Directory_and_Chronicle_1869 — Page 588

334

SIAM-LAWS TOUCHING AFFAIRS BY LAND.

assailants severely, even unto death, and complaint be made of it to a magistrate, and he after due examination, shall find that the case is truly one of assault and battery, no punishment shall be inflicted upon him who wounded or killed the assailing party. Concerning the Shooting of large Guns.

Art. II. It has been a custom in Siam, and an old law there is supporting it, that no person shall discharge a large gun, whose report can be heard beyond one hundred sen, [two and a half miles), as on occasions of festivals, or at other times, according to the party's own pleasure, without giving the reasons why the guns are fired. And when any one shall discharge large guns within the limits of Bangkok, and does not inform the proper officer of the government of his purpose, and obtain permission; or if any one in any of the provinces of Siam, [would discharge such guns, and do not inform the Governor of the provinces and obtain his permission, and hence transgress this law, he shall be liable to punishment. The reason of this is that the report of large guns, whenever heard without the cause being made public, will produce alarm among the people, leading them to think that a conflagration has taken place or some other notable event. Because it has been appointed in the city of Bangkok that the report of a large gun shall be the signal of the morning forty-eight minutes before daylight, when four guns are fired daily, for the purpose of waking up all who must arise early, and for the pur- pose of giving a uniform time for the public. And a large gun is also fired at the Palace of the second King at 8 o'clock every evening, and one forty-eight minutes before daylight, at the quarters of the soldiers belonging to the Palace of the second King, for their guide. If a large gun is fired at other times, it is for the purpose of giving an alarm of fire. If the fire be far from the Royal Palace, four guns are fired. If it be near, eight guns are fired. And when the people hear the report of these guns, they are given to know, that fire is far or near, according to the sigual, that they may come together and assist in extinguishing it.

Firing on Holidays.

Again-whenever there is to be an offering of firing large guns, on days held as auspicious by the Kings, or on occasions of the exchange of salutations by firing, or the firing of guns on some festival days, and whenever there is to be a trial of the strength of large guns at sundry times, on all these occasions, there is a custom to publish beforehand, giving all the people and their magistrates to understand, that on such and such a day, there will be firing for such and such purpose. And this is done to prevent the people from becoming alarmed.

When the war vessels which brought Sir John Bowring came hither, to negociate a new treaty, and a salute was to be fired according to English custom, public notice was given beforehand of the salute, and then the salutation took place. After this, people coming from without, not knowing [the customs of the country], and seeing that large guns are allowed to be fired from men-of-war, and that such guns are allowed to be fired in honor of festival days of their own country, they have fallen into the practice of firing large guns without previously informing the government of such intention. Or it may be one party has informed the government, and has obtained permission to fire; another party hearing the report of their guns, joins in the chorus. Consequently the citizens of Bangkok, seeing that foreigners frequently fire their guns in sport, are emboldened to think that such things are probably not forbidden, and hence they fire their large guns without any previous appointment; consequently the former custom of notifying the government has been neglected.

When and how Guns are allowed to be fired.

Because of this, it is requested that the old law berenewed, forbidding the free firing of cannon, from the guard station at Paknam inward. But if any one belonging to this country, or any foreigner, has any cause why he should fire cannon-as on occasions of cutting hair, or on occasions of saluting after the custom of foreigners, or on occasions of religious festivals as do the Roman Catholics, or at other times, once annually,-is is not forbidden. But the head of the temple, or of the house, or of the ceremony, shall first give a written notice of such a desire, to Krom-mahathai, or to Krom-P'ra-Kralahome, or to Krom-t'a, or to Krom-muang, three days beforehand. Whereupon the Lord

1