The Bangkok Recorder.

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Bangkok April 15th.

History bears out the fact that great
events are usually crowded together in a
brief period of time. And so it appears
in Siam. During the fortnight which in-
tervenes between the issues of our paper,
there is usually so little transpires, that we
have scarcely anything worth recording.
Two remarkable events however are this
time crowded into the brief space of two
weeks, since our last issue. The usual quiet
and monotony of the city and the Kingdom
has been ruffled by the summary and un-
ceremonious arrival amongst us of H. I. M.
Gun boat "Mitraille". Indeed she has creat-
ed quite a panic in some quarters. Accord-
ing to reports she passed Paknam with ports
open,—guns run out and manned, and
shot and shell strewed upon deck ready for
action. In vain did the poor authorities
display their signals in order that she
should pay them the usual civilities and
obtain permission to ascend the river.

This too is the more ridiculous as we sup-
pose the authorities there had not the slight-
est idea of the cause of this warlike attitude.
Had she however known the condition of
the forts she certainly would not have taken
the precautions to prepare for action, for we
suppose it would require at least twenty
four hours notice to be ready to fire a gun
from any of them. But why this uncere-
monious arrival amongst us!

Some time ago the French authorities at
Saigon assumed the prerrogative of taking
under their protection the Prince of Cam-
bodia, and of treating with him indepen-
dent of the King of Siam to whom he was
tributary. At this the Siamese authorities
were no doubt chagrined but they prompt-
ly yielded the point. The French treaty
gave them exclusive privilege with Cam-
bodia and no other power could treat there
without special permision to do so. In
answer to some inquiries however from
other powers, and especially from the Eng-
lish Foreign Office, the French declared
they did not wish to hold the exclusive
privilege of trading with Combodia.

Acting upon such a declaration or per-
haps a similar one granted privately to
them, the Siamese authorities proceeded to
negotiate a treaty with Cambodia, which
covered nearly, if not all the original
ground, and necessarily contravened some
of the articles of the French treaty. The
treaty of the Siamese was published, and
the question was naturally asked which one
was to be followed. The French could
therefore do nothing less than demand the
abrogation of that treaty.

The demand it is said was made by the
Consul, and yielded before the gun boat ar-
rived. In this affair the Siamese evidently
did wrong, and it will probably teach them
never again to do anything in a secret un-
derhanded way. They had already yielded
to the French the right to treat with and
protect Cambodia independent of them.
Having done this, they should not then
have concluded a treaty with Cambodia,
embodying articles which would contravene
the French treaty. The fact is they should
not have yielded in the first instance. It
is true they had not the power to resist but
they could have protested to the other treaty
powers and then if they had to yield they
would at least have shown some appear-
ance of being game.
All due concessions have however been
made, and the treaty it is said publicly dis-
troyed, and it is to be hoped the French
will be satisfied and not again assume the
prerogative of protecting powers tributary
to other nations.

Another event however has occurred
which will doubtless in a manner atone for
this apparent humiliation, and compensate
for all previous concessions. Another white
elephant has been found in the forest and
surrounded. His Excellency the Pra-klang
it is said together with some others has
gone post haste to the place to assist in
securing the precious creature. Should they
be successful and succeed in bringing her
to Bangkok, the event will augur well for
the future prosperity of the kingdom.

Such will be the power of her presence,
that the "Mitraille" might almost venture
to scatter some of her mischievous missiles
around indiscriminately and they would
doubtless prove perfectly harmless. It is
to be hoped however that she will not be
killed with kindness as some of her pre-
decessors have been.

These greater events doubtless cast the
Song-Kran somewhat in the shade. The
people however appear to be enjoying their
play. Every house has become during the
holidays a gambling house, and the whole
family from the oldest to the youngest
may oftentimes be seen seated around in
a circle wasting precious time in gambling.

The number of red cloths too, displayed
around by the young of both sexes indicate
that something unusual is going on.

Some too are making sand gods at the
Wats, the belief being, that any one who
succeeds during his life time in making
4500 of those gods will have secured
merit sufficient to clear him from all future
punishment. These performances and a
rather formidable procession which took
place in conveying a stuffed elephant to
one of the Wats at Ban-Ta-wai completed
the general round of amusements.

AMERICAN GENERALS.

No war since the day that wars first be-
gan when Abraham punished the treacher-
ous kings of the plain, has been prolific of
so many Generals as the present momentous
struggle in the United States. On the side
of the government at least seventy five
Major, and about four hundred Brigadier
Generals are the result of a four years con-
test. But perhaps two thirds of the Major,
and very many of the Brigadier have been
laid upon the shelf, never again to be taken
down. When the Rebellion broke out, Lieu-
tenant General Scott,—the old Hero who
had never lost a battle was superannuated,
not at all able to take the field, and indeed
was considered too old to take the manage-
ment of affairs as General-in-Chief, which
office he resigned shortly after the war
commenced. General R. E. Lee now Gen-
eral-in-chief of the Rebel forces was the pet
of General Scott,—was a member of his
staff,—knew all his tactics, and it was con-
ceded by all that as a strategist he ranked
next to the old Hero himself. Next to Lee
came Albert Sydney Johnston, who Com-
manded the expedition to Utah, and
when the rebellion commenced was in com-
mand of the fortifications of California.
He also went over to the rebels and was
killed at the battle of Shiloh. General
Joseph E. Johnson also stood high, and
as an engineer Beauregard had few superiors,
but these too were also on the side of the
rebellion. Beauregard fired the first gun at
the national flag, and if the last telegram be
true, he has met his just reward,—perhaps
was killed in defense of the place where he
committed his first act of treason. Gen-.
ral Wool was also nearly superannuated, and
besides between him and Scott a deadly
feud existed.

When President Lincoln called for seventy
five thousand men to put down the rebel-
lion, it was necessary to have some one to
lead them in the field. The choice of the
government, from political motives rather
than any thing else, fell upon Gen. Irwin
Mc. Dowel, who had been employed for
some time in the bureaux at Washington.
His military abilities are no doubt respect-
able, but his record at Bull Run proved that
he was not the man for the crisis, and had
no claim to the first place among Generals.
The eyes of the nation were then turned
toward George B. Mc. Clellan, as the one
who was to be instrumental in saving the
country. He was among the youngest of
coming men, and had enjoyed rare privil-
eges. He was a favorite at West Point, and
stood at the head of his class, and in point
of ability doubtless deserved it. He passed
through the Mexican war, and in company
with R. E. Lee was sent by the government
to the Crimea to see war as conducted by
Europeans. He was first placed in charge
in Western Virginia where his campaign
was a complete success. Upon the retirement
of Lieutenant General Scott, Me. Clellan
was called to Washington and made Gen-
eral-in-chief. The energy and perseverance
with which he took hold of the raw mate-
rial and made the army of the Potomac,
proved him to be a schoolmaster for an
army second to none perhaps in the world.
When he started upon his Peninsular cam-
paign he was in some way relieved of the
chief control of the armies, and Secretary
Stanton entered upon his disastrous career
as General-in-chief. During the Peninsular
campaign Mc Clellan was unfortunately
"taken in charge" by a set of politicians,
which circumstance eventually proved his
ruin. Had he possessed the good sense to
have repudiated all such advances, or like
Grant, to have kept his politics to himself,
he might possibly have continued to be
the man.

As a General his great fault appeared to
be over cautiousness and as a consequence
he was denounced as tardy. His plans
on the Peninsula were greatly interfered
with by the President, which was perhaps
the most disastrous blunder committed
by Mr. Lincoln during the whole of the
severe ordeal through which he has passed.
Mc.Clellan was finally recalled from the
Peninsula against his will, and part of his
troops given to that paragon of imbecility,
John Pope, who through the influence of
General Halleck had been placed in com-
mand in Virginia. Pope had done tolera-
bly well as a subordinate under Halleck
in the west, but when given a large com-
mand his first address to the army should
have secured his removal at once. His in-
becile career ended in the disasters of a
second Bull Run. —Lee with a powerful and
victorious army invaded Maryland. The
fragments of the Potomac army were again
speedily collected together to repel the in-
vasion, and as no one else was to be found,
the command was again entrusted to Mc.
Clellan, who followed Lee, drove him from
Hagerstown Heights, whipped him severely
at Antietem, and had he possessed a little
more dash, and followed up his victory he
might have destroyed Lee's army before he
recrossed the Potomac. He followed Lee
across the Potomac and there stopped to
re-arrange the army and await proper sup-
plies. General Halleck, and President
Lincoln urged him again and again to
move, but he still replied he was not ready:
but before he got ready he was relieved of
his command. There can be little doubt
however that if his plans had not been in-
terferred with, or he removed from the Pen-
insula he would in time have taken Rich-
mond. And after crossing the Potomac
in the latter instance, had he moved before
he was ready, he might like his successors
have met the defeats of Fredericksburg and
Chancelorville. Had he however been
contented to remain upon the shelf until
the end of the war he would doubtless have
been looked upon as the victim of political
jealousy, and consequently somewhat of a
martyr, and he might therefore have been
elevated to the highest office in the gift of
the people. but he suffered himself to be
carried into the political arena too soon,
and although repudiating their platform, he
accepted the nomination of the “Peace-at
any-price party” for President. His star
completely disappeared on the 8th of Nov-
ember 1864. He will now never perhaps
occupy a higher position than President of
a railroad company, for which position he
is said to be eminently qualified.

TUILERIES.

Soon after the tragedy of the St. Bar-
tholemew Catherine deserted the Tuileries
seized away by the terror of a name; bold
as she was and utterly regardless while she
pursued the career of her ambition, both of
the restraints of morality, and the threaten-
ings of human opposition. An astrologer
had foretold that she would die near St.
Germain—a prediction judiciously enough
framed—the name of this Saint being very
common in old Paris, so that it would have
been difficult to reside there at all, without
being in the neighborhood of some place so
designated. But having thus as she imagined
obtained notice of the intention of the fates,
Catherine resolved if possible to elude them.
With this view we are told, she scrupulously
avoided entering any of the churches that
bore the dreaded name in question. She
even refrained from going any more to the
Royal Palace at St. Germain en Laye, which
she had been in the habit of frequently
visiting. Finally on bethinking herself that
the Tuileries was in the Parish of St. Ger-
main l’ Auxerrois, she actually determined
to abandon that residence, notwithstanding
all the wealth she had expended upon it.
She thereupon built another residence on
the site of the Convent Filles Penitentes—
now that of the Hulle Aux Ble' which she
purchased from these Nuns. In this house
called from her the Hotel de la Reine, and
after her decease successively the Hotel des
Princesses, and the Hotel de Soissons, she
died in 1589. Did she then after all escape
the astrologers prediction ?. The priest
who attended her in her last hours was the
Bishop of Nazareth, whose name was Lau-
rence de St. Germain—and this which was
probably a chance, the author of the proph-
ecy had not counted upon, was deemed
fulfilment enough to save his credit, and that
of the imaginary science. The stories of
such oracles generally end in this manner,
after the example of riddles that amuse
children of smaller growth. I cannot how-
ever help diverging a little from my subject
to remind our English readers of another,
of a similar character that has been told of
the death of our own King Henry the IV.
and which Shakespeare has remembered in
giving us the death scene of that Monarch.
"Doth any name in particular," asks Hen-
ry, "belong unto the lodging where I first
did swoon?" To which the Earl of War-
wick answers "It is called Jerusalem my no-
ble Lord." On this the King exclaimed: -

We may mention here that Catherine,
when she removed to her new residence, did
not abandon her astrological speculations.
In the building of the Hotel de la Reine
was a fluted doric tower, the work of John
Bullant, ninety five feet in height having a
winding stair case within, which Catherine
had built to serve her as a ,neans to read
the mysterious book of the stars. An
Italian astrologer, named Comes de Ruggieri,
is particularly mentioned as having been
wont to accompany her to the top of this
observatory, and there to assist her in thus
vainly attempting to penetrate into the
night of the future. This watch tower is
still to be seen in the outer wall of the
magnificent Halle Aux Ble', being the only
part of the Hotel de la Reine that now re-
mains standing. A fountain now issues from
its pedestal, and a sun dial of very ingenious
construction has been placed on the shaft.
It is a fit emblem of the changed spirit of
the times, that what in one age was dedica-
ted to the high but visionury aim of
communing with the stars by a bold and
ambitious spirit, should in ours be made to
serve the humbler and more useful purpose
of showing the passing hour to those who
labor in the peaceful duties of commerce.

STEAM SUGAR MILL.

It was full 2 P. M. on the 3rd day ere we
reached the Steam Sugar Mill of Poh Yim
& Co., now rented to “The Borneo Company
Limited” and said to be twenty miles be-
low the town of Na-k’awn-Chiesee. It must
be that that measurement is made via some
short-cuts and not around all the great
bends which the river makes. Seeing a
boat bearing a family of Europeans ap-
proaching his dwelling, Mr. S., the chief
Engineer of the establishment, came down
and very politely received us at his landing,
and conducted us up into his house
which, though rudely built by Siamese
carpenters, was made very pleasant by an
English occupant arranging European furni-
ture according to good notions of order and
comfort. We were seated in the "Old
arm chair" as well as the new. Even the
old American rocking chair had two or
more prepossessing representatives in the
spacious verandah, which were prompt to
offer us their arms and their embrace

Having intimated to our host, that the
chief object of our calling upon him un-
ceremoniously was to see the Steam Sugar
Mill, and having declined his poilte invita-
tion to dinner, he conducted us into the
Mill, and very attentively pointed out to
us the most important parts of the establish-
ment. We were much pleased with the
whole both in the general and the particu-
lar. Every thing was entirely new, and
had been in operation only about ten days.
The machinery was said to be in good
working order. The grinding of the cane
with two Iron Mills by steam power, in our
view casts the old mode of our enormous
wooden cog-rollers by buffalo power entirely
into the shade. They perform the work with
mach greater rapidity and much more per-
fectly, the cane coming out on the opposite
side almost dry enough to be used imme-
diately for fuel in the furnaces.

Would that we could have remained
sufficiently long to have obtained a minute
and accurate knowledge of all we saw.
Suffice it to say that we were at once struck
with the vast improvements in Siamese and
Chinese Sugar making which this New
Mill is about introducing, and which must
eventually work in it a great revolution.
How much more expeditious, ( we involun-
tarily exclaimed,) is the boiling of the cane
juice ! How much less fuel the furnaces
require ! And how much more rapidly is the
syrup converted into beautifully grained
sugar !

As we passed the native Sugar Mills on
our way to the place, what first struck
our attention was the great number and
large capacity of the buildings required for
the execution of their work. Secondly the
mountain piles of wood in front of them.

But when we came to the Steam Mill the
outward show was so small and so modest,
that but one moderate sized building cover-
ed with zinc, or galvanized iron sheets, with
two tall white chimney was to be seen.
And, as to the wood pile, it was so small as
to escape entirely our observation. When
we inquired of Mr. S—how he managed
for fuel his reply was, that he needed but
little wood, as the cane was so soon and
easily dried that it answered nearly all
his wants for that purpose.

We were particularly interested with the
machinery for grinding the syrup by cen-
trifugal power. We will venture a rough
description of it. Fancy six or eight vessels
somewhat like kettles, two feet deep by as
many in diameter, the sides of which are
of fine sieve work. These are so arranged
as to revolve horizontally on each its own
axis. The cold syrup being poured a few
gallons into each kettle at a time, and the
band of the machinery slipped on the props
per wheel!, they are made to bus around
with great velocity a minute or two, which
causes the syrup, (till then only occupying
the bottom of the kettles,) to rise up and
cleave to their sides. This centrifugal
power and rapid stirring of the syrup
causes it at once to grain, and presses that
part of it which will not turn into sugar, out-
wardly through the sieve-like sides of the ket-
tles. When they begin to spin around,
you will see the dark shade of the syrup,
rapidly disappearing, and a brighter and
whitish one coming over it. When the
color has attained to the desired shade, the
evolution is stopped by a slip of the band,
and you find the grained sugar adhering
equally to all the sides of the kettles, the
molasses having been driven by centrifugal
power through the interstices of the sieve
outwardly, and collected in the common reser-
voir for another boiling. Then, men standing
ready with open bags and ladles at
each kettle, step up and lade out the sugar,
putting it into bags, all ready for market.

Now the graining and drying process,
by this new mode, requiring not over three
minutes of time to complete, requires by
the old mode more than a month. The
old mode is to put the syrup into earthen
pots of six or eight gallons capacity, having
their lower ends moulded to an acute oval
points, with a small orifice at their points
for the egress of such part of the syrup as
will not grain. These pots are made to
stand up on their oval ends by putting
them in a smaller earthen vessel, designed
for catching the drainings of the sugar.
You may see many hundreds of these
sugar drainers standing in rows under
immense attap covered sheds. After a little
time a layer of fine plastic clay, an inch or
two thick, is placed on the top of the sugar
in each of the drainers, which causes the
molasses of the sugar to recede towards the
bottom of the pots, leaving, after many
days, a stratum two or more inches thick of
whitish sugar immediately underneath the
clay, at which time the latter has become
dry and shrunken. It is then removed and
the drained sugar laded out. The remain-
der is covered with another soft layer of
clay, and waited upon in the same way and
manner as above described. This process
needs to be repeated many times before
the whole of the sugar in the drainers has
been whitened.

With all the tardiness of this old mode,
there is another serious fault to be found
with it, which is, that some of the clay will
necessarily adhere to the sugar. Hence the
small lumps of earth which are often to be
seen in Siamese sugars, and which all are
forced to eat when they use it. And a-
gain, when the draining after the old mode
has been finished, the sugar comes off in
irregular and coarse lumps. To remedy this,
they spread it out to dry a little time in the
sun, and then subject it to a smashing
process by means of heavy blocks with long
handles attached, drawn and pushed over
it on a hard floor. This is the finishing
stroke.

Now contrast all this laborious and te-
dious process with that most admirable one
of the Steam Mill. There the syrup is
grained, and dried, and pulverised in a few
moments of time, and immediately put up
for market.

We could not but be delighted with this
manifestation of superior wisdom and skill,
which the divine author of all wisdom, has
been pleased to impart to our brother man.
It would seem that these godless Buddhist
would be impressed with such exhibitions
of a "superhuman agency" and be con-
strained to confess, that mankind of the
Western and Christian nations, have en-
joyed some peculiar communications with
a living and all wise God, and Father, which
they themselves have never experienced,
and that they would be thus inclined to seek
after the same friend and helper. But such
seems not to be the result as yet. They
are prone to resolve all the vast differences
between Western improvements and their
own to the notion that the fates, and not
God, have done it all in consideration of
personal merit acquired by, and laid up in
store for the Western races countless ages
in the past.

The proprietors and employees of the na-
tive sugar mills, seem to look upon the
New Mill with a jealous eye, and are look-
ing for it to fail as did an effort, similar in
kind, made some for five years since in their
own neighborhood. But we were pleased
with the token of credit they gave to the New
Mill, which was, that it does not run on
Sundays.—The Lord bless the men who
thus honor him.

When about to take leave of Mr. S. he
made the remark, that this year was going
to prove an unfortunate one for the com-
mencement of the new enterprise, as the
universal drought had left the sugar cane
with an unusually small quantity of juice,
and that so brackish as seriously to prevent
the graining of the syrup. This peculiarity
of the sap he thought to be in consequence
of the “latter rains ” having too suddenly
stopped, thus allowing the tidal waters to
become saltish from the preponderating in-
fluences of the sea.

Thinking that perhaps this unfortunate
circumstance might be ascribed in part to
some fault in the new mode of making the
sugar, we took occasion to make inquiries
of a native mill touching this point, and
were happy to learn that it could not be
from any fault of the New Mill, but wholly
attributable to the salt in the cane juices.
Our Chinese informants said, that the cane
of all the southern parts of the Province of
Na-kawn-Chie-see, had this year been great-
ly injured by the preponderance of sea
water over rain water,—that consequently
the juice of the cane produces an unusually
large amount of refuse molasses compared
with the sugar,—and that hence there will
this year be a great failure in all the native
mills in that quarter.

From the same person we obtained the
following particulars concerning native mills;
vis—That on the Ta-cheen river there are
in operation, this year, 25 native sugar mills,
that each of them has, on an average, 200
workmen—that the cane is bought by the
field or Rei (180 feet square) at from 20
to 30 ticals per field,—that buffaloes are
hired to grind the cane for one tical for
every 20 large pails of sap which they
press out,—that common workmen get from
15 to 20 ticals per month—the firemen
(being eight persons for each furnace) 30
ticals per month,—and that the wood for
an ordinary establishment costs 100 Changs
—8000 ticals, per annum.

The Steam Mill, we are credibly inform-
ed, has produced on an average 125 piculs
of sugar daily for the last three months,
and if the cane were as good as it has
been many years past, the daily average
would be not less than 200 piculs.

TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS.

We find it almost impossible with native
compositors to get wholly clear of those an-
noyances. It is frequently no doubt the
fault of the Editor or proof reader, but
oftentimes corrections have been made in
the proof which were overlooked by the
compositors, and not noticed by others un-
til too late to remedy them. If we there-
fore sometimes murder the English and
sense of our correspondents we can only
ask their pardon and indulgence, promis-
ing in future to try to do better. We hope
however none of them will ever be placed
in so sad a predicament as the young gen-
tleman in the following lines.—-

FIRST APPEARANCE IN TYPE.

CHIENG MAI, TRIP.

Lakawn is the principal Laos city south
of Chieng Mai. It has at present a popu-
lation of about twenty thousand. It bears
evidence however of having been a larger
city in former times, as but little more
than half the space embraced within the old
city walls is now occupied. Some very
large dilapidated wats in that portion of the
old city, indicate that it was once inhabited.
The most of the present city is situated on
the East bank of the Quaa Wang, and was
the first walled town of the Laos to which
we came. The walls are very regularly
laid out and built of brick, except on the
side facing the river, which is of teak plank
or slabs about four inches thick, driven in
the ground so close together that they
make quite a compact wall. We could not
at first explain why it was that the river
side, which is most liable to an attack ac-
cording to the Siamese mode of travel and
warfare, should have been left comparatively
exposed, as even the teak walls in that has
are evidently of later date. The difficulty
was solved however, when, on crossing to
the West side of the river, we found the
remains of the old wall referred to above,
coming down to the river just opposite to
the walls of the present city on the East.
If this explanation be correct, and I have
no doubt that it is, the original town was
situated on both sides of the river enclosed
by a regular quadrangular wall. Whether
its population has dimished in proportion
as its limits have been contracted I did
not ascertain, though it is altogether pro-
bable that it has, and that it was once much
more populous than it is now, a portion of it
having been destroyed in some of the great
revolutions and changes that must have
taken place in the country.

Its political relations, as well as those of
all the other Laos towns in the north, are
somewhat complicated. There is first the
allegiance which they owe to their own
governor whose authority is much more
absolute than that of the governors in Siam-
ese cities and provinces. They employ
very much the same court language in re-
ference to him that the Siamese are accus-
tomed to use to their kings and princes.
When he comes he sedets and when you
visit him you fow him. In the second
place all the Siam-Laoatian cities and
provinces in the north owe a kind of alle-
giance to the Chieng Mai Prince.

This is in some case probably, but little
more than the semblance of a former au-
thority, which was once real and great.
When the Laos was an independent country,
Lakawn, Lampoon, Ton and others were
provincial of gubernatorial cities, tributary
to the king of Chieng Mai. Their govern-
ors were appointed by the Laos King, just
as the governor of P'ripp'ri is appointed by
the Siamese Crown. When his mother
was conquered and became herself tributary
to Siam, his daughters still continued to
look up to her with filial reverence. Her
prince is regarded with no little deference
by the whole Laos people. Whether it is
merely optional on their part or not, it is
not any the less real. I think they all pay
an annual tribute to their former master.
It may be due in part, not so much to any
legal authority that he has over them, as to
the fact that the governors in all these places
belong to the old royal family of Chieng
Mai Princes. Being the highest living re-
presentatives of that race, they all feel a kind
of traditional pride on account of their con-
nection with him. One of the first things
that the governor of Lakawn and Lampoon
tell you, is that they are his relatives, and
are descended from their former line of
kings.

And last, but not least, since the whole
country became tributary to Siam, they
owe an allegiance to His Majesty the King
of Siam, who boasts, and not without reason,
of being sovereign of all the Laos provinces.
&c. &c. Although I suppose he would be
too prudent to depart from custom so far as
to appoint any other than a representative
of that family, as a governor in any of those
places, yet none would dare dispute his
right if he were to exercise it. Their ap-
pointment must come regularly from Bang-
kok, and they must have the royal seal
and sanction before they can take their of-
fice. Not long before we were at Tôn, the
governor of that place deceased. What
they call the Wang Na, (or second king
as it would be in Siam) was acting governor,
and was awaiting his appointment before
he could take the full title and authority
of his office. And although his appointment
was regarded as pretty certain, yet when
asked if he would succeed his brother, he
replied very cautiously, that it was just as
his Most gracious Majesty in Siam, should
see proper to grant. This tripple allegiance
connecting their cities with the royal family
of Siam, and the old one of the Laos, as
well as with their own governors, may be
very flattering to their vanity, but it makes
it more burdensome to the people.

We stayed there from Friday till Monday,
and found enough to interest us during
that time. The old governor received us
very kindly. He is about eighty years old
and rather in his dotage. The Palat who
attended to all the business, very kindly
and promptly made all our preparations for
departing on Monday morning. On such a
long trip our arrivals and our departures
were both interesting events to us. We
were glad to get to the next stopping place
and as glad to leave it again.

We met there a son of Nikorñbawdin,
who had been up to Chieng Mãi on some
public business. He came down with a
train of thirty or forty elephants. We had
written home from Rã-hááng by the gov-
ernor who promised to send or carry our
letters in a few days, but could not resist
the good opportunity kindly offered by this
gentleman of writing again. He said he
would surely reach home in fifteen days.
What was our disappointment therefore,
when about a month afterwards, on reaching
Rã-hááng we found the royal messenger
still there, and also both of our letters, so
that we acted as the bearers of our own
despatches.

After leaving Lakawn we had but little
to interest us the first day. From this we
found salas at appropriate distances apart,
built for the accommodation of the Chieng
Mai Prince and his train, when he goes
over annually to visit his relatives and make
merit during the season of T'awat Katin.
Our road the second day was most roman-
tic. It was up and down the steep ascent
of a mountain gorge, from the summit of
which flowed down in opposite directions, a
little rivulet enlarging as it advanced till it
was quite a large stream in the plain below.
Now, we were making our way along the
bed of the winding brook, again, we were
climbing up its steep bank's, and anon were
suspended as if by a hair's-breadth fifty feet
above it, as it rolled along in the deep chasm
beneath our feet. The memory of the scene
almost produced a shudder as to what would
have been our fate had a single mis-step
been made by our trust-worthy animals.
This road was often literally so narrow that
they had to scrape their sides and the how-
dahs against the solid rocks that rose up
perpendicularly from the path. The dif-
ficulty was increased because it was not only
the narrowest path along which we had to
wind our way, but also very irregular and
rocky. There was often but one track just
the size and shape of his huge foot worn
by the constant travel of elephants for
generations. But when planted there, you
were sure of two things—one was that it
was safe, and the other that at an appropriate
distance there would be a similar one for
the other foot. It is seldom that one meets
with more beautiful little cascades or water-
falls made by the bounding forth of the
brook over the steep sides of the mountain.
One would enjoy the scenery better could
he descend, as we sometimes did and walk,
than when shut up in his narrow coop—as
the howdah is called in Siamese. But the
road was so tortuous, being first on the one
side, and then on the other of the brook,
that we were compelled to ascend again in
order to cross it. Already had the tem-
perature of the atmosphere changed so much,
especially along the cool mountain heights
that a constant foot bath was not very
pleasant. Our own feelings as well as the
scar leaves of the trees in all directions,
gave indubitable evidence that we wore in
a higher latitude. About noon we reached
the summit of the mountain, and singularly
enough we found a similar gorge and brook
descending on the other side, only the
descent was neither so steep nor so ro-
mantic. About 4 P. M. we came to the
plain, and reached our sala about dark.
We expected to reach Lampoon by noon
on Wednesday. We were nearly correct
in this calculation. At twelve o'clock we
saw a large wat, which showed us that we
were again nearing the habitations of men.
The city walls soon appeared, and by two
we were in the royal sala, which serves as
the only inn for the traveler in the Laos
country. Here we must remain, asking the
indulgence of your kind readers for our slow
progress in our narrative. We will promise
to inflict but two more short articles on
their patience, in the rest of our route to
Chieng Mai and back to Bangkok.

RAILWAY EXTENSION

The scheme of uniting the Russian,
Canadian and American lines of telegraph
by way of Behring's Straits, and of so
girdling the world, is eagerly advocated in
America. Mr. Lincoln, in his Message,
stated that "an association of American
citizens" had begun their part "under
very favorable circumstances," while the
South American Republics have agreed to
make tributary lines. The submarine cable
under the Straits from Cape Prince of
Wales to Cape East in Asia, will be only
thirty miles long. Thence another subma-
rine line will run under the Gulf of Anadir,
across Kamschatka and round the Sea of
Ochorsk to the Amoor. At present the
Russian line is open direct to Irkutsk, the
capital of Siberia, on the way to the mouth
of the Amoor and a branch is working be-
tween that city—and of course St. Peters-
burg and London—and Kiachia on the
frontier of China. The extension of the
line from Kiachts to Tientain, by Ourga
and through Mongolia, is meanwhile delay-
ed. Another branch will run from the
Amoor up the Ussouri, and thence to the
Gulf of Possiet in the Sea of Japan. The
Russian part of the main line from the
Amoor to America, will be 2000 miles.
At present news from China reaches Lon-
don by Kiachta and St. Petersburg sooner
than by steamers to Sues. Were the
Government of India to agree to Colonel
Phayre's proposal to survey the country
between Tonghoo and Hong Kong, London,
Calcutta and the ports of China might be
in telegraphic communication within the
next two years. Russia is by no means
eager for the continuation of its telegraphic
lines to America, and the zeal of the Amer-
cans will very much cool, if the second
attempt to lay an Atlantic cable succeeds.
Two months ago 641 miles of the Atlantic
cable had been manufactured at East Green-
witch, and since then the work has proceod-
ed at the rate of fourteen miles a day. The
whole length required is 2300 miles. The
Great Eastern has doubtless by this time,
nearly the whole cable on board, and it is
expected to be laid before next August.
The line recommended and carefully sur-
veyed runs from the north of Scotland to
the south coast of Greenland. Science will
certainly not rest till the faint and solitary
pulsation of the first cable is developed in-
to easy and continued intercourse.

The subject of telegraphic extension de-
rives new importance from the fact that two
new setlements, or subordinate colonies,
have just been established on the north
coast of Australia. At the north-east point
of this island the Colony of Queensland has
planted the town of Somerset, so as to com-
mand the navigation of Torres Straits. The
new port is nine and a half degrees of latitude
north of Cardwell, the extreme port of
Queensland on the east coast. The settlers
at Somerset are prepared to supply with
fresh meat the ships which are ever passing
on this highway between Calcutta or Bom-
bay and Sydney or Melbourne. The people
of Queensland look to it as the coaling
station for the steamers they hope soon to
send to Singapore. At present the colonial
steamers ran as far north as Cardwell and
the Dutch steamers as far south as Timor.
Already the eager settlers see the telegraph
extended on both sides to their port, and
vessels calling at Somerset for orders from
the merchants of Melbourne, Sydney, Bata-
via, Singapore and India. The other colony
has been planted by the citizens of Adelaide,
whose agent discovered the spot, at the
mouth of the Adelaide river in Adam Bay,
Arnheim's Land. We fear even the most
recent maps will not enable our readers to
find the place, but it lies in the middle of
the northern coast of Australia. The ex-
pedition have found the country to be all
that they expected, except that its natives
are stalwart and pertinacious thieves above
six feet in stature. Already the new set-
tlers and the savages have had an encounter.
The latter, during the night, cut open fif-
teen bags of flour and spilled the contents
in the river, for the sake of the bags. The
Adelaide river is described as "magnificent."
It is a mile wide at the mouth, narrowing to
six hundred yards within the first twenty
miles. In one of its splendid reaches Port
Daly, called after the Governor of South
Australia, has been marked out. Ships
may discharge their cargoes at the bank in
six fathoms of water. Palms and sandle-
wood trees mark the semi-tropical character
of the climate. Good fish and water are
abundant, and the soil "is rich almost to
extravagance." The new colony promises to
become a great cotton and timber country,
drawing on China for its labour and on In-
dia for many of its supplies. Through such
colonies as these, and by the establishment
of a such a commercial and currency system
as will allow the gold to flow directly to
India, the connection between our Eastern
and Australian empires promises to be most
intimate and valuable.-—Friend of India,
February 9.

The Iroquois, which leaves our Harbour
this day is not a new vessel, having been
built before the war ; but she has been
mounted with some of the most modern
ordnance. She carries 6 broadside 32
pounders and two parrot guns—one throw-
ing 100 lb shot on the maindeck before the
mainmast, and one throwing about 60 lb
shot mounted on the forecastle. She has
powerful engines and has steamed 13 knots.
She is commanded by Captain Rodgers U.
S. N.

Why is Sherman the most gallant Gener-
al in the army? Because he rushed across
the continent to save Ames.

Why are the English the worst judges of
cattle in the world? Because the Pope sent
them a bull and they thought it was
a bore.

Police Cases,

ITEMS.

His Royal Highness Krom. Hluang
Wongsa, has been confined to his bed-room
more than a month by a phlegmonous sore
on his side, which, it has been feared, might
prove to be malignant. We are happy to
inform all his numerous European friends
that His Royal Highness is now convales-
cent, with every prospect of a quick
recovery.

His R. Highness being unable to visit
his elder relatives according to custom
on Song-kran holidays, for the purpose of
sprinkling and blessing them with conse-
crated water, deputised his beautiful daught-
er of seven years of age to make the calls
and perform the ceremonies in his name.
This she did having her person richly
decorated with gold, diamonds and other
precious stones in the form of necklaces,
bracelets and anklets.

This city was favored with a pleasant
shower of rain on the night of the 11th
inst, which we hope and trust has broken
the intense drought with which the whole
land has suffered for a period of more than
five months.

AN ENIGMA

The Value Of Wilmington.

The correspondent concludes his remarks
on the value of earthwork defences founded
on the successful resistance offered, as well
as his advice to England to weigh well the
advisibility of defensive stone forts, read
rather strangely after the second successful
attack, the accounts of which have already
been published. His introductory remarks
on the value of Wilmington to the Con-
federates may be of some value, as showing
what is thought or put forward by the Con-
federates themselves by way of encourage-
ment:—

Those of your readers who take interest
in American affairs have long been aware
of the alleged importance to the Confederates
of the retention of Wilmington. In spite of
much pretended mystery in Richmond a-
bout the incomings and outgoings of
blockade-defying vessels connected with
this port, I have reason to know that the
fullest and most accurate information is
week after week in the possession of Mr.
Lincoln and of his navy about every ves-
sel which leaves or enters Wilmington, a-
bout the names and circumstances of every
English or Confederate merchant or com-
pany connected with blockade-running ven-
tures, and about the sentiments which pre-
vail in the streets of this filthy little entrepot.
In regard to the tone and sentiment of most
of the population which has been attracted
to Wilmington as vultures to the carcass,
it is not necessary for me now to say more
than that it is widely different from that
which animates General Lee and his noble
army. But I may be permitted to express
a passing opinion that if the abundant in-
ternal resources of the Confederacy were
available wherever they are wanted—in
other words, if the railroad transportation
between Georgia and Virginia was as am-
ple and as well regulated as between Illinois
and Washington—it would be rather a bles-
sing than otherwise to the Confederates if
the port of Wilmington were shortly closed.
So long as the war continues there will be
a demand for muskets, nitre, medicines,
blankets, army clothing, and shoes, notwith-
standing the abundant introduction of those
articles which has already taken place; but
it is doubtful whether a sufficient supply
could not be stocked in through the num-
berless creeks and rivers which intersect
the 3000 or 4000 miles of seacoast between
the Rio Grande and Chesapeake Bay.
These rivers are now becoming well known
to the blockade-running captains, and, come
what may, whether Wilmington or Charles-
ton fall or not, it is absurd to think that the
coast of Secessia can ever be hermetically
sealed. But in the existing decline of Con-
federate virtue, and under the painfulness
and weary exhaustion of this strife, could
the Confederates stand the moral dis-
couragement entailed by the loss of Wil-
mington? Your readers may answer the
question for themselves: but if Confederate
virtue and staunchness, like that of General
Lee, were equal to the shock, I believe that
before six months had passed it would be
found in a dozen ways that the loss of Wil-
mington was a blessing in disguise.

The correspondent of the "New York
Tribune," writing from Fort Fisher on Jan.
16, says:—-

The dead of yesterday's battle are strewn
over the fort in every conceivable attitude
of agony and horror. Some have been
paralyzed by death in the act of holding
and sighting their rifles, their pieces having
afterwards fallen from their relaxed hands.
Others lie with their skulls shattered and
the brain exposed to full view. Some wear
a calm and pleasant expression on their
faces, while other countenances are stamped
in most excruciating agony. At the foot
of the interior slope of the sea wall there
are many large guns, which have been dis-
mounted and tumbled down. Among these
are entangled rebel dead in almost every
shape and position, some standing on their
feet and others on their heads, all glaring
and grinning ghastly alike upon the passer
by.

The conduct of the Southern refugees in
Canada has been denounced in the Canadian
Parliament, and a determination has been
expressed to stop the abuse of asylum. A
commission has been appointed to inquire
into the release of the St. Alban's raiders
and the conduct of Judge Coursol, who has
been suspended by the government. The
Finance Minister has presenbed estimates,
including a sum of 50,000 dollars to make
good the money returned to the St. Alban's
raiders, which has been claimed by the
Federal Statas.

The "Toronto Leader" asserts that the
British Government has ordered 30 gun-
boats to be sent from England to the lakes
as soon as navigation is open. The "Toron-
to Globe," however, denies the truth of this
statement.

The Toronto Court has denied a writ of
habeas Corpus in the case of Lieutenant
Birley, and has unanimously decided that
he should be given up to the Federal
government.

PRUSSIA

In the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies on Feb.
8 the Minister of War introduced a bill altering and
supplementing by 20 paragraphs the law of the 3rd
of September, 1814, upon the obligation to military
service in Prussia. Under the proposed new regul-
ations the whole term of military service is reduced
from 19 to 16 years, of which the first seven years
are to be served in the regular standing army. Of
these seven years, the first three must be served with
a regiment, and the four following years in the re-
serve. During the next four years those having ful-
filled the above terms of service will be liable under
the first call of the Landwehr, and during the re-
maining five years to the second call. The first
division of the Landwehr will only be called out
when the country is in serious danger. Special laws
will regulate the service in the Landwehr and in the
navy. In introducing this bill the Minister of War,
Lieutenant-General Von Roon, said he hoped that
the wish of the country for reconciliation between
the Diet and the government might find an echo in
the House. The government, although maintaining
its project for the reorganization of the army, was
willing to renounce the execution of the original
scheme in its full extent. A cordial agreement upon
the treatment of the pending military question could
only be obtained by a mutual understanding on the
points at issue between the government and the Diet.
The minister said in conclusion—"The government
has this object in view in introducing the present
bill, and is convinced of the necessity of all army
reform being effected on a Parliamentary basis."

The Prussian government, in order to carry out
its hobby of a naval force, has preferred a request
to the Chamber of Deputies for authority to contract
a loan of £2,000,000, to be used in the construction
of a fleet. This permission granted, little doubt
need be entertained as to the disposition of the
Duchies.

An Irishman made a sudden rush into a druggist's
shop, took from his pocket a soda-water bottle filled
with some liquor, and handing it across the counter
exclaimed, "There, doctor, sniff that, will you?"
The "doctor" did, and pronounced the liquor to be
genuine whiskey. "Thank you, doctor," said the
Irishman. "Hand it to the again, if you please."
The "doctor" again did as directed, and asked what
he meant. "Ooh, thin," said Pat, "if you will have
it, the priest told me not to drink any of this unless
I got it from the doctor."