The Bangkok Recorder.

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BANGKOK APRIL 1ST.

In regard to the weather we are now about in the Superlative degree. We have had the hot and hotter, but now it is to be hoped we have reached the hottest. Were it not for the strong breese we have daily from the S. S. W. it would be oppressively hot. The nights too are not such so to invite sleep. We connot fully agree with the Editor of the Bangkok Calender that the nights during this hot season are not "particularly uncomfortable to foreiginers" Of course much depends upon having large and well ventilated sleeping appointments, but consummptives are not the only ones subject to "night sweats" in Siam during this season of the year. And although one may have slept soundly through the night he often rises in the morning wet with perspiration and feeling as languid as if he had not closed an eye. We are however approaching another season to which we are all looking with more anxiety perhaps than we have ever done before. In the course of the next month we may expect some of those copious refreshing showers which will add new life and verdure even to this land of perpetual bloom. In the fields where the moisture from the river and canals does not reach, every thing is burned up. The fields are now appeorely more destitute of any thing to nourish animal life than those of more northern latitudes are when just emerging from beneath a deep covering of snow. It has been predicted by His Ma- jesty that we are to have another dry sea- son, and by others that there are to be three in succession. Of course such predictions are nothing either way, but all such things tend to make us look with more anxiety to the commencement of the rains, which if they come in their usual quantity are to insure good crops, remove the em- bargo, and restore the usual business activity We should have had two or three showers about the middle of February which the natives consider indispensable to a good crop of mango, but these, excepting a mere sprinkling scarcely sufficient to lay the dust, have failed. We should have had some smart showers also about the vernal equinox, but that time is also about past and there is as yet but little appearance of the showers. There has however been a little thunder which cooled the air for the time, and the atmosphere is becoming a little hazy. It is useless to speculate in regard to the future but it would require no vivid imagi- nation to picture the results of another such a season as the last upon the business affairs of most of the Europeans here. Hope however is the "anchor of the soul" in temporal as well as spiritual affairs. We shall therefore look for nothing else than when the proper time comes to see the refreshing showers descend and the land again blessed with abundant crops.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BANGKOK
RECORDER.

Sir—-You may consider it some what personal, but I am inclined to bring an in- dictment against the whole fraternity of Editors and Reporters as public nuisances. They may be a class of necessary nuisances which we cannot well dispense with, but nuisances nevertheless, I insist they often are which should be abated if not suppressed. They live by preying on the public, and are, really dangerous to the peace of individ- uals, if not the community. They are continually spersing about in search of paragraphs or item or jottings, in short any thing in their line, till their presence even makes a modest man nervous. If you find one of the craft observing you closely, you may be sure he is mentally taking your measure for a paragraph. Open your lips to speak in his presence and he is im- mediately at his jottings. You enter upon some business speculation for your private benefit, and which you wish to keep quiet and you have scarce decided upon your movements before you find the Editor has mined out the whole affair, and in leaded lines blazoned it to the public. A com- pany of friends sit down cozily to a quiet dinner at their Hotel, and behold there is the Editor or Reporter peering out of some obscure corner, pencil in hand jotting down the names of the company, the toasts drunk and the speeches made, and in next issue flashes the post-prandial wit and wisdom of the entire party for the benefit of the public.

A man can scarcely leave his home, certainly not the town, without being pick- ed up by an editor and set down among his items. All this is done, 'tis true in the most polite and complimentary manner possible. Each in his turn who is dis- tinguished by our Editor's notice, is the most intelligent, the most eloquent, the most enterprising, the most gentlemanly, and the most benevolent of men. Doubt- less the subjects, of these unsolicited, un- paid and most flattering personal advertise- ments ought to be most grateful. But their sense of obligation is lessened by the thought, that these complimentary notices are part of the Editors stock in trade, the very convenient small change with which he satisfies the demands of his creditor the public. He seems to take it for grant- ed, that every man is delighted to find himself in print. But he should know there are some persons who have no wish to be spitted and turned, and basted, and roasted before the fire of public criticism though it be on the toasting fork of an Editor. If one could choose the print in which he is to appear, or have it chosen for him by some considerate loving friend, it might be endurable and sometimes even grateful. I would not object to find myself in print of the kind and under the circum- stances, indicated in the following anecdote, which a gentleman formerly in the India civil service tells of his own personal ex- perience.

"The date of my first being in print," he says "is so far back that I cannot recall the circumstances vividly to mind. I have however dim visions of a brave manly face looking down smilingly into mine, and of its owner handing me a small packet, which I eagerly opened—Oh how great my joy, how deep my gratification, my youthful ambition was gratified. I was in print. Each of these square peices was a repre- sentation of myself. Never did I estimate so highly, or appreciate so fully my own worth, as after for the first time, seeing myself in print.

After many years of labor, and trial, of joy and sorrow, years whose vicissitudes had chastened my youthful ambition, and greatly modified and matured my ideas, I once again found myself in print. I felt loving arms around me and saw the happy face of my wife, who insisted upon com- pletely infolding me in print, and I was soon sitting by the fire in a cozy chamber wrapped up to the chin in it. It was print which the good taste of my wife had select- ed, and her willing hands had arranged for my comfort. Appreciating my ideas on print, she pointed to the pattern with which she had surrounded me, and smiling said "it will stand the Bhutty, my dear." The print was indeed of the best material and a beautiful pattern; the ground clear and def- inite, the design elegant and pure, the colours marked and distinct, though simple and delicate. Greatly admiring its chaste beauty I responded gratefully to my wife that I was sure it would stand every Bhutty in India, and I wished all who desired to be in print would be equally careful to have their colours definite, true and enduring."

Now if the Editors who insist upon thrusting us into print, would give us colours not showy, indefinite, and fading; but chaste, pure, clear and lasting - print that will stand the Bhutty, we shall have less reason to complain. But there is no pleasure in finding yourself in a print with the pattern indefinite, and the colours so running into each other, that it appears at the same time to be "running with the hare and holding with the hounds."

FOR THE BANGKOK RECORDER.

Our object in this and in other articles that may follow, is to describe the more re- markable edifices and places in the French Capital, in association with some of the great events of which that city has been the theatre. Paris has unquestionably many other features of commanding interest—as its arts, its convents, and its Municipal arrangements; but these are incessantly varying in their expression.

Its historical scenes are permanent and indelible, and are to be traced not in monu- ments, and inscriptions, but in the multi- farious narrations of chronicles and me- moirs—in the obscure records of the middle ages, and in the pamphlets of yesterday.

The barricades of the League, and the three days of 1830, are equally within the range of our subject. But such a mode of tracing History has of course no pretens- ions to be systematic. They must only be viewed as the succession of sketches held together by the thread of local recollections.

The merit whatever it be of these frag- ments will consist of their fidelity.

The Tuileries.

The Palaces of European Capitals are generally the richest of public edifices in historical associations, and we therefore pro- pose to direct our reader's attention in this number to the Tuileries.

This vast structure has indeed no tradi- tions of ancient feudal tyranny and mag- nificence. It is of comparatively modern date, and points to the bold and profligate Mary de Medici its founder, and leads us on to the times of Louis XIV when one absolute man, presiding over the destinies of millions, had the arrogance to proclaim "L'etat C'est moi" I am the State.

After a long interval, when is splenders were eclipsed in the greater glories of Ver- sailles, it tells a sorrowful tale of a captive monarch here suffering every indignity, as the retribution of the detestable pride of his ancestors. It conducts us onward to the furious anarchy which succeeded the weak despotism of that unhappy king, and thence to the more startling, vigorous, and splendid tyranny of a military usurper, whose generals were as machines; to such terrible military discipline had he reduced the finest human metal of that celebrated time. And when the measure of justice was once more full, the place of the giddy conqueror was again supplied by the exiled race. But they had learned nothing and forgotten nothing in adversity; and were soon again displaced, and at this moment the flag of a more rig- orous tyranny than ever waves over its roof.

The Place du Carrousel is an immense square in front of the Tuileries, which de- rives its name from one of those pageants, which in connection with his architecture and his wars so pampered the vanity of Louis XIV while his people starved. The festival which that proud king here gave to his court in 1662 was called the carrousel. It cost about £50,000 sterling, and has left no trace of the admiration which it gained or ill will which it excited, if we except the verses of a satiracal poet which are still remembered. *

The East front of the Palace occupies the vast extent of 1011 feet. Its five heavy and incongruous pavilions each in itself an immense house, are connected by four rang- es of lower buildings in the same line. This front constitutes the Tuileries. On the South is the gallery of the Louvre—on the North, is a similar gallery, not yet completed running parallel to the Rue de Rivoli. The new gallery is a monument of the taste of Napoleon, and of the dangers which sur- rounded him in his ascent to Sovereign power. It is built partly on the site of forty or fifty old houses that were greatly damaged by the explosion of the Infernal Machine which was aimed at the life of the First Consul.

The Palace is separated from the Place du Carrousel in its whole extent by a high railing or "grille" terminated at each side by a gate, whose piers bear colossal marble statues. Opposite the central Pavilion is the triumphal arch which Napoleon erected in 1809 to the glory of the French army. It is an imitation of the arch of Septimius Severus at Rome rich in detail but paltry in its general effect.

The monuments of Paris are constantly changing their aspect with the changes of Politics. The arch of Napoleon has indeed the figure he placed there of Cuirrassiers and Grenadiers and Chasseurs and Can- noniers whose costumes accord but ill with the classic monument which they surmount. But the bas-reliets which represent the victories of Ulm and Austerlitz, have given place to sculptures of the paltry triumphs of Duc d’Angoulleme in Spain, and the bronze horses of St Mark which have been successively yoked to the car of the con- queror at Corinth and Rome, Byzantium and Venice, and Paris—have given place to four horses in bronze by Bosio after the models removed, and equal to them in the beauty of their forms and expression of their attitudes.

It would be difficult to imagine a more severe satire than this upon royal and nation- al self-deception. The Government of Louis Philippe has restored again the troph- ies of the honor of the French arms under Napoleon.

The ground, or at least a part of it, on which the Palace of the Tuileries now stands, was in the 14th Century called La Sablonniere of the sand pits. It was pro- bably towards the end of this century, or the beginning of the following, that the tile works were first established, from which the Palace derives its present name. In the beginning of the 16th century Nicolas de Neuville Baron de Villeur, who was the secretary of finances, had a house and gar- den close to these tile works, from which it was commonly called the Hotel des Tuil- eries. This property the king, Francis 1st purchased in 1518 from de Neuville, and gave it to his mother Louisa of Sayvoy who complained of the unhealthy situation of the Palace des Tournelles (now Place Royal ) where she had hitherto resided.

Louisa therefore was the first royal per- sonage who lived at the Tuileries, which she did from this time till the year 1525 when on her second appointment to the regency.

After the capture of her son at the dis- tructive battle of Pavia she gave the house to John Tiercelin, Master of the household to the Dauphin, and to Julia Dutrot his wife to be occupied it through their lives.

On the death of these parties the proper- ty reverted to the Crown in whose posses- sion it was in 1564, when Charles IX or-, dered the Palais des Tournelles to be de-

moblished in consequence of his father Henry II having died there in 1559, after being wounded in a tournament by the Count de Montgomery.

Since this event the Palais des Tournelles had been considered as belonging to the Queen Mother, Catharine de Medicis, al- though it remained uninhabited, that Prin- cess having continued to reside in the Louvre.

But now when it was about to be des- troyed, 'twas considered necessary that she should be provided with another Palais of her own; and she resolved to build a new one for herself on the site of the Hotel des Tuileries. The foundation of the new Pa- lace was laid in the month of May 1564 and was intended to be an edifice much more extended even than the present Palace. Only a small part of the original plan was executed by Catharine.

The central pavilion at first consisted only of two stories and it was surmounted not as now by a quadrangular roof, but by a large circular dome.

The garden which was seperated from the Palace by a street was surrounded by a wall, having a bastion on the outside of that portion contiguous to the river. * The architects whom Catharine de Medicis employed to construct her new palace, were Philbert Delorme, and John Bullant, both educated in Italy, and unrivalled in their profession in that age. Delorme however who is understood to have had the great share in the work, has left it on record that Catharine herself was in fact the principle architect, and that all he can claim the credit of, is the decoration of the edifice.

However this may be, Catharine was so well pleased with her architect, that even, though he was not yet an ecclesiastic, she bestowed upon him two Abbeys, and pro- cured for him besides, the offices of Coun- seller and Almoner to the king. On the completion of the Tuileries, he was also made governor of that Palace. All which honors are said to have made him not a little vain, as well as to have excited the jealousy of another court favorite of the day. The celebrated poet Ronsaid who vent- ed his spite against his rival in a satirical effusion to which he gave the title of "La turelle Crossei" the trowel turned Croiser. On this, Delorme, availing himself of what he held to be the rights of his office, when Ronsaid presented himself at the gate of the palace garden in the train of his Royal Mistress, refused to allow him to enter.

The poet, and the well endowed, but not very erudite churchman continued an un- equal contest of wit on the one side and violence on the other; till the Queen put a stop to it, by reprimanding the Governor of the Palace for shutting the gate upon the Poet, and informed him that the Tuileries was an abode dedicated to the Muses.

FOR THE BANGKOK RECORDER.

In a communication from His Majesty the Supreme King of Siam, in the Recorder of Feb. 15th, we find the following remark- able sentence, "Ah! O! many foreigners who are endeavoring very often to let us be advised and have great expence for what we think would be of no use for this country of poor ignorant people."

The latter part of this sentence contains a remarkable admission, and if the author meant it in sincerity, and not in irony, we think it one of the most favorable admis- sions for Siam we have any where seen. We take it for granted therefore that it was uttered in sincerity.

When a teacher of religion finds a person who has advanced so far, as to know, and feel that he is a sinner, and that he can do nothing to save himself, it is considered a very favorable circumstance, for then there is hope of his accepting the only means of salvation. When a school teacher so finds a pupil who knows that he is ignorant and needs education, the teacher is very much encouraged for then, he feels that he can fill him with sound and useful knowledge.

But when a pupil comes who thinks he knows every thing that is worth knowing already, the first business of the teacher is to pump all the self-conceit out of him, be fore he attempts to teach him any thing.

When therefore we hear a monarch ac- knowledging that his people are "poor and ignorant" it appears that he is already in a condition to accept any suggestion which would tend to the diffusion of general intel- legence among his people, and place them on the sure road to wealth and happiness. This humble acknowledgement therefore, we take to be one of the most favorable circum- stances for improvement we have yet no- ticed, and on the strength of it we shall venture to make a few simple suggestions.

It has been complained however that Europeans are too forward in urging the Siamese and other Oriental nations to adopt their customs, and this is no doubt to some extent true. To attempt to introduce European customs as a whole into Siam, or any other eastern nation would neither be wise nor desirable, but it is to be regretted however that as a general thing it is the vices, and not the virtues of Europeans that such nations as Siam are most forward to imitate.

We would not attempt to change a single simple, harmless custom, of this peo- ple, or do any thing which would at all in- terfere with their distinct nationality. The tuft of hair upon the top of their heads, we would leave them to wear to their hearts con- tent. Even the pa-nung although scarcely sufficient to modestly protect the body from exposure we would not change. If accom- panied by a neat jacket, a suitable cos-

tame for the climate and we would not in- terfere with it. The betel chewing and its accompaniments we would gladly see aban- doned on account of the filthy tendencies. The Siamese pride themselves in not being so filthy as the Cambodians, Peganas, or even the Chinese. But in this respect they have great room to improve and their most filthy practice in common with most of the others is betel chewing. Their clothes, houses, and in short every thing with which they come in contact, is daubed with red saliva. This is a practice however, which aside from its filthiness is no positive evil, and its abandonment must be effected by degrees. But this is rather a digression from our subject. It is acknowledged by very high authority that this people are ig- norant to a great extent, and it requires but a short sojourn among them to verify the fact. Now in order that any people may be prosperous and happy they must be intelligent. It is the duty therefore of those in authority, to try to diffuse as far as possible general intelligence among the people. Here again the plea of poverty may be raised, but in this case it cannot be received. It has been the object of most sovereigns and kings to try to do something which would perpetuate their fame. Some have carried the arms of conquest into the dominions of others and have thus secured a kind of immortal fame: but oftentimes such persons are remembered longer on ac- count of their acts of cruelty than from any thing else. Others have attempted to erect monuments of brick, and stone, which would hand down their names to posterity.

It must have taken years of toil, and millions of money to erect those vast py- ramids of Egypt. They still remain won- ders, and attract travellers from different parts of the world but they never were of any benefit to the country, and it is not now even known by whom they were erected, and the religion which they were intended in part to perpetuate, is lost for- ever. It is not now known by whom Ong- cor in Cambodia was built, although the ruins indicate it to be but little over two thousand years old.

Passing along a canal not long since in the rear of the palace of His Majesty the Supreme King, we saw the ruins of an old pagoda, which had been commenced by some one in a former reign, and for some reason or other abandoned. It was an attempt at an immense structure, the base at a rough guess covering an area of at bout two acres. How long a time it is since these ruins were built we don’t know, but to our astonishment, we saw men ac- tually at work upon them, piling brick upon brick striving to raise them up a little nearer to the sky. We could not refrain from asking ourself the question why this stupendous undertaking was attempted, and what benefit it will be to the country?

It will neither be useful nor ornamental. We then thought that if part of the money thus uselessly spent was applied to the erection of a nice observatory and the pur- chasing of a telescope, to teach his people the principles of Astronomy how much more appropriate it would be.

Not that we presume to say that His Majesty is ignorant of Astronomy, for we all know that he has made commendable progress in that branch, and many others of the useful sciences, but as a general thing the true principles of Astronomy are un- known in Siam. To meet the wants of the country, schools must be established, and school books, and scientific works translated into the language of the country.

It is useless to think of giving the youth of the country any adequate knowledge of these branches through the medium of the English language. It is well to try to give some of the princes and nobles some knowledge of the English language, and the employing instruction for that purpose is commendable, but after a tolerably fair experiment we find no one, who has not been out of the country, who has advanced farther in the English than to be able to carry on a simple conversation, or transact a little business.

It may be argued on the other hand that foreigners seldom master the Siamese, which is true. Those who are considered best in the language are frequently found making ridiculous mistakes. It is at best with them but an acquired tongue. But most of those who come here and make it their special study, acquire it sufficiently well to translate works from other languages into it with accuracy. School houses too are needed, built on the modern style and well ventilated, not dungeons. If therefore a monarch wishes to gain an everlasting renown, he must try to do something for the people, something to dispel their igno- rance, something to make them permanent- ly happy, he would than live in the hearts of his people, and his name would be hand- ed down from parent to child until the most remote generations.

Such monuments would be more endur- ing than those of brick and mortar. But more anon.

THE OFFICE PICTURE OF THE GREAT
CYCLONE.

The Government of Bengal has published in the Gazette of India, a "special narrative" of the great cyclone of 5th October last, signed by the Hon. A. Eden, Secretary. Though most of the information has already appeared, this Narrative gathers all the facts together, states them with official authority and accuracy, and so presents a picture far more appalling than any which has yet been drawn. We proceed to condense the narrative into a readable form.

The gale had its origin somewhere about the Andaman Islands. "Travelling from that point at first in a westerly direction, and inclining afterwards

UTILITAS to the north, it first struck the Coast of Bengal about the Balasore Roads and Hidgelee. Here, during the night of the 4th, it raged with great violence, and from this point the centre of the storm appears to have traveled in a northerly direction with a slight inclination eastward along the right bank of the Hooghly, at a pace varying from eight to twenty- six miles an hour. The full violence of the storm was felt at Calcutta from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. of the 5th October, and about seven hours later at Kishnaghur. The direction of the storm remained the same throughout the greater portion of its course. It crossed the Ganges between Rampore Besuleath and Pubna, sweeping over the whole length of the Bog- rah District, and only taking a recurvature to the eastward when it had reached the degrees of 25° north, after which it became expended in the Garrow Hills." The gale drove in front of it up the line of the Hooghly, a Storm Wave from the Bay of Bengal. As this rose in some cases as high as 80 feet, and swept "over the strongest embankments, flooding the crops with salt water, and carrying away entire villages, it was very much more disastrous in its effects than the mere violence of the wind." The city of Calcutta suffered chiefly in its Northern or native division. A "tolerably accurate" return shews that in the city and its suburbs 2 Europeans were killed and 1 wounded, 47 natives were killed and 15 wounded, 112 masonry houses destroyed and 563 damaged, 40,698 tiled and straw huts were des- troyed and 4,794 damaged. But the greatest des- truction was done to the shipping in the River Hooghly. "There were, on the morning of the 5th, 193 vessels within the limits of the Port. As long as they had only to contend against the violence of the wind, or up till about 1 o'clock in the day, they rode out without much damage, but when to this was added the wave, the force of which was still not entirely expended, one vessel after another drove from her moorings, and as each ship was swept on, she fouled others in her course, and they carrying others with them, getting massed in hopeless and inextricable confusion, were driven in heaps on the opposite shore. It appears that 145 vessels were driven on shore, and that ten were sunk in the river. Of these the Gobindpore, a magnificent new ship of 1,200 tons, capsized and sunk off the Custom House; the crew were saved by the gallantry of a sailor name Cleary, who swam off to the wreck with a line, by means of which all got safe to shore. The ship Ally had left the Port the previous day and met the gale a little below Diamond Harbour. She had on board 835 Coolie Emigrants for the Mauritius, and went down with all on board save seventy of the crew and twenty-two of the Emigrants." Of the 195 ships 39 were damaged slightly, 97 severely and 88 totally lost. Only 23 altogether escaped. By 19th October; a fortnight after the gale, 101 grounded vessels had been got off. "The Burmah Mail and Passenger Steamer Persia foundered off the Sandheads with the loss of all on board except two of the crew. The Hospital Ship Bentinck, which was at anchor near Diamond Harbour, was swept away by the wave and carried on to the top of the Diamond Harbour embankment." Six tug steamers were lost. The P. and O. Co.'s hulk Hindostan was sunk and the mail steamer Bengal stranded on the bank, though she has now been floated. "Of the moorings in Port, there were 210 acts lost and only 60 saved." Out of Calcutta the districts which suffered most were those of Midnapore, and the south and west parts of the county known as the 24 Pergunnahe in which Calcutta is situated. In the former the police returns state the loss of life at 20,665, but in the track from Kedgeree to Kookrahuttee, three fourths of the whole population cattle and other property may be said to have perished. "The height of the storm wave varied very much. On the southern coast, actually exposed to the sea the storm wave nowhere attained any extraordinary height and did not any noticeable extent breach the sea face of the great Dyke of Hidgelee, which extends from the Subornorekha to the western bank of the Russool- pore River. As, however, it struck the western coast forcing itself up the channel of the Hooghly, its height became greater and its violence more destructive." Where the water drained off at once the crops were not injured. "The loss of cattle in this district is computed to be not less than 40,000 head. The number of houses destroyed cannot be estim- ated; but at Tumlook, (which, though exposed to the full severity of the gale, was less severely visited than places down the river by the storm wave,) it is stated that out of 1,400 houses, only 27 remained standing. The loss of Government salt and the damage done to Government buildings" was great. In the 24-Pergunnahs "the storm wave, commencing at Sauger Island, swept over the embankments, destroying huts and villages within a distance of eight miles from the river, and ceased not in its work of destruction till it reached Atcheepore. San- gor Island suffered perhaps more extensively, and the destruction there was more complete than in any other portion of the tract visited by the storm wave. Striking it at once on its western and on its south- ern face, the wave carried away the embankments, utterly destroyed all the houses, huts, golahs, and buildings, and left scarcely any living creature on the island. The few human beings that escaped were saved either by climbing up trees or by float- ing on the roofs of their house, which the wave swept on to the mainland and carried inland many miles. At first it was reported that 90 per cent. of the population had perished, but it is found that out of a population of nearly 6,000 souls, there is still a remnant left of 1,488. The cattle destroyed in the flood were 7,000, and the houses 3,563. The storm wave at Saugor Island was fifteen feet above the level of the land, and it appears to have cut a channel straight across the island dividing it into two halves."

The police estimate the total loss of life at 12,000, but the Rev. Mr. Payne of the London Missionary Society, who distributed relief there, calculates "that in all villages within one mile of the river, the loss of life was 80 per cent., and in other villages within the area over which the destruction of the storm wave extended, the loss was from 30 to 40 per cent. The loss in cattle is estimated at 80 per cent. The distress and suffering to which the survivors were exposed after the disaster was very great. For se- veral days it was impossible for them to obtain food; the local stores had been swept away, and for three or four days there were no means of sending relief from Calcutta. In some places they were known to be eating a kind of grass, and at a few places where the storm wave had not extended in all its violence, they broke open and plundered the stores of the rice merchants who refused to distribute or (it is alleg-i ed) to sell their grain." At Diamond Harbour the water rose 14 feet. The District Superintendent of Police says, "that within six miles of Diamond Har- bour it is impossible to go fifty yards on the road without seeing a human body." These are evidently the corpses of individuals who were overtaken by the storm and the flood on the road. What the loss of life must have been in the villages may be ima- gined. In some villages every house has been swept away with almost all the inhabitants.” And he draws this picture. Two days after the storm about a thousand men began to plunder the Salt golaka of Mr. Hugh Fraser at Diamond Harbour. They had had no food for two days and wished the salt to mix with a kind of grass which they ate eagerly. Some ten constables who attempted to stop them were beaten off. The “fearful hardships of the two past days had almost driven the survivors mad. Even if a larger party of Police had been there, it is difficult to know how they could well have used more force towards men under such circumstances; and though the unfortunate people can scarcely be blamed, it is impossible not to sympathise with Mr. Fraser, who has been a very heavy sufferer.” There was as great a want of fresh water as of food.

Turning to the country up the Hooghly from Calcutta, we find that in the Howrah district op- posite, 1,978 persons are reported as having been killed or drowned; there were 12,752 cattle killed, and 816 masonry and 150,158 mud houses destroyed. The value of the property lost is fixed at £604,983. All this district up to Hooghly is the kitchen garden of Bengal and supplies the army with potatoes. The damage done to the crops, chiefly by salt water, is "very great." The authorities of Serampore and Hooghly underestimate the loss of life at 112 and do, not attempt to value the property destroyed, but an inspection of the district which is the most populous in India, and of its large towns, convinces us that the loss is relatively equal to that in Howrah. At Burdwan the loss was slight, but all over the rich Indigo districts of Nuddea, Rajshye, and Bogruh the damage done by the gale was "very great."

Measures of Relief.

Government, though the local officers, did much. "As soon as reliable information was obtained by the Magistrate of the 24—Pergunnahs of the state of the southern portion of his district, he lost no time in sending out food for the starving population and in providing for the burial of the dead and the re- moval of carcasses. He at once obtained an advance of Rs. 5,000 from Government and caused supplies of rice to be hurried down to Diamond Harbour, Futtehpore, Atcheepore, and Dabeepore;" thus re- lieving 11,864 persons. Steps were taken for clear- ing the tanks, and extra police were supplied. The Lieutenant Governor "directed that measures should be taken for immediately employing the whole of the population, which might be in want of work and food, in repairing the embankments in the 24-Per- gunnahs, Hidgellee, and Midnapore on ordinary wages, but without adhering at the commencement to the strict exaction of work to be done for the day's wages, and he directed that all people asking for work should be employed in this manner without excepting women and children.” The Marine De- partment despatched 6 steamers with assistance to the villages on either bank. “The Lieutenant Governor also directed that the whole of the sea- coast should be examined, and, as far as possible, also all the creeks in the Sunderbuns. The relief, however, which could be given by the Officers of Government was necessarily inadequate to meet the wants of such a population as that which was suffer- ing." Meanwhile a large public meeting was held in Calcutta and with the assistance of Bombay a sum of about £30,000 has been raised. The Relief Fund Committee despatched two steamers with as- sistance and made grants of money to Missionaries, Magistrates and English and Native gentlemen for distribution in the rural districts. The Fund up to the close of the year had expended £21,864 of which £11,615 was for stores of food and clothing, £534 for widows and orphans of European officers of steamers and others, and £2,500 to the Calcutta Sailors' Home. The result of these measures, and of time, is that "the country on the east side of the river has been gradually reviving, and hants are be- ing held and the people are resuming their occupa- tion; the distribution of food gratis to able-bodied men has in consequence been here discontinued; but the quantity served out at once to women and chil- dren has been doubled, so that they may take away enough for two meals at once. To this rule, however, the Island of Sangor is still an exception, and the people there must yet continue to be fed by charity for some time to come. On the western side of the river also the supplies of food free of cost are being continued, because no work of any kind has there been procurable for those in distress.” The water is beginning to be much less impure than was feared. The numerous distressed seamen at first found em- ployment as additional constables, and in the dis- abled ships. But when the press of work abated it was resolved to send home such as came under the provisions of the Merchant Seaman’s Act. Some 30 men were employed by the Rear Admiral at Bombay.

Future Precautions.

"To guard against a return of the disasters which occurred to the Shipping during the storm, the ques- tions submitted for the consideration of Government have been (1) the construction of Wet Docks for the accommodation of the Shipping; (2) the completion of the requirements at Port Canning with a view to to direct a portion of the Shipping to Mutlah; (3) the best mode of relaying the moorings so as to ren- der them more secure. The two first questions are before the Government of India. To consider the third proposal a Committee was appointed and "an urgent request has been sent home already for screw moorings for the Port in the place of the ordinary moorings hitherto in use. Henceforth, also, "from the 30th September until after the full moon of November, no Ship in the Port shall be allowed to have top-gallant yards or top-gallant masts aloft, and they shall in addition strike top-sail yard and top- masts when required to do so."

More Concerning Pra-T'om chedee
A translation.

Two years before the great flood (which was terribly destructive of vegetable life in Siam, thirty-four years ago) the Chief Priest of Temple Samaw-rei, caused an image of Buddh to be cast for his own personal benefit, and about the same time removed a small portable Pagoda from the Old city, and had a new layer of silver cast about it, when it attained the stature of about one cubit.

The next dry season having arrived, the Chief Priest paid a visit to the ancient Pago- da P'ra-pra-t'om-Chedee, for the purpose of worshipping Buddh, when many other Buddhist priests accompanied him. On a certain evening he went up to the sacred Pagoda, and worshipped in the holy place. After worship, he is said to have offered the following prayer in the Bali language, —I have great reverence for this Pagoda, and consider it to be the most ancient mon- ument of Buddah in all Siam, which is proved to be a fact from the form and style of it, there being none like it in modern times, so that the present generation of men hardly recognize it to be a Pagoda. And it would appear that the founder of it did indeed enshrine in it that which makes it worthy of being a place to be held in the highest reverence, and that hence he expended upon it a large amount of property, making it so large and firm that it has suc- cessfully resisted the wear and tear of may ages. And now if there be in truth any sacred relics of Buddah any where in this world, I think there must be portions of them enshrined some where within this sa- cred structure. And if it be so, I beg that the angel in charge will be pleased to divide unto me about two pieces of the same, as I desire to enshrine one of them in the idol, and the other in the pagoda which I have made, that I may have them near me in the great city to worship, and before which to present continual offerings, as would be most worthy. And this I desire because this P'ra-pra-t'om-Chedee is now far off in the wilderness and not in a suitable place for the people generally to resort for wor- ship. Hence I beg that the guardian angel will be pleased to distribute unto me of the sacred relics about two pieces (ong.)

Having offered this prayer, he then sent one of his personal attendants to take a precious calipot, borne on a salver and place it in a niche of the Pagoda on the east side. In the afternoon of that day, as the Chief Priest was about to descend from the place of worship, he sent a servant to invite the calipot to return, and behold there had been nothing deposited in it by the angel.

A month or more after this, (the Chief Priest having returned to his temple in Bangkok, the following event transpired at Temple Ma-ha t'at in this city, where His Majesty the Supreme King graduated in his youth.) There was a very precious image of Buddh in the Temple, one of great antiquity. On a certain night about eleven o'clock, a company of priests went in and worshipped in the holy place. When they had proceeded about half through, they beheld something like smoke, of a reddish color, ascending from the place of the idol, which had a pleasant fragrance like that of burning in- cense sticks. The smoke increased until the idol seemed to be of a red complexion like that of betel. The priests were all quite startled at the sight, and rose up to examine the phenomenon, thinking that it might be a fire which had caught there. But they saw nothing but the reddish smoke, and returned to their devotions, and fin- ished their rehearsal. At this time the strange sight gradually disappeared. The priests then proceeded to investigate more narrowly the causes of the smoke, expecting to find that it had arisen from some fire without. But they found nothing to solve the mystery.

Early next morning they reported this phenomenon to the Chief Priest (at Temple Samaw rei). He arose and went to Tem- ple Ma-ha t'at to examine into the wonder that had occurred. In pursuing his inves- tigations, he found (in the urn employed for the purpose of preserving the sacred relics) two more pieces of the sacred relics than there had been before. Whereupon he interrogated the priests of the Temple if they had ever before noticed them. Their reply was that they had not. He then inquired of the keeper of the doors of the place if he knew of any one placing them there. His reply was that he did not. He then summoned a meeting of many persons to witness the two sacred relics. They were all unanimous in the opinion that they could not have been put there by human hands, and that they must have come there themselves.

The two new relics were different from any that are seen in modern times, being each about the size of a mustard seed, of a whitish complexion like the flowers of the P'ee-koon. They had each two or three white dots in a straight line. Prince So- p’on was the first to discover this peculi- arity.

These two relics are now enshrined in a Pagoda of precious stones within the Tem- ple P're-rata-na Satsa-daram.

[ A legitimate inference from the above is, that the two relics having both sought for at P'ra pra t'om Chedee and expected from thence, were by superhuman power brought to temple Ma-ha-t'at and given as above described. Hence the great respect now paid to that Pagoda.]

AMERICA.

The military news from America since our last is unimportant. There is nothing very definite as to Sherman's movements. The Charleston correspon- dent of the "Richmond Despatch" writes, on Jan- uary 10, that General Sherman had commenced his movement on Branchville and Augusta, and that he had sent out corps on the west bank of the Savan- nah River, a second to Wilmington, and two to Beaufort. "If Sherman is once estahislied on the railroad, either at Branchville or some other point near Augusta:" the writer says, "the fall of Char- leston becomes only a question of time; and but a short time." Other Richmond journals represent Sherman to have been concentrating his forces at M'Phersonville, South Carolina, and that on Jan uary 17, his advance was within two miles of the Combahee River. The destruction of Forts Caswell and Campbell, near Wilmington, by the Confederates, had been officially annouced. It was rumoured that the Confederates had destroyed their blockade- runner inside the bar, below the Tallehassee and Chickamauga, and burnt 50 million dolls. of cotton. The two latter rumours were not credited. A large force of gunboats was stationed between Fort Cas- well and Wilmington. Five large-sized blockade- runners had been captured in Cape Fear River. They were not aware of the Federal occupation. Others were on the way to fall into the same trap.

Admiral Porter reports that the navy occupied Fort Caswell, Bald Head, Fort Shaw, and the earthworks on Smith's Island, Smithville. The admiral says:— "In each fort an Armstrong gun was found with the broad arrow upon it. The British Government claim- ing the exclusive right to use these guns, it would be interesting to know how they came into rebel forts." The total number of guns captured, includ- ing those in Fort Fisher, is 153. The admiral also states that he will move carefully along, and believes he will be in Wilmington before long. He announ- ces that the remainder of the rifled guns in the fleet have burst, and that the reputation of these guns is ruined. The greater portion of the larger vessels had returned to Hampton Roads.

Wilmington papers state that the Federal gun- boats were unable to advance, as the monitors cannot carry water enough to come up the river. The Confederates hold Fort Andrews and have field artillery adequate to destroy the lighter draught gunboats. Confederate reinforcements were arriving at Wilmington. General Terry had demanded the surrender of the city, giving Bragg until the 19th January to decide. The removal of public property was progressing, and much confusion prevailed. The impression was that Wilmington would sur- render, the people remaining in it. President Davis is said to have arrived in that city.

The Confederates state that after the occupation of Pocotaligo the Federals attempted to advance to- wards Charleston, but were checked at the crossing of Combahee River, which was amply fortified for a protracted defence. Heavy reinforcements had arrived in Charleston, and non-combatants were leaving. All business was suspended, and govern- ment property, except arms, was removed. The rear of the city is reported stocked with torpedoes. A pub- lic meeting at Columbia opposed the evacuation of the city. Charleston despatches state that Foster's troops, 15,000 strong, advanced on Pocotaligo on January 14, and that the Confederates, after an obstinate resistance, retreated across the Salkahat- chie River. It is reported from Hilton Head that the Federals had captured 2000 prisoners and three guns on the Upper Broad River. Federal reinforce- ments were being rapidly concentrated at Savannah, New Inlet, and on the James River, for early and simultaneous attacks upon Charleston, Wilmington, and Richmond.

The gunboats were four miles above Fort Fisher. The Confederates have breastworks from the ocean to the river, above the Federal lines, to contest the advance on the city.

Colonel Lamb is reported to be mortally wounded There is no millitary news of importance from Virginia, though deserters report Lee to be preparing for an offensive movement.

A fleet of three ironclads, five gunboats, and three boats from Richmond, under the reported command of Semmes, descended the James River during the night of the 23rd of January, with the intention, it is sup- posed, of surprising the Federal flotilla and destroying Grant's stores at City Point. One only of the vessels succeeded in forcing a passage through the Federal obstruction, three grounded, one of which (the gunboat Drury) was abandoned; the others were ultimately relieved, but, daylight appearing, the expedition was relinquished, and the fleet returned to Richmond. It is reported that on the first appearance of the Confed- erates the Federal gunboats retreated pre- cipitately towards Fortress Monroe. Despat- ches from the latter place state that if the Confederates ironclad had it not grounded Grant's iron transport works at City Point would have been destroyed. Preparations had been made at City Point in anticipation of the renewal of the attack. Simultaneously with the naval attack the Confederates ap- peared on the Charles City Road, ap- parently to attack the Federals on the north bank of the James.

Letters from the Shenandoah represent great suffering in consequence of Sheridan's devastation. Grain was not only scarce, but there were no mills to grind it.

From the South-West it is reported that Thomas is still at East-Port, Mississippi, and is reported to be constructing winter quart- ers. The indications are that he will not move from his present position. Forrest’s cavalry was said to be concentrating at Houston, Mississippi, probably for a raid up- on Memphis. Hood’s army is reported to be in excellent spirits, and larger than when it entered Middle Tennessee. The reports concerning its demoralised condition were grossly exaggerated, its total losses, in Tennessee, being only about 8000 men. It was rumored that Hood had been superse- ded by General Richard Taylor, and that General Joe E. Johnston is to command the armies of the South-West, second only to Lee in authority. Beauregard is at Tupel.

Large numbers of troops have left Nash- ville for New Orleans, it is believed for an expedition against Mobile, or up the Red River. An expedition is organizing at New Orleans for Pacagoula.

It is reported that Price has captured Fort Smith, Arkansas, with a garrison of 2000 men.

ADMIRAL PORTER'S Official Report of the taking of Fort Fisher contains the fol- lowing paragraph:—

These works are tremendous. I was in Fort Malakoff a few days after its surrender to the French and British. The combined Armies of those two nations were months capturing that stronghold, and it was not to be compared either in size or strength to Fort Fisher. The Fort contained 75 guns and many of them were heavy ones.

CONSUL AT SIAM.

The Senate Jan. 7th in executive session, confirmed the nomination of James L. Hood of Illinois; to be U. S. Consul at Bangkok, Siam.

TELEGRAM.

Wilmington taken—Charleston taken. Beauregard dead.—Panic in Liverpool, Cot- ton down to one shilling.

Police Cases,

An Agent to the Court of Ava.

We learn that Captain Sladden of the Madras Army, has been appointed by the Governor General of India, British Agent at the Court of Ava.

Dr. Williams who was insulted and threat- ened by the Burmese officials, as men- tioned by a writer in the columns of contemporary some mouth since, was not a regular accredited Agent of the British Government, but only an Agent of Colonel Phaire the commissioner of British Burmah. If these insults be repeated in the case of Captain Sladden, Burmah may soon find herself in the condition of Bhootan, which is atoning for its outrages towards a British Agent by the loss of a large portion, if not of all of its territory.

Steamer Chow Phya, Left Singapore at 4 P. M. on Thursday March 16th, arrived at Cape St. James, on Monday 20th, and left Saigon, on Thursday 23rd, arriving at the bar on the evening of the 26th, Crossing the bar at 6.30 A. M. on Monday 27th, and arriving in Bangkok, at Noon.

Mons. Brum. Mrs. Howetson and family, and Dr. Squire.

FROM HOME NEWS.
SPAIN

The ministry have obtained a large majority in the election of the members of the committee appointed by the Congress to examine the bill for the forced loan. In consequence of this it is believed that no change will take place in the ministry.

Accounts from Puerto Rico state that a party hos- tile to Spain were agitating throughout the country. Some political agents from the Federal States had been arrested and expelled by the authorities.

The forced loan proposed by the Minister of Finance had been sanctioned into a voluntary one.

Intelligence had been received at Madrid from Lisbon, announcing that Portugal had resolved upon remaining neutral in the war between Brazil. Par- aguay, and the Bands Oriental.

THE DUCHIES.

It has been announced in Berlin that the answer sent by the Prussian government to the Austrian despatch of Dec. 31 which re- ferred to the primary establishment of the Prince of Augustenberg in the Duchies, leaves matters in the same condition of suspense. The Prussian government ad- heres to the demand that before an end is put to the provisional condition of affairs in the Duchies, the relations of the new State to Prussia shall be defined and set- tled. It is asserted, however, that in the new despatch, the pretensions made by Prussia respecting the future of Schleswig-Holstein and its position in the new State are not defined, since they are still being discussed by the Ministers at Berlin. Farther, the despatch again points to the necessity of receiving the opinion of the Crown jurists before any definitive arrangements are come to respecting the Duchies.

Besides this official despatch, M. von Bismarck has replied by a confidential note to the confidential despatch of Count von Mensdorff of the 31st December, which the Austrian representative at Berlin read to Prussian Prime Minister without leaving a copy. This reply, which is similar to the official answer, develops in a long argu- ment the motives which have prevented the Prussian government from agreeing to Count von Rechberg’s proposition of recognising provisionally, while reserving the questions of succession, Prince Frederic as Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, and of transmitting to him the rights acquired by the German Powers through the treaty of peace.

MEXICO.

Unreliable reports had boon received at New York, via San Francisco, to the effect that the Mexican government has ceded the provinces of Sonora, Chihuahua, Sindola, Durango, and Lower California to the Em- peror Napoleon, in return for the aid ren- dered by his troops in the establishment of the Mexican empire. Ex-Senator Gwin, of California, is said to have been appointed viceroy, with the title of Duke. The Vice- roy Gwin is to have a sufficient force of troops to support him in the exercise of his functions. Emigration to work the mines, and develop the resources of the provinces ceded to France, is to be encouraged from the Confederate States and from Southern residents in California. The alleged new State extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific.

The French troops were continually gain- ing new successes in their operations on the Pacific coast.

AUSTRIA

The Minister of Police has declared that at the end of February all the Poles detained in Austrian towns would be released. The prisoners are to receive 25 florins each for their expenses on the journey out of Austria.

FROM THE FRIEND OF INDIA.

THE condition of the native population in Bengal is such as to call urgently for the attention of Government. We are inform- ed that the villages between Calcutta and Kedgeree, along the banks of the river, are in a most deplorable state. The native pa- pers keep us well informed about the tyran- ny of English planters, but they are quite silent with reference to greater cruelty which is being practised by their own coun- trymen. A gentleman who went through a large portion of the suffering districts lately, distributing relief, states to us that everywhere the ryots came to him with touching complaints of the treatment they had experienced from the zemindars. "We do not want your money," they said, "but time to pay our rent, and that the zemin- dars will not give." Baboos who figure prominently in public meetings have refused to help their starving and houseless ryots in any way, and in the 24-Pergunnahs there are cases of oppression on the one side, and distress on the other, so inconceivable that they would be past belief, only that they are well accredited. In his worst phase the planter is a merciful man compared with some of these zemindars, for the planter is at least an Englishman, and not a coward by instinct, and a tyrant by nature, and a hypocrite by stress of both. "How could I act like this?" asked one zemindar of our informant, when the latter questioned him about his treatment of the ryots; "it would be against my reputation." Yet the ryots are driven out to perish in the fields, on which the crops are still rotting. Mr. Ashley Ellen, who searches so carefully into every reported case of oppression in the indigo districts, might with advantage direct his enquiries into the 24 Pergunnahs. Our in formation comes, as we have said, from gen- tlemen who have been engaged in the dis- tribution of relief, and it is very easy to as- certain on what foundation it is based. One fact is certain—the distress yet remaining throughout the flooded districts is very great. The loss of life has been estimated at no less than 60,000—upwards of 7000 persons having been swept off the island of Sangor alone. In the Hooghly district there is also a really awful scene of want and misery in almost every direction. The Magis- trate of Serampore happened the other day to visit the village of Dwarhatta, in the Than- nah of Hurripal, and found unspeakable wretchedness and desolation. The epidemic fever had swept away whole households, or carried off adults, leaving only children to wander about the huts. The tanks were full of rotting vegetation, and the trees lay where they had fallen. On making known the case to the Relief Committee, one thousand rupees were sent, and with this sum Mr. Ryland has distributed medicines, and greatly lightened the distress. The ravages of the fever are appalling, or perhaps we should rather say they would be appal- ling in any land but India. The unhappy people fall sick, and by themselves down to die without hope of help. If there happen to be a native doctor near, he refuses to visit them without a fee; and this world’s goods they have none, and so they simply perish. The medical men of Hooghly have been generous in going about, but the in- fected district is now very wide, and ex- traordinary measures would be required to do all that is called for. The fever is in it- self a terrible one—even if it does not kill outright, it leaves its victims shattered so that they cannot work for months, or in- capacitates them from future labour alto- gether. It is impossible to tell the extent of suffering which is going on in this one district alone. The missionaries, assisted by the Relief Committee, have done what they can to relieve it. But it is the lament- able truth to state that whole districts are at this moment being rapidly depopulated.

The Courrier de Saigon some twelve months ago condemned the policy of any Government interference with the selling of opium, and was content to leave to other nations “the murderous glory of poisoning populations by this impure source of reve- nue.” This Courrier, as we stated last week, is the official paper. The French have not been consistent. Revenue, even from opium, they found was not to be des- pised, and they not long ago established an opium farm at Saigon which they sold to a Frenchman for eight thousand dollars a month. The farmer was suspected of de- frauding the Government, was tried, thrown into prison, and has recently died, just as the reversal of his sentence arrived from the home Court of Calcutta. The Saigon authorities have rented the farm to some Chinese, which seems not a bad imitation, the the Straits Times remarks, of the "murder- ous glory" of "other nations."

—The overflow of the Nile this year has been six feet below that of last, and the Egyptian Government have, in consequence, issued an order prohibiting proprietors of land from sowing more than a fixed pro- portion of the ground with cotton. The prohibition of the export of wheat and flour has been continued, and there has been further prohibition of the export of barley. Wheat, barley, and flour, are, the Levant Herald states, to be admitted duty free up to the 7th of April 1865. —We see it stated that a convention has been concluded between the British Government and the Porte for the working of the Anglo-Indian telegraph. A Turk- ish office will be established at Fao where the land and sub-marine lines meet. One wiro from Constantinople will be exclusive- ly used for Indian messages.

-—We have received a telegram announcing the loss by fire of the Dundee ship Lochee on her way to Calcutta for jute. She was burnt off Galle with a loss of two men. The rest of the crew and five passengers were landed by the ship Sounhong, some of them much burnt. The ship belongs to the well- known firm of Cox Brothers who have the largest jute-spinning mills in the world. She had a cargo of wet coals which exploded. The passengers are fortunately being brought on by the P. and O. str. Sinla to Calcutta, but they have lost their all.

-—The King of Siam is quite as good a Political Economist as he is an English scholar. Owing to scarcity of rain a famine threatens, and the king publishes a declaration of perfect free trade, to put the people on their guard against the tricks of the rice-dealers. "Should any declare that there is an order from either of their Majesties, the First or the Second King, limiting the price of rice, to prevent its being sold at high rates, or to constrain the sell- er, do not believe him, but seize him, and deliver him over to the civil authorities." Would that such chiefs as Holkar and Rewah, who have become princely "Bunnias," where half as enlightened.

-—The Budhist Priests of Kandy have been engag- ed in the election of a Dowe Nilleme, or guardian to the shrine, containing the supposed tooth of Budha, in the great Kandy temple. The choice has fallen upon Coody Bando Dunuwille, the brother of a wellknown Advocate in the local courts. This selection is conditional on the approval of the Gov- ernor. What has the Governor of Ceylon to say to Budha's tooth? We were under the impression that the authorities there had long ceased to have the faintest semblance of connection with this partic- ular form of idolatry.