BANGKOK RECORDER

RES POLITICAE, LITERATURA, SCIENTIA, COMMERCIUM, RES LOCI, ET IN OMNIBUS VERITAS

PUBLISHED BY D.B.BRADLEY - EDITED BY N.A. Mc DONALD

www.BangkokRecorder.com

VOL 1

BANGKOK JULY 1865

NO 11

Bangkok Recorder December 1st 1865

The Siamese doubtless oftentimes think, that we farangs are unnecessarily severe upon them and at the same time are meddling with those things which don’t concern us, when we blame them for not at once a waking up to the importance of taking hold of those vast internal improvements which render a country great and powerful. Perhaps it is to some extent true. The papers have told them again and again of railroads, canals, and telegraphs, of furnaces, barges, and rolling mills; of improved agricultural implements, of institutions of learning, observatories & of big guns and iron clads; of the oil business and the vast fortunes derived form it, in short they have told them of everything which constitutes the wealth, and superiority of western nations. Those too who consider themselves better capable of advising than the news papers, have also privately urged upon them the necessity of securing at once a good financier for the government, and of appointing an international judge. But all these importunities they apparently turn a deaf ear, and sleep away. But are they really doing nothing? Are they making no progress? They, it is true, move so slowly that foreigners can scarcely see them moving at all. If we take a retrospect of the last four or five years, we can see that they have not, at least, been retrograding, and should get credit for what they have done.
Five years ago there was scarcely anything in the kingdom which could be called a road. Europeans talked much and long upon the subject until at length a move was made, and the result is a road which is certainly a credit to the country. Although it lingered long without being finished, and is still in many places in an unfinished state, and needs many things to make it what it should be, still it affords a vast amount of real enjoyment, and equestrian exercise to many of the European community. But is it really no benefit to the Siamese themselves! It needs but a stroll along it almost any day, to prove that all classes, at least, enjoy it. It also enhances very much the value of property in its vicinity. Places which could formerly be bought in the same neighborhood very low, now command large prices. But it has also its draw backs. It affords situations for the establishing of dens of iniquity and haunts for thieves. Thieving and open violence were never so prevalent as since the opening of
that road. These things however are to be expected and ought be provided against.The new canal which is now making will also be a great benefit to the country. It will open up to agriculture a large region which has hitherto been comparatively useless. But whilst we have these evidences that there is really something doing, still like Oliver Twist, we want more. There are we believe several more canals in contemplation, which when completed will open up a vast region of country between this and the Old City, which is now comparatively useless. After all, too, canals are the things for Siam. In a country like this, which during a certain portion of the year, is almost wholly overflowed, the best of roads would be useless during this
time. The principle transportation too of produce must be done in boats. Canals also open up the country better to agricultural purposes than roads. Some more roads are however needed. One is needed on the west side of the
river, to correspond to the one on the east side. It should intersect the new road in contemplation to Na-Kawn-Chei-See passing down and intersecting the river opposite where the other one does. It would greatly enhance the value of property on that side of the river. Some enterprising natives too could also drive a pretty good business by establishing a ferry at the place where the roads intersect the river and at several other places higher up. The ferry boats should be of such dimensions that they could carry over at any time in safety horsed and carriages. It may be argued however that the government is not able to do it. If not let it be given out, like the present canal, to individual enterprise, with the privilege of taking toll from all passing until it is paid. Every horseman can pay two or three Ats and every footman an At without felling it, Foreigners will prefer to pay by the year. This would be an easy and honorable way to have the work done.

Mr. Editor

Mr. Editor, Having in our last Siamese issue employed, the figure Old and young Siam, I have been surprised to learn that some persons whom I had firmly fixed in my mind as belonging to the class I mean by Young Siam have strangely fancies that because they were rather aged in the ordinary sense of the phrase Old and Young, that I must regard them as being old in the figurative sense. I am very sorry that I have thus been the occasion of displeasing any of our friends and readers some of whom I regard not only our best patrons, but also as the main pillars of Young Siam. In this class I have unhesitatingly placed his Majesty the supreme king of Siam. By Old Siam, I mean all the rulers and subjects of Siam who are still strennous for all or most of the old ways and fashions and customs of Siam in regard to government, literature, science, commerce, slavery and religion – all such as think that the ancients knew more than the moderns and that hence it is folly to deviate much from the old track of their ancestors. In other words, all such as believe and act according to the dogma that the human race are on the great decline of ages, and that it will be useless to resist the abridging tendencies of the decline as regards age, the stature, the mind or morals of mankind. In this class I have been wont to place all the old school Buddhists who still cling to all or to most of the fancies and nonsense of Trie P’oom and a multitude of other religious books which the New School have cast overboard as being enemies alike of all improvement in true knowledge and religion. Now who does not know that His Majesty the supreme king is the founder of that New School, and that as such he has become the progenitor of what I denominate the Young Siam. Having known him for more than 30 years, I can testify that when a young men, a chief priest in a Buddhist temple, he evinced marked evidence that he was born for a more enlightened age than any before in Siamese history., and would when placed on the Throne of the Prabad somdets, stand much higher among the nations of Asia than any or even all of his royal predecessors put together. Every year from that time to his accession was a joyful witness of his progress in literature and the arts and sciences by which he became signally well prepared to rule both the church and the state of the Siamese. And from time of his accession to there have arisen many living and enduring witnesses to the correctness of our judgment that his Majesty is richly worthy of being accounted the pillar of Young Siam. One of the first and most notice-able witnesses to this, is the fact that His Majesty very soon after coming to the throne, invited one Missionary lady from each of the three Protestant Missions in the city, to teach the English language and European science in the royal harem, and made an experiment of their teaching for a period of about three years……….He quickly obtained the services of an accomplished English lady as a teacher of his children, who did not feel it to be her duty to make any special effort to teach the Christian religion in connection with her services in the royal palace.Witness also the encouragement His Majesty has ever given to new models of ship building, by which Old Siam in the line of Chinese merchant Junks, and war Junks has sloughed herself and we see her old skin eaten of white ants and rotting all about her old docks in the city and the provinces, And we see but recently come out of that chryilitic state, a fleet of more than 100 square rigged merchant men of good model, 8 men of war-steamers and 20 trading and pleasure yacht steamers. Witness also the new treaties of mutual friendship and commerce which His Majesty has gloriously inaugurated with no less than eight of the western nations, by which the world is being blessed and Siam greatly enriched and improved. Witness also the two Embassies which the His Majesty has already sent to Europe and the one he has in contemplation to send to the U.S.A...,His Majesty need not to fear that his contemporary journalists, or future historians will ever think of classing him with Old Siam, provided he do not halt his progress of improvement and take some retrograde track...

France: The King and Queen of Portugal have left for Brussels, but will return to Compiegne. The statement that Count Walewsky is about to leave on a mission to Florence is incorrect.
Prussia: A Berlin paper says: "The cordial reception of Count Bismark by the Emperor Napoleon, and the observations of his Majesty upon pending questions, are guarantees for the continuance of friendly relations between
France and Prussia. The Crown Prince and Princess will shortly arrive in England, on a visit for three weeks.
Spain: The cholera in Madrid has been severe, and more than 60,000 people have fled from the scourge.
United States: The last accounts have created some alarm in regard to the Mexican question. In a dispatch by Mr. Seward it is stated that the United States will not permit further troops to be sent by France. Mr. Hall, the Artic explorer, reports that he fully expects to find some of the Franklin expedition. The public debts amount to $2,745,000,000. The Secretary of the Treasury had intimated that he was prepared to issue $50,000,000 of Six per Cent. 5-20 Bonds at 103, in exchange for compound interest notes, one and two year Treasury notes, and certificates of indebtedness maturing before the 1st of January.
Mexico: An Imperial decree had been published, declaring Mexico open to emigration from all countries. Every emigrant will receive a grant of land.

Hong Kong: The New Governor for Hong Kong Sir Richard MacDonnell has arrived from Nova Scotia, and will proceed to Hong Kong next month.

The following advice can be best appreciated by editors. We find it in an exchange paper: "Don't write poetry. If you can not help it, if it sings in your head and will be heart, why then there is no other way but to put it upon paper, and send it to the printer. But try to help if you can. There are only two or three poets alive at any one time. A great poet makes and marks an age; and poor poets, or those who think they are poets and are not, are as plenty as blackberries. Every hamlet has its poetaster. O! How much valuable, white paper is spoilt by those who think they can write poetry. You may make correct verse with faultless rhymes, and there is not a gleam of poetry in it. Poetry requires a peculiar faculty, the imagination; and you may have genius, sense, and learning, and the power of expression so to write prose to rival Burke or Johnson, and after all may make yourself ridiculous by trying your hand at poetry. Write prose."