is maintained, and the company is prepared to tender for all kinds of engineering work.
In addition to the large mercantile and engineering firms, local agencies are maintained by the British-American Tobacco Co., Ltd., whose cigarettes are widely
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