Directory_and_Chronicle_1898 — Page 221

TREATIES WITH SIAM

GREAT BRITAIN

TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE BETWEEN HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE KINGS OF SIAM

Ratifications Exchanged at Bangkok, 15th April, 1856

Art. 1.-There shall henceforward be perpetual peace and friendship between Her Majesty and her successors, and Their Majesties the Kings of Sim and their successors. All British subjects coming to Siam shall receive from the Siamese Government full protection and assistance to enable them to reside in Sim in all security, and trade with every facility, free from oppression or injury on the part of the Siamese, and all Siamese subjects going to an English country shall receive from the British Government the same complete protect on and assistance that shall be granted to British subjects by the Government of Siam.

Art. II. The interests of all British sbjects coming to Siam shall be placed under the regulation and control of a Consul, who will be appointed to reside at Bangkok: he will himself conform to, and will enforce the observa ce by British subjects of all the provisions of this treaty, and such portions of the former treaty negotiated by Cap- tain Burney, in 1826, as shall still remain in operation. He shall also give effect to all rules or regulations that are now or may hereafter be enacted for the government of British subjects in Sam, and conduct of their trade, and for the prevention of viola- tions of the laws of Siam. Any dis utes arising between British and Siamese subjects shall be heard and determined by the Consul, in conjunction with the proper Siamese officers; and criminal offences will be punished, in the case of English offenders, by their own laws, through the Siamese authorities. But the Consul shall not interfere in any myters referring solely to Siamese, neither wil the Siamese authorities interfere in questions whic only concern the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty.

It is understood, however, that the arrival of the British Consul at Bangkok shall not take place before the ratification of this treaty, nor until ten vessels owned by British subjets sailing under British colours and with British papers shall have entered the port of B.ngkok for the purposes of trade, subsequent to the signing of this treaty.

Art. III.—If Siamese in the employ of British subjects offend against the law of their country, or if any Siamese having so offended, or desiring to desert, take refuge with a British subject in Sian, they shall be searched for, and upon proof of their guilt or desertion, shall be delivered up by the Cousal to the Siamese authorities. In like manne any British offenders re silent or trading in Siam, who may desert, escape to, or hide themselves in Siamese territory, shall be apprehended and delivered over to the British Consul on his requisition. Chinese not able to prove themselves to be British subjects, shall not be considered as such by the British Consul, uor be entitled to his protection.

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