The Bangkok Recorder.

A Semi-monthly Journal, will be issued from the
printing office of the American Missionary As-
sociation, at the month of the Canal, "Klawng Bang-
kok Yai" about 1st and 15th of every month. It
will contain much Political, Literary, Scientific, Com-
mercial, and Local Intelligence, as shall render it
worthy of the general patronage.

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subject to the usual restrictions.

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sentiments of their correspondents.

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Messrs. Virgin & Co.

September 30th 1886.

September which has just closed has giv-
en quite a different face to the business
prospects of this place for the next year.
The rains held off until September, and
even it commenced with apparently every
prospect of a short crop. Merchants, pro-
prietors of rice mills, and traders of every
The kind wore a disheartened look. The na-
tives were apprehensive of a famine. In
many places extraordinary efforts were put
forth in movie making in order to induce
the rain to descend. The Lieut. Governor
of one of the provinces, who is more enter-
prising than most of his countrymen, con-
ceived the more sensible and effectual idea
of damming the river in order to make the
water overflow the rice fields. Before his
dam was completed the rains came and
swept it all away, and the river rose and
overflowed the fields more effectually.

At this place our first heavy rain came
on the 2nd Sept. In the evening a cloud
came up in the west which appeared at first
as if it would pass off in wind, but soon the
rain began to descend in the real old
fashioned way. That rain has been fol-
lowed by many others of the same kind.
Reports from all parts of the country are in-
couraging and there is every indication an
abundant crop. Men's faces, which are
a good barometer in business affairs, indi-
cate a considerable rise in the mercury, and
the passing off of the clouds which obscured
the horizon. Every one is preparing for
business. Rice mills are hastening to be
ready to start. During some great and un-
expected calamity occur, business affairs will
soon bear the ordinary aspect of prosperous
times. Prices abroad were also for a time
discouraging, but at the expense of a por-
tion of the people of China a fair market is
open. The high water in the North of China
has destroyed to a great extent the crops,
so that the rice of Siam as usual will find a
fair market there.

Rong Lao.

The principle avenues of trade to this
great emporium of Siam, this floating babel
Bangkok, are the canals lending from it to
different portions of the kingdom. Like
rays of light in a camera they are brought
to a focus here, but taken in an opposite
direction they diverge until they cut the
principle rivers, the great arteries of the
kingdom. They thus become the chief
avenues through which the produce from
distant provinces reaches a market. Some
of these canals are natural channels wind-
ing their serpentine courses, and often-
times too, wrathful and raging as if they
would tie themselves into knots. Then
again there is the artificial ditch apparently
straight, or as straight as they usually
makes things in Siam. Through these can-
als the water ebbs and flows with the tide.
in the rivers. We started out one morning
to buy a small quantity of molasses for the
purpose of mixing mortar for brick work.
Now there are some things although they
may be plenty, are as difficult to be obtain-
ed in small quantities in Bangkok as water
upon the mountains of Gilbos. You in-
quire where you think it ought to be found,
and they send you to the Chow Sua and
the Chow Sua send you to some person
else, until you become disgusted and give
up the pursuit. We inquired several places
for the article we wanted but it seemed to
be the general opinion, that we must go to
the Rong Lao (distillery) and to the
Rong Lao we went. We have from a
kind of instinct that the distillery was
some where above the city and told our
men to go there. To our surprise how-
ever they entered the canal known as
Klawng Koot Mai; a direction apparently
opposite to that which we wanted to go.
We knew there was a canal entered the
river above the city and had passed through
it before but now it appeared a strange
course to take and we could hardly recon-
cile ourselves to it, but being assured that
it was the shortest and best way we yielded.
The Klawng Koot Mai is one of the new
canals dug by His Majesty the present Su-
preme King. It commences away down in
the great bend and cutting across enter the
river again just above the Custom House,
or Harbour Master's residence. After en-
tering the canal the right bank for some
distance is studded with Chinese paddy
mills where the Chinamen manage with
their basket mills to hull considerable
quantities of paddy. Indeed in some places
a number of these mills may be found on
either bank. We could not however help
thinking of the time as not far distant, when
these mills will be among the things, that
were in Siam. They even now appeared
fewer in number than when we last passed
through. They first, must yield to the
power of western civilization. There are
already three steam rice mills ready, wait-
ing only for a move in the paddy before
they move. They are capable of turning
out at least three thousand piculs per day.
The machinery is already landed for a
fourth steam mill, and rumour says there
are still more in contemplation. Loath
therefore as the Chinamen may be to give
up their favorite basket mills, "Ichabod"
is written too plainly upon them not to be-
noticed by the most casual observer. Chin-
ese muscular power and basket mills, cannot
compete with steam and six feet stones.
This however will all turn out well in the
end. The Chinamen thus driven from the
slow process of hulling a few buckets of
paddy per day, will disperse throughout the
country, and turn their attention to raising
paddy. The rice crop will thus materially
increase from year to year. Many portions
too, now covered with jungle, will yield
to the axe and grubbing hoe of the China-
man and soon a good crop of rice will be
harvested in those places. We saw quite
a number of small paddy boats at the native
mills, and more coming in, but they would
be a mere handful compared with the
quantities which arrive in ordinary business
times.

The sights in one of these canals, near the
city are but those of the river on a smaller
scale. The urchin rides along complacent-
ly in his Sampan, freighted with Chinese
sugar cane, crying at the top of his voice
"Oi Hin Hin Oe.” Next comes Ma Tim,
or Ma Tap, or some other Ma with an
eating saloon, and confectionery combined
and all afloat, crying out at the same
time the extent and quality of her com-
modities. A few rods in extent too, suf-
fice, to give a correct idea of the whole
scenes, and scenery along the banks. Em-
erging from one of these short cut canals
into the broad river again, it behooves a
person to take a new reckoning and find out
exactly his position, for should the tide be
flowing, one unacquainted with the bear-
ings might easily mistake the course for
home and take an opposite direction. Right
opposite the place where we entered the
river, stands the distillery. We made
straight across, and after landing marched
along a kind of avenue, up to the main
building, where we found a gentleman
seated cross legged upon a small platform.
We asked him as politely as we could, to
sell us a small quantity of molasses. His
prompt reply was "mai mi." We pointed to
two boat loads standing at the landing,
but he insisted that they were empty and
still said "mai mi." There was no mis-
taking the boats however, they were loaded
to the waters edge.... It is so common for
the natives themselves to liar each other,
that the kahok came up instantly in our
mind, and we felt like bringing it out, but
considering that we were in the wrong
place to assume any thing like authority,
we softened down our tone, and begged
some of the refuse which flows from the
still, and which might possibly answer our
purpose. It was readily given for the
taking away. The truth of the matter we
found out afterwards to be, that molasses
are very scarce, and they can barely get
enough to answer their purpose: but instead
of telling us so, oriental like, he told us
a down right lie, and said he had none at
all. This distillery is a Chinese establish-
ment, and upon the whole, presents a
species of Celestial scenery which to give
in full detail would have defied even the
pen of Thomas Dick. In one place are
seated a group, indulging for a time their
insatiable appetite for gambling. Near by
is another group taking their noon day
meal of cungy and fish, and were thus
satisfying another appetite, which in a
Chinaman is second only to that of gam-
bling. Some straggling fellows also each
had a stick of sugar cane in his hand
gnawing at it with apparently as much
relish as a hungry mastiff does a bone.
There is always something disgusting about
a Chinaman's eating. The Siamese al-
though they use the most primitive imple-
ments, eat with such dexterity and neatness
that one can't help but admire the opera-
tion. There is also a freedom from res-
traint, a relief from any fear of violating
one of the minor rules of table etiquette
which gives the whole affair an air of real
enjoyment. There is apparently no fear
lest they should commit the almost unpar-
donable offence of opening an egg at the
wrong end, or in some unguarded moment
put the knife into the mouth instead of
that most unwieldy of all table implements
the solid spoon. The Chinese invented
the chop sticks, and they must be well sat-
isfied with the invention for they appear to
make no effort to improve upon it, but who
that ever saw a Chinaman slabbering, and
blowing over a bowl of rice with a pair of
chop sticks, did not long to see him back at
the more primitive fingers. The men who
invented the knife fork, and spoon, and some
other sine qua nons, was certainly bene-
factors of the race. But the march of mo-
dern civilization has imposed upon those
who move at all in fashionable life a bur-
den of formality which destroys to a great
extent the natural ease and satisfaction
which should be enjoyed in the partaking
of ones meals.

Of the horde of Chinamen about this
establishment, but few appeared to be ac-
tually at work. The whole of the opera-
tions were crude. An almost innumerable
quantity of earthen jars, containing twelve
or fifteen gallons each were standing around,
in which were rice and molasses in every
state of fermentation, and from each of
several small stills, was running a stream
about the size as a large straw of boiling
hot arrack. The whole apparatus though
crude, we suppose is not more so, than that
which used to turn out the famous Irish
and Scotch whiskey, or that which made
the “Menongahlea” in the days of the
whiskey insurrection in Pennsylvania.
There was only one little ray of consolation
in. seeing that liquor running from the
still, and that is, it is to a great extent pure.
It is not a mixture of poisonous drugs as
the modern liquors of England, France and
America. If a man will burn his inside
out, better do it with pure fire, than such
corroding staff as sulphuric acid and other
drugs.

Retail customers appeared to be tolerably
plenty. They would lay down the money
to the chief clerk, and he would give them a
nicked bamboo stick indicating the amount,
and they went to the man who measured
out, and got their bottles filled. One thing
was noticeable. None of the men engaged
about the establishment, appeared, as if
they indulged too freely. They presented
rather a contrast with the customers, who
were mostly Siamese and whose eyes and
faces indicated too clearly the course they
were going. It would be interesting to
know exactly how many Chinese there are
in this kingdom. We believe every es-
timate of their numbers here, falls far short
of the reality. They are, it is true, a float-
ing population to some extent. Numbers
return to China every year, and as many
new ones come. They are found in num-
bers in every city and village, both on the
coast and inland their outlandish tones are
heard in every market, floating house, and junk.
No class of Asiatics who are not already
subjects of some European power have a
better chance to get along here than the
Chinese. They pay only a small tax every
four years of four ticals and many of them
manage to escape that. Many of them too
manage to make money. These same Cel-
estials are swarming in every habitable is-
land in the Archipelago, and can roll up
their seventy thousand in the United States.
The following extract from an address,
lately made by Rev Mr. Speer Missionary
to the Chinese in California (during the
sessions of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian church O. S.) may not prove
uninteresting in this connection.
"But I rise to night to represent one of the
most remarkable missions of the present
age. The Divine process for the evangeli-
zation of the world, after Christ came, was
first to make the Gospel clearly known
around that central sea—-the Mediterranean
-—in the parts of Asia, Europe and Africa
lying upon its borders. Then, after four
or five centuries of culture and preparation,
God poured out there the barbarous tribes
from the ends of the earth—-the Huns, the
Goths, the Vandals, the Turkish races,
many of them from the very shadow of the
Great Wall of China-—who there learned to
know Jesus as their Redeemer and God, and
sent back heralds of the glad tidings to the de-
serts and kingdoms far away.

God is thus conducting the great reform-
ation of the Church. It is the fourth cen-
tury since Martin Luther, and John Calvin,
and Ulric Zwingle. Upon this prepared
Continent, God has disciplined his Church.
Now behold the tribes of Asia, following
those of other divisions of the world, pour-
ing out from the same region as of old,
divinely led to seek the same glorious light.
There are now sixty or seventy thousand
Chinese on our Pacific Coast. But there
will follow millions. They are now spread-
ing over California, over Oregon, Washing-
ton, Nevada, Utah, over Northern Mexico,
over the islands of the Pacific and South
America! The day is coming when enor-
mous railroads will connect the Pacific
coast with the rest of the country, and when
they will reach the Valley of the Mississippi,
and the Valley of the Ohio, and labor on
your farms, in your shops, in your families.
Just as water flows from a level where it
has been long dammed up, so a crowded po-
pulation of hundreds of millions must gra-
vitate toward the immense unoccupied or
thinly settled regions in the west and centre
of this Continent. No human power can
hinder it. And how far beyond all concep-
tion must be the influence to be hence
exerted in bringing the numberless myriads
of China; and the great nations of that
Continent, to believe in and serve the Lord
Jesus Christ!

What then are these Chinese, mentally?
They are shrewd, business-like, active,
as ourselves-—well called the "Yankees of the
East." One of the most learned and
distinguished of the divines of this coun-
try (the Rev. Dr. Shedd, of New-York,)
said to me a few days ago, "If such an
estimate is true, it will put a new face upon
the Chinese movement, in my own mind,
and in that of the country." This estimate
is true. They come to California, and
compete successfully with our own mer-
chants and artisans. They go to the Sand-
wich Islands, as I saw at Honolulu and
Lahaina, actually take the native trade out
of the hands of Americans and other for-
eigners by superior management. One
built a locomotive in California; put it
upon a track laid around a large shed, and
charged us barbarians twenty-five cents
each for a ride. Another constructed a
small and perfect steamboat, four feet long,
which worked handsomely. They can do
many things that astonish us white bar-
barians. A Chinese doctor, Dr. Li Po-ti,
is now practising in San Francisco, not
homeopathy, nor hydropathy, nor motor-
pathy, nor any of our patients, but on
Chinese principles, feeling the twelve pulses
in each arm, and prescribing Chinese doses,
for our benighted people—earning, one of
the newspapers says, $10,000 a year. I
heard of a Chinese doctor who made a for-
tune at Havana."

Ats and Copper Coin.

What do those individuals mean who
publish their opinions so frequently in the
newspaper here, on the subject of tin and
copper and what they repeat so often is
already known by their readers. Are the
writers and composers of these articles the
authors of the reports which are noticed a-
broad that the king of Siam is a mere tool
of men, doing every thing which they de-
sire without gainsaying? My advice to
them is, write no more to make others weary
of you. If you wish to get gain import
copper or bars of copper as merchandise.
If the price be moderate will purchase
some of it; but do not circulate a false re-
port that the government has ordered it.

As for forbidding the use of the tin ats and
consenting that others should bring copper
ats and sell them to us it cannot be done,
we cannot allow it. The Siamese have skill
enough to make copper ats themselves, but
the copper metal is difficult to be obtained,
and tin is abundant in Siam. We have a-
vailed ourselves of the best materials had
for making ats, and even if people
easily counterfeit the tin ats, they cannot
make a great business of it, they cannot
be made like the royal ats, they are much
softer and can easily be detected by bend
ing them with the fingers. And if the peo-
ple take them as lawful tender let the mint
so. When they bring them to the royal mint
to exchange for silver they can very easily
be tested and proved to be suspicions. The
mere effort to bend them is enough to show
what they are made of. The composition
of the royal ats cannot be cast in the coun-
terfeiter's molds, because it is made of tin,
copper, and zinc, a very hard substance.

Whenever any one shall bring these spru-
cious ats to the royal mint to exchange for
silver, they will be easily detected as a very
slight twist with the fingers will bend them.
and when such ats are brought they will
fetch only the value of the tin, which is
one fuang for 3½ ounces, whereas genuine
ats will be taken at their established value,
that is one fuang for eight ats.
Do not write any more visionary articles
on this subject, we are too lazy to read them,
and if you publish them we shall not be
ashamed of ourselves, because we know
that even tin are far better than the old
fashioned cowries.

We intend however to make a variety of
copper coin, and that quickly—On kind
will be at the rate of two for one fuang and
will be called hung or seek, and another at
four for one fung to be called Ka or Seok.
These will be ready for use shortly. Now
do not talk dreamily about this any longer,
for we are too lazy to read or hear any
thing more on this subject.

If the Editors of the papers shall get this
paper, let them publish it—-or if they prefer
despise them, and manner and continue
telling their dreams, why, let them mur-
mur on, we shall not count them offenders.
if they do so: but we do think that kind of
dreamy murmuring is useless toil, for there
is no one of us that will think of following
them. It is all of a piece with the telegra-
phic wires and railroads, which the writ-
ers on these subject have written to make
us wonder and astonished, until the subject
has become quite insipid, and we are lazy
of reading and later in hearing of the
subject. But a little of such curious things
to amuse ourselves such as balloons and a
few others, something which we can turn
to a little profit according to our feeble a-
bility,-it would be quite reasonable we
should desire to obtain some of them in
proportion to the small means of our pover-
ty stricken country.

Look at the Steam Rice and Saw Mills
here. What a noise has been made about
them? And where are the great results of
it all?

Notification.

CHOW PHYA PRAKLANG, Minister for
Foreign affairs, hereby informs the Consuls
and Vice Consuls of the Treaty Powers
resident in Bangkok, that the Siamese
government has directed him to make
known unto them the causes and reasons
of the late changes made in taxing coconut
trees and oil.

Formerly the rate of taxation allowed
by law upon coconut trees, was fifteen
cents for 16 trees, and the tax was farmed
out to one man. After this plan had been
tried for a time, the oil farmer complained,
that it was very difficult for him to manage
the farm, and begged that he might be al-
lowed to relinquish it, requesting that the
monopoly of trading in coconuts should
be given him instead; This was granted,
and the people were allowed to make oil with-
out any tax upon it.

When Sir John Bowring Minister Plenil
potentary for Great Britain, and his Assis-
tant Mr. Harry Parks, came to negotiate
a treaty between G. Britain and Siam (it
being the first treaty made with the western
powers) a consultation was held, among the
officers of the King of Siam on the subject
of double taxes; which resulted in a peti-
tion that hencforth only one tax should
be put upon each taxable article. This
petition was granted to a great extent, and
the tax levied on cocoanuts was removed,
and the tree taxed at the rate of one salung
for three trees.

After this the people finding that the tax
on cocoanut trees was very heavy, were in-
disposed to plant any more trees. The old
trees decaying, and the price of cocoanuts
becoming higher every year, all who had
to do with either the nut or the oil com-
plained greatly, until the matter came be-
fore His Majesty the Supreme King and
his government.

At the beginning of the year of the Cow
the 6th of the decade, it being full 13
years from the commencement of the pre-
sent reign, the time deemed suitable for hav-
ing a new assessment made on taxable mer-
chandise, a party of officers were sent to
examine the orchards, and make a new as-
sessment according to the old custom of
Siam. This being accomplished, His Ma-
jesty, together with all his counselors was
fully persuaded that the people had neglect-
ed their cocoanut orchards, and had not
planted new trees because they felt the
taxes on them to be oppressive; it was
therefore deemed wise to adopt some other
plan. To this end it was decreed that the
tax on the trees be taken off, and the people
encouraged to plant new ones with all free-
dom, so that there should have been a hundrance of
them. And in regard to the revenue.
which has heretofore been obtained by tax-
ing the coconuts trees, amounting to 1285
changs and 33 ticals, it was decided that
the government, in order to make up in
part for the loss, put a tax upon the cocoa-
oil at the rate of one tenth.

An offer has already been made for the
monopoly of this at the rate above specified,
guaranteeing to pay for the farm the sum
of 700 changs per annum. This leaves a
deficiency in the revenue for cocoanut trees,
amounting to 585 changs and 33 ticals.
This the Siamese government consents to
loss, on the principle that it is better to
suffer the pecuniary lose by removing the
tax, than than that the article of revenue
should be injured. And whatever article
of merchandize or business there may be
suitable to be taxed, the government must
seek from it a revenue according to the old
custom by a monopoly. But there will be
only a single tax imposed on all the produce
of the cocoanut tree.

In the 9th Art. of the treaty regulations
made by Harry Parks Esq. the following
clauses is inserted, viz.— "On the part of
the Siamese, if they have any article in their
country which has not yet been taxed and
they think it well to put a tax upon the
said article or business; they are at liberty
to do so, and the Siamese government are
allowed to make new taxes." Mr. Parks
agreed to this clause, only insisting that
the taxes be always reasonable and always
single.

This exposition the Siamese government
beg to publish that no foreigner shall mis-
understand the matter.

Issued on Monday the 8th of the waxing
moon, 9th month in the year of the Cow
the 7th of the decade; July 31st 1865.

Oil Tax

Phya Racha Pakdee and Phya P'é-Pit
P'ok'ei recieved a royal command saying,
that in the year of the Cow the 5th of the
decade, eight servants of the king examin-
ed the orchards of the people, and made a
record of the cocoanut trees in each, and the
amount of the taxes to be paid upon them
at the rate of 100 cowries for one tree, and
this assessment was sent to all the proprie-
tors of cocoanut trees in the kingdom.

Sometime after this the farmer of cocoa-
nut oil entered a complaint that the people
would frequently make coconut oil and
sell it, and when he sent his officers to take,
and imprison them, quarrels arose and
complaints were made by them before the
tribunals, causing much trouble and loss
of time to the farmers, and he therefore beg-
ged that the farm might be removed from
the oil and put upon the cocoanuts, them-
selves, giving the farmer the exclusive privil-
lege of purchasing the coconuts. Having
had a conference of the royal counselors
touching this matter, they were unanimous
in requesting that this change should be
made, and consequently the petition was
granted, and it became a law that the farmer
have the monopoly of the purchase of co-
coanuts. But (in the year of the great dra-
gon 8th of the decade,) the farmer did not
abide by the law concerning it, and pursued
a course that oppressed the people. There-
fore the government caused the taxes on
cocoanuts and on the trees to be removed,
and placed a tax of one salung on every
three trees, thus allowing the people to sell
cocoanuts and oil as they pleased.

In the year of the rat 6th of the decade,
it was found that both cocoanuts and oil
had become much dearer than before, and
His Majesty, in considering the subject,
concluded that the prices had risen partly
because the coconuts trees had become
too old to bear, and partly because many
of them had died. Thus fruit bearing trees
had become fewer, and moreover the peo-
ple were not inclined to plant new trees in
their orchards, fearing the tax of one salung
for every three trees. Consequently His
Majesty was graciously disposed, in the
year of the rat, (last year) to issue a decree
to all the owners of cocoanut orchards about
Bangkok, and in all the provinces, who
were liable to pay taxes on cocoanut trees,
that from and after the beginning of the
year of the Cow the 7th of the decade, it
shall henceforth be forbidden the officers
in charge to take any tax from the people
for their cocoanut trees, and that instead
thereof, a tax shall be put upon cocoanut
oil as it was formerly. Therefore let all the
owners of cocoanut orchards replant their
orchards with new trees in greater abun-
dance than formerly, and that will become
a source of wealth to the country, cocoanut
oil being of great use in the country, and
it will become a profitalbe article of mer-
chandise in the provinces of Siam, and a-
broad in other countries.

The charge of circulating this decree is
given to Pra-kaao K'aruratts, hawdee chow
krom, K'ŏŏn Pê păt-tâna-kawe, palat of
the left, and Kŏŏu Wësootta palat of the
right, treasurers for the inner orchards; and
Lóôang kâao chow krom, Kŏŏn Sĕé Sôm-
bat palat Krom for the outer orchards.
Kŏŏn Mŭn nai-rwâng has been put in
charge of distributing this decree to all the
owners of cocoanut orchards. Now let there
be no delay in replanting all cocoanut or-
chards to the full extent, that the trees may
be abundant in all alike. And from the be-
ginning of the year of the Cow the taxes
on cocoanut trees shall be given as a royal
favor to the people and owners of cocoanut
orchards. Let there be no violation of this
decree.

Issued on Monday the 12th of the wan-
ing moon, 9th month of the year of the
Rat 6th of this decade. And sealed with the
seal of Phya Pê-pit Po-kei Aug. 29th 1864.

Elephant Festival.

The grand procession of elephants came
off according to previous announcements, at
about 4 O'clock p. m. on Monday 25 ult.
We were just in time to meet the procession
on the street in the rear of the Royal Pa-
lace. It was one of those motley, non-
descript affairs, we are accustomed to see
here, and was peculiar in many respects to
Siam. The object appeared to be to have
the royal elephants, horas, carriages, cattle,
&c., sprinkled with holy water. On either
side of the street, and nearly opposite each
other were two small stands erected, about
ten or twelve feet high and upon which
were three or four men, one of whom had
a bunch of bamboo splints, in his hand and
kept sprinkling the passing crowd with the
consecrated water. Along either side of the
street filed a line of men, fantastically
dressed, with a red coat and a glazed hat,
shaped like a sugar leaf, and resembling a
Sow-wester. Some of these men carried
small pendant flags, with all kinds of devices.
Others carried simply a stick, resembling a
walking stick, whilst others had bows on
their shoulders. As they marched along
they were sprinkled from the stands.

Between the files of men, and at ir-
regular intervals marched the royal el-
ephants with slow and ponderous steps.
One or two had a kind of howdah or their
backs, but no person in them. The driver
sat upon the neck of the animal. Others
had no hoodlums, but had one or two per-
sons besides the driver riding on them.
One large redish coloured one had a kind
of throne on his back, in which was seated
a man with a pea-cock tail in each hand,
and was making all kinds of outlandish gi-
rations. The elephants numbered about
thirteen, or nearly as we could count (for
we forgot to commerce in time), and they
were made to pass close to each stand to
get sprinkled. When a few drops fell on
the riders they rubbed it over their heads and
faces with most profound reverence. Be-
hind each elephant were several men walk-
ing bearing platters, containing plantains,
nicely prepared sugar cane, &c. to feast the
royal creatures. Some of the elephants
were evidently old residents with large
tusks, which were profusely ornamented
with heavy rings which were probably gold.
Along with the elephants were two venera-
ble looking white monkeys, each seated on
a pole, carried on mens shoulders. Each
one of these, too, had his appropriate train,
and feast following the same as the elephants.
Next to the elephants came the horses,
richly decorated with foreign saddles,
bridles, holsters, and pistols, and each led
by a groom. Next came a number of emp-
ty European carriages, drawn by horses
and the horses led by grooms. Next came
some reddish coloured cattle and buffalos,
and in the crowd some where (we forget
exactly the place) was a highly ornamented
buffalo cart loaded with persons. We forgot
to asy that the whole was interspersed with
discordant sounds of native music. The
rear was brought up by a flourish by the
native soldiers. After the procession was
past His Majesty amused himself for a short
time by throwing limes, each probably con-
taining a small coin, down amongst a crowd
of boys some of whom showed great agility
in scrambling for them in the mud.

Atlantic Telegraph Expedition.

Nothing could be more auspicious than
the weather of yesterday, and certainly
nothing could be more successful than
the final splicing of the cable, and the departure
of the Great Eastern. From first to last
there was not a single incident to mar the
satisfaction of those present, or which could
be construed into an unfavourable omen to
the mighty work in hand. The shore end
of the cable has been tested every few
hours in the receiving house at Follihum-
merum Bay since its submersion, and while
on board the Caroline the return was only
seven millions of units to the minute, it
rose to thirteen millions before the wire
had been under water 24 hours. This in-
crease means practically that from one to
two words a minute can be passed along
the cable, in excess of what was done before
the laying; the cold water having increased
the insularity, and strengthened its already
splendid condition. The Great Eastern
was ordered to hold herself in readiness on
Saturday, and about midnight on that day
Captain Anderson received a final message
from Mr. Glass that everything was ready,
and that the big ship was to steam out to
the Caroline with all convenient speed.
The Hawk - a swift screw steamer, built as
a Confederate blockade-runner, and recently
purchased by the Telegraph Construction
and Maintenance Company—left Valentia
at 9.30 A.M., with Lord John Hay, Sir
Robert Peel, M.P., the Knight of Kerry,
and the Misses Fitzgerald, Mrs. Glass, Mr.
and Mrs. Edwards, Captain and Mrs. White,
Mr. J. C. Parkinson, and others, on board,
and after passing Bray-head, and the rugged
island rocks called the Skelligs about 11 A.
M., came up to the Great Eastern and
Caroline soon after one A.M. The day was
bright and comparatively calm, but as the
Hawk steamed along the coast and up to
the bay, at the far point of which the little
telegraph hut could be seen, a mere white
dot in the distance, the admirable fitness
of the landing place chosen was as apparent
as were the difficulties besetting all at-
tempts to utilise this rough and dangerous
coast. The cliffs up which the cable pas-
ses from the sea the receiving-house are
more than 250 feet high, but from the deck
of the Hawk they appeared level with the
sand, so vast and extensive is the lofty
range of rocky fastnesses against which
the Atlantic heavily breaks, and so com-
pletely do they dwarf all objects in their
vicinity. Desolate grandeur and terrible
magnificence are the characteristics of these
wild Kerry hills. For miles not a house
nor a human being can be seen. There is
no sign of cultivation, and no apparent
probability of cultivation being successful.
A ruined watch-tower, a lighthouse or two,
and a deserted and crumbling fort, spoken
of as Cromwell's, dot the coast line at long
intervals; but it is manifest that by far the
greater portion of the land immediately
above the rocks the sea lashes with so
much of sullen fury has never been trodden
by the foot of man. Now rising flush out
of the water, perpendicular as the Victoria
tower, now shelving down abruptly, and
and presenting a smooth and polished sur-
face to the breakers, and now abruptly
jutting off into fantastic shapes—-as if some
wicked genie had determined to realise a
nightmare, and had put into stone the
strange figures haunting his unholy sleep—
these rocks seem to defy science and mock
at the puny strength and petty resources
of man. The cormorant may be seen,
greedily dipping into the waters below
them, the seagull slowly flits about their
rugged surface, the plaintive cry of the
curlew mingles with the roar of the sea,
and the gannet and puffin dispute for sup-
remacy over their points and peaks. But
these are absolutely the only signs of life.
Neither sheep nor cattle are browsing on
the bright green patches which alternate
with the sombre blackness, of the massive
rocks; and the hissing, seething spray bub-
bling furiously up through the crevices it
has forced, and the caves and crags it has
shaped and broken through long ages,
alone breaks the stillness, and gives other
animation to the scene. Such is the stony
shore holding the English end of the Atlan-
tic telegraph. Captain White, who is in
command of the Coast Guard here, devoted
many days to sounding Foilhum-merun-
bay, in his self-imposed capacity of honora-
ry adviser to the company, and at length
succeeded in hitting upon a natural groove
in the ground-rock under the sea, about a
foot deep and half a foot in width. In this
the landing end of the cable was carefully
laid; and the importance of this fortunate
discovery may be estimated from the fact
that it is so situate as to preserve the big
wire from the waves at the very time of
their breaking against the shingle. This
wire, which, it should be mentioned, grad-
ually decreases in size until at the end of
its 25 miles it is of the same circumference
and bulk as the one with which it was spliced
yesterday, is of formidable strength at
this point, and well calculated to resist
the hard treatment it will certainly experi-
ence from the sea. Still, a natural channel in
which its last twenty feet will lie like a child
in its cradle is a grand aid to permanence,
and the company is to be congratulated on
the result of Captain White's patient and
persistent soundings.

As soon as the Hawk arrived within ear-
shot of the Great Eastern yesterday, every
one on board the big ship's tender came
aft, and Sir Robert Peel gave the signal for
three cheers, a hearty response so which
soon came over the water. At this time
the Caroline was within a few hundred yards
of the chief cable ship, and half a dozen
well manned boats, including the two pad-
dle ones from the Sphinx, were busily en-
gaged in easing the cable and facilitating
the splice. From the stern of the Great
Eastern, a line could be seen, which,
dropping in the water at an apparently
sharp angle, was towed by the boats to join
the Caroline, and made to communicate be-
tween the two ships. The splicing was pro-
ceeded with without delay. First the end
of each cable was divested of its gutta-percha
coating its outside wires and hemp, and the
core and marrow of the undertaking, the
copper conductor, was exposed. Then, by

RUSSIA.—The warehousing system is to
be allowed unlimited scope. The army is to
be reduced to the ordinary peace footing.
Various buildings occupied by the military
at Warsaw during the insurrection are
forthwith to be given up to their owners.

KINGDOM OF ITALY.—Cholera caused proved
fatal at Ancona in 781 cases up to the 12th.
The Archbishop and the Procurator Royal
were among the deaths. All vessels com-
ing from Italy are placed under quarantine in
Sicily.

THE PAPAL STATES.—The Pope has au-
thorised a new loan of 10,000,000 Roman
crowns. The papal army is to have an in-
crease of 3,000 men.

TURKEY.—The deaths from cholera at
Constantinople from the 26th ult. to the
1st inst. were 1,442. The cholera is also
at Smyrna and Syra. It is disappearing
from the islands.

SPAIN.—It is said that the King was
closely watched while on his journey to see
his dying father. The cholera is infecting
the Spanish ports, and the inhabitants have
fled from Barcelona in large numbers.

PORTUGAL.—The King has recovered
from his indisposition, and the Queen and
infant Prince are doing well.

UNITED STATES.—President Johnson is
still in bed health, and is going to the sea
seaside. General Grant has left for Quebec.
Jefferson Davis is better seated, and his
friends are urging for a speedy trial. Mr.
Benjamin and General Kirby Smith have
reached Harpers Ferry. The troops disbanded
near the end of the war number three quar-
ters of a million. The Federal debt was
$2,756,000,000 on the 1st July. A meet-
ing of sympathy with the Mexican Republic
has been held in New York, when a letter
from General Sheridan produced great
enthusiasm.

CANADA.—Sir E. P. Tache, the Prime
Minister, is dead, and there will probably
be a reconstruction of the Cabinet, the Con-
federation question being the turning point.

WEST INDIES.—The reports of the crop
are generally favourable. The Spaniards
had not carried out the blockade of San
Domingo.

SOUTH PACIFIC STATES.—The Chilian Con-
gress have been reconsidering Art. 5 of
the Constitution, which acknowledges the
Roman Catholic faith alone. A fire at
Valparaiso did damage to the amount of
$2000,000. The revolution gains ascen-
dancy in Peru, the fleet having gone over.
The same is the case in Ecuador, where
one of the Pacific Steam Navigation Com-
pany's steamers was seized by the revolu-
tionist fleet, and made to do good service.

COMMERCIAL.—The Bank rate remains at
4 per cent. Both English and foreign
securities slightly improved. Consols 89½
to 89¾. The biddings for India bills took
place yesterday. Bar silver, 60¾d. Mexi-
can dollars, 60½d.

A recent attache of the royal Mint, Lon-
don, recently visited [....] at Philadelphia.
As he was leaving he remarked to the coiner,
"When you come to London, I beg you
not to visit our Mint. You are a hundred
years in advance of us."

Our "darling Lillie" of three years,
while trying to get on her stockings one
day, discovering a few [.......],
when she exclaimed, "Mother, I think I
shall be an angel soon, the feathers are be-
ginning to grow!"

An urchin in school reading about a
singular gentleman, was asked by the
teacher what the expression meant. The
boy promptly answered, "A man that
isn't married?"

The Steamer Chow Phya arrived at the
bar at 4¼ o'clock p. m. on Wednesday 27th
ult. Passengers Capt. Burn, Mr. Barlow and
Mr. Thomson photographer.