Directory_and_Chronicle_1902 — Page 1047

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BANGKOK

Japan, China, Java, etc., that on the right (formerly a royal building) contains the Siamese ethnological collection. There are also the Protestant Church, four Roman Catholic Churches, two Hospitals, a Ladies' Library, and Assumption College, managed by the French Roman Catholic Mission. St. Louis' Hospital, a large and spacious building, situated near the German Legation, was opened in 1899, the Sisters of. Charity being in charge. There is one first-class Hotel, the Oriental, and several smaller ones, also two clubs-the Bangkok United Club and the German Club. The King's palace and the temples are magnificent and on a large scale; the architecture is of a kind peculiar to the country; and there is much more of novelty and interest to be witnessed by passing travellers in Bangkok than can be found in Chinese cities. The roads have been greatly improved. The tramway was introduced in 1888, and has proved financially successful. The city throughout its principal streets as well as all hotels and principal shops are lighted with electricity, incandescent lights being universally in use. The population of Bangkok is estimated at 350,000. There are over 1,000 foreigners in Siam, most of whom are resident in Bangkok. The number of Asiatic British subjects in Siam is estimated at about 7,000. The harbour and island of Koh-si-chang, which lie some 20 miles from the bar and about 50 miles from Bangkok, are places of importance. The harbour, formed by a strait of sea running between islands, offers a fine anchorage for vessels loading rice and teak during the south-west monsoon, (from April to the end of October.) The largest ships can take shelter there. A lighthouse serves to enable vessels to make the entrance.

The British Consul-General in his report for 1800, says: "While railway con- struction in Siam has progressed regularly in recent years, sufficient attention has hardly been given to the construction of roads and the maintenance and development of the excellent system of canals already existing. One considerable district has been immensely altered and improved in productive power by the canal known as Klong Rangsit and its tributaries. A Dutch expert has been recently engaged to advise the Government upon irrigation. Some attempt, too, has been made in certain parts to construct roads, but road-making in Siam has hitherto on the whole been sadly neglected, and may be said to be essential to the opening up of the country. Perhaps the most noteworthy occurrence in the internal develop- ment of the country during the year was the opening in November of through railway communication with Korat. This marked the completion of the first of the State railways undertaken by Siam. Korat (the official name of which is Nagara Rachasima) stands in lat. 15 N., long. 102 E., 130 miles from Bangkok as the crow flies, or by rail 164 miles (264 kiloms.). It lies in a large plain providing pasture for numbers of cattle and is a principal focus of whatever trade there is in the Eastern Laos provinces. The journey from Korat to the capital, which now takes 10 hours. formerly occupied for ordinary travellers some 14 or 15 days with a possibility, if not probability, that one or two members of every caravan would succumb to fever on the route. Trade under such circumstances was naturally limited, and it may very reasonably be expected that several years must elapse before it can be built up to any extent. The construction of this railway was commenced in March, 1892. The total value of the foreign trade of Bangkok during 1900 shows but slight alteration from 1899, the increase, according to the values given in the annual returns of the custom-house being £8,447. The value of imports and exports amounted to £5,654,395, during the previous year it was £5,655,912. Exchange was higher during the year, and the actual dollar value of the goods shows a decrease of 8831,554. The sterling value of the foreign trade shows an increase of £177.840. The total value of exports from Bangkok to foreign countries during 1900 was £3,087,919, showing a decrease of £35,956. The total value of machinery imported was £77,326, an increase of £6,000. Cotton yarns have fallen off by about £8,000. The bulk of the import is British. Cycles show a great drop from £17,546 to £7,291. The extraordinary rage for them in 1899 could not, of course, be expected to last, and, in fact, the market became over- stocked. America has the first place in the import with £4,679, and the United King- dom the next with £1,314 worth of the direct imports. Coal was imported to the extent of 11,599 tons, valued at £16,852.”

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