Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 1263

SIAM

The kingdom of Siam, of which Bangkok is the capital, extends from the latitude of about 20 deg. north to the Gulf called after itself. It is bounded on the west by Burmah and the Bay of Bengal, and on the east by the Mekong and the French protectorates of Luang Prabang and Cambodia. Formerly the Lai Mountains were claimed as the eastern boundary, but in 1893 the French pressed the claims of Annam to the territory between the mountains and the river, and the Siamese were compelled to retire. The most important part of the kingdom lies in the valley of the Menam, the country of the true Siamese. The boundaries of Siam, on the Bay of Bengal, reach from Burmah in a southerly line to the northern frontier of Kolantan and Kadah in the Malavan Paninenla in the latitude of about 7 deo north

CONSIDER AUSTRALIAN TRADE.

Australia is the logical Source of Supply for Eastern markets particularly in PRIMARY PRODUCTS-FOODSTUFFS AND RAW MATERIALS.

AN AUSTRALIAN BUYING SERVICE.

We offer our Services as a Commission Buying and Shipping House, and will Buy, Collect and arrange to Ship orders for any number of Suppliers under one B/L.

We are also in a position to make firm C.I.F. and E. offers of BULK MERCHANDISE such as Flour, Wheat, Butter, Meat, Hides, Tallow, etc.

AN AUSTRALIAN SELLING SERVICE.

As Merchandise Brokers we can sell a variety of Eastern Products and we are prepared to negotiate with regard to appointing SUITABLE SELLING AGENTS throughout the Commonwealth for Manufacturers and others desirous of taking advantage of the Australian Market.

Enquiries for either of the above are cordially invited.

Mercantile Brokers.

Exporters of Primary Produce. Manufacturers' Agents.

Import and Export.

**Cables: "BOLTONCO," BRISBANE,

Codes used: Bentley's & Bentley's Second.

Bankers COMMERCIAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA, Ltd.

F. B. BOLTON & Co.,

ALBERT HOUSE,

289, Albert Street,

BRISBANE.

standard was mooted in 1899, but ala not come to anyung um a

WY LIVEL

the Mint was closed to the free coinage of silver. A triennial poll-tax used to be imposed upon Chinese, but this has now been changed to an annual capitation-tax paid by all under Siamese jurisdiction. Siam entered the Universal Postal Union on the 1st July, 1885.

The first railway line, from Bangkok to Paknam, was opened by the King on the 11th April, 1893. It is a purely passenger line, having been unable to get any goods traffic worth mentioning, but the dividend averages about seven per cent. Another railway, a Government line vid Ayuthia to Korat, was the first important line completed. The first section, from Bangkok to Ayuthia, a distance of about 50 miles, was opened on the 26th March, 1897. Another section, to Gengkoi, was opened on November 1st, 1897, a third, to Hinlap, on April 1st, 1898, and the whole line was opened to traffic in November, 1900. The construction of a line branching off the Korat line near Ayuthia and intended to open up the country to Chiengmai was commenced in June, 1898, and the first section (42 kilometres) to

Bangkok

[French Ports

Macao