The Bangkok Recorder.

A Weekly journal will be issued from the
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Association, at the mouth of the Canal,
"Klawng Bangkok Yai" It will contain such
Political, Literary, Scientific, Commercial, and
local intelligence, as shall render it worthy
of the general patronage.

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Messrs. Virgin & Co.

Suspension of the Habeas
Corpus Act in Ireland.

With reluctance, evidently unfeigned
and deep, her Majesty's Government have
asked extraordinary powers from Parlia-
ment to enable them to stifle the Fenian
conspiracy; and, with equal reluctance,
Parliament have complied with the re-
quest. A bill for suspending the Habeas
Corpus Act in Ireland passed through
both Houses on Saturday, and immediate-
ly received the assent of the Crown. Un-
less previously repealed, it will have effect
until Sept. 1, 1866. It authorizes the
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to apprehend
and detain until that date any persons
whom he suspects of conspiring against
her Majesty's person and Government.
Its provisions have already been put in
force against a considerable number of
persons known to the police as active
participants in an insurrectionary plot,
and the principal object for which it was
passed will by this time have been main-
ly accomplished.

It had been the hope of her Majesty's
advisers, and the not unreasonable ex-
pectation of her subjects in general, that
the embryo rebellion, which adopts the
name of Fenianism, would have been
crushed by a calm but vigorous enforce-
ment of the ordinary powers of law; nor
had that hope been abandoned even so
short a time ago as the opening of Par-
liament. The conspiracy, however, only
staggered for a few days under the blow
which the Special Commission had inflic-
ted upon it, and very speedily resumed
its progress. The seat of its vitality is
on the other side of the Atlantic, whence
there is a constant flow into Ireland of
men, materials, and money for fomenting
rebellion. The emissaries from this cen-
tral organisation have learned, by the
experience of their convicted predeces-
sors, to pursue their treasonable calling
under such precautions as may keep them
out of reach of legal evidence; and al-
though their persons and designs are, in
many instances, well known, they are a-
ble to evade the present administrative
powers of justice. The Irish Executive,
apprehending, it would seem, an approach-
ing outbreak, but precluded by Constitu-
tional restraints from acting upon the in-
formation they possess, cannot answer
for the preservation of the public peace
unless authorized by Parliament to set a-
side the customary safeguards of person-
al liberty, and to proceed against the ac-
tive organizers of insurrection on sus-
picion in default of legal evidence. The
alternative submitted to the Legislature
on Saturday last was—-a concession to the
Government of legal authority to lay
their hand at once upon suspected con-
spirators, or a collision attended with
more or less loss both of life and proper-
ty. Parliament wisely and humanely
chose a policy of restraint to one of
bloodshed.

The necessity for the measure has, we
think, been made out. The Irish Gov-
ernment, it may be fairly presumed, pos-
sesses fuller information than they can
just now make public, consistently with
their purpose of rooting out this Fenian
plot. But they have told enough to con-
vince the most sceptical that serious mis-
chief is brewing, and to show clearly
enough that the ordinary power of law is
insufficient to put a stop to it. Probably
they have not been a moment too early
in their application to Parliament, for
promptitude and decision may rescue, not
only Ireland, but the enemies of her
peace, from much worse evils. A clean
sweep of the paid emissaries who have
spread themselves over the island, and
who, by a lavish expenditure of the funds
with which they are supplied from vari-
ous sources, and by delusive promise of
assistance, are busy in beguiling an ignor-
ant peasantry and in seducing soldiers
from their allegiance, will be an act of
mercy as well as of executive vigour. It
will instantly stay the current of sedition-
mongers from beyond the seas, and, in all
likelihood, will turn it back to the quart-
er whence it comes. Meanwhile the
dupes of conspiracy will wake up to the
reality of the case, and will find that the
anticipation that had been so carelessly
but so confidently entertained by them
were but a feverish dream. Then, when
the dark shadow of Fenianism has slunk
away into the final retreat of lying vanities,
the same Parliament, we trust, that has
suspended the Habeas Corpus Act will set
itself earnestly to the much more difficult,
but also far nobler, work of conquering
disaffection, and by wise, kindly, and apt
legislation, will render future conspiracy
impossible.—-ILL. LON. News.

The Peabody Benefaction.

The announcement, two or three weeks
since, of Mr. Peabody's second donation
of £100,000 "for the benefit of the poor
of London," which, added to that bestow-
ed in March, 1862, making a minimum
of a quarter of a million sterling, has been
followed by the publication of that gent-
leman's letter to the trustees of his fund.
The scale of munificence upon which the
American banker has dispensed his boun-
ty is so vast that it dwarfs the most ex-
travagant limits of eulogy, and makes us
"beggars in thanks." The practical wis-
dom, however, which he has displayed in
indicating his wishes as to how the money
may be most usefully employed, is quite
worthy of the gift. He authorizes his
trustees to use any portion of the fund
in building lodging-houses for the labour-
ing poor; but, as the difficulty of obtain-
ing sites within the area of the metropolis
becomes greater every year, he desires
that eligible freehold sites may be sought
out and secured at a distance from the
Royal Exchange not exceeding ten miles.
He suggests that the most economical
arrangements procurable might be made
with railroad companies "for the convey-
ance of working people at stated hours
to and from London at such moderate
fares as will come within their means."
Should dwellings erected by the trustees
be remote from schools, they are to be at
liberty to set apart space adjacent to the
buildings, and to erect thereon school-
houses for the children of the families
holding tenements; but the course of
education to be given in such schools is
to be strictly of an elementary and liter-
ary character, from which all sectarian
influences and denominational jealousies
must be rigidly excluded. These school-
rooms, Mr. Peabody hints, furnished with
books, periodicals, and newspapers for
such as might choose to attend, might be
open some hours during the evening; and
popular and scientific lectures might be
introduced occasionally, "at a charge, if
any, merely sufficient to defray necessary
expenses." He recommends that where
the lodging-houses are situated at an in-
convenient distance from good markets,
apartments, either within or near the
buildings, be provided, "in which the
tenants may organize co-operative stores
for supplying themselves with coal and
other necessary articles for their own
consumption;" and he desires that his
trustees will, after the year 1868, publish
annually in the London newspapers, in
the month of February, "a report of the
progress in buildings (if any should be
commenced), with an account of receipts
and expenditures, with the various items
attending the management of the fund."

One is at a loss which most to admice
—the liberality which conferred the gift
or the thoughtfulness which has traced
out the channels through which the ben-
efits of it to the London poor may flow.
There is, however, one circumstance con-
nected with the suggested manner of ex-
pending it which will add incalculably to
its worth. The buildings erected by
means of this fund, and tenanted by
honest and industrious poor, will pay a
considerable sum total in the shape of
rent; and the constantly and progres-
sively increasing income so accruing will,
in its turn, be laid out in the same way.
The founder of the original fund evid-
ently views it with satisfaction in this
light. "It will act more powerfully in
future generations than in the present;
it is intended to endure for ever." His
trustees fully recognize this characteristic
of the two donations committed to their
management. "The most moderate re-
turn, they say in their reply to the do-
nor, "from so large an investment will
furnish a permanent income, the judici-
ous expenditure of which must in time
exert an irresistible influence in raising
the character of that class of houses
which are now occupied by the labouring
population in all parts of the metropolis;
and thus to a remote posterity your name
will continue to be held in grateful re-
membrance by the people of London as
the benefactor of the poor on a scale
hitherto unequalled in this or any other
country.

Mr. Peabody will live, we trust, to see
some of the moral results to be expected
from his liberality. He has employed the
most efficient means within his reach
to attract public attention to a matter
which has been suffered too long to lie
comparatively unheeded, and the neglect
of which has already proved to be a pro-
lific source of evils, physical, social, and
moral.

France.

THE Senaté having last week given a
general approval to the Address in reply
to the Emperor's speech, has since oc-
cupied itself in discussing the various
paragraphs seriatim. The notable incid-
ent arising out of this debate was the
ludicrous tirade against England and
everything English indulged in by the
well-known anglophobist, the Marquis de
Boissy. Apropos of the meeting of the
French and English fleets at Cherbourg,
the Marquis gave expression to a feeling
which is more common over here than is
generally supposed. He ridiculed the
notion of there being anything like real
sympathy between the navies of France
and England. "Are the two navies,"
exclaimed he, "friends or foes? Friends,
never! Foes, certainly! This is the feeling
they have in their hearts." The crot-
chety Marquis saw great reason for
rejoicing that England had what he be-
lieved to be two grand dangers ahead—-a
war with America and a Fenian revo-
lution—-and proclaimed that he wished to
hold up PERFIDE Albion to the scorn of
all nations, and to rouse every civilized
Power against her. The president called
the speaker to order, and the audience
expressed its disapprobation; neverthe-
less, the Marquis persevered until he had
fired off his last shot, when he resumed
his seat with an air of triumph. During
the discussion of the particular paragraph
of the address relative to Mexico, Mar-
shal Forey startled his fellow-senators by
proclaiming it as his opinion that not only
ought the return of the French troops to
be delayed, but that fresh reinforcements
should be sent out in aid of the Emperor
Maximilian. The Government, as
may be supposed, lost not a moment in
disavowing all that the Marshal had said
upon this latter point. The Roman ques-
tion was the next important matter that
came up for discussion, and Pius IX.'s
friends mustered strong and lauded the
Papal administration to the skies, and
abused Victor Emmanuel and his ad-
mirers in good set terms. This brought
forward M. Rouher, who, after expres-
sing his confidence in the good faith of
the Italian Government, remarked that
France would not cease to keep in view
the reconciliation of the Pope with the
kingdom of Italy. The Address was on
Wednesday unanimously adopted.

Austria.

The draught of the address in reply
to the Emperor's speech at the opening
of the Hungarian Diet has been brought
forward in the Lower House. The ad-
dress expresses confidence in the Sove-
reign, and congratulates his Majesty on
the Constitutional sentiments contained
in the speech from the throne and on his
recognition of the continuity of rights.
The address accepts the Pragmatic Sanc-
tion as the basis of negotiations, and
points out that the safety of Austria and
the independence of Hungary are not
antagonistic. It announces that a special
bill will be prepared for the settlement
of matters common to Hungary and the
rest of the monarchy, and declares the
readiness of the Diet to negotiate with
the other provinces, while reserving the
independence of each. It also states
that the desire of the Diet is to bring about
the real restoration of the Constitution,
and expresses hopes that his Majesty will
speedily be crowned as King of Hungary.

Spain.

Advices from Panama state that Peru
had formed an offensive and defensive
alliance with Chili, and had declared war
against Spain. Five Peruvian vessels of
war had sailed with orders to join the
Chilian squadron and commence hostili-
ties immediately. The Spanish fleet had
thoroughly blockaded Valparaiso, and
was expected to make an attack on that
city.

In consequence of the serious declara-
tions contained in the Spanish Red Book
respecting the policy of Spain towards
Italy, the Cabinet of King Victor Em-
manuel have despatched an energetic note
to Madrid.

By way of New York we have news
from Chili and Peru. It is to the effect
that an alliance against the Spaniards had
been formed by these two States.
The blockade of the Chilian ports,
with the exception of Valparaiso and
Calders, had been raised. Off the latter
port there had been a fight, in which she
Spaniards got the worst of it.

United States.

The President, in reply to a delegation
of coloured men, who requested that
negroes should be allowed the right of
suffrage and representation, said he be-
lieved that the negroes in the south would
not be benefited by those rights, and that
the result would be a war of races. To
another delegation, who waited on him to
express satisfaction at his policy, he an-
nounced his intention to adhere to the
doctrines expressed in his annual mes-
sage ; and that, as he was not a candidate
for re-election, he could afford to do right.

The House of Representatives has pass-
ed a bill extending the privileges of the
homestead law to freedmen, and giving
eighty acres of public land in Mississippi,
Louisiana, Florida, or Arkansas, to each
settler, without distinction of color, on
payment of five dollars at the time of
settlement. Over 10,000,000 acres have
been appropriated to this purpose.

The Government having disowned the
outrage on Bagdad, the principal actors in
the affair were being arrested. The whole
blame is thrown upon General Crawford.

The New York Tribune states that
the Marquis De Moatholon and Mr.
Seward have had a final interview on
Mexican affairs, at which it was under-
stood the Emperor Napoleon had ordered
the withdrawal of all the French troops
from Mexico.

The Senate, by a vote of 31 to 10, has
adopted the amendment to the bill for
protection in civil rights, declaring all
natives of the United States not subject
to foreign Powers, except Indians, to be
citizens, without distinction of colour.

The House of Representatives had
adopted, by a majority of 120 to 46, a
resolution in favour of an amendment to
the Federal Constitution, providing that,
in allotting representatives to the several
States, according so the number of their
population, no persons excluded from the
suffrage on account of their colour shall
be reckoned among the population.

During an interview with some senators
President Johnson had declared that he
regarded the extension of the suffrage to
negroes in the district of Columbia at the
present time as a measure fraught with
evil both to whites and blacks. He had
likewise declared his aversion to any fur-
ther amendments of the Federal Con-
stitution. He added that if there were
to be any amendment—-which he did not
deem at all necessary-—he thought repres-
entatives should be allotted to States in
proportion to the aggregate number of
voters, and direct taxation should be ap-
portioned in proportion to the aggregate
amount of property.

The Federal debt, on Feb. 1, amount-
ed to 2,842,000,000 dollars, being an in-
crease of 17,000,000 since Jan. 1.

India.

The Bombay mail has not brought news
of much interest. The apprehension of
further outbreaks on the Peshawar fron-
tier had subsided, and the assembled
troops had been ordered back to their
cantonments. It was thought, however,
that hostilities would have to be renewed
in Bhootan, as the abandoned guns had
not been restored to the English Govern-
ment in conformity with the treaty of
peace.

The Jamaica Question.

A THIRD series of papers relating to
the disturbances in Jamaica was issued,
as a bluebook, yesterday week.

The principal paper is a despatch from
Governor Eyre explanatory of the man-
ner in which Dr. Underhill's letter ob-
tained publicity in the island. In reply
to Mr. Cardwell's inquiry, Mr. Eyre
says: —"I did not direct, authorize, or in
any way sanction the publication of that
letter; nor do I know in what manner or
through whom it was made public." He
then goes on to explain that, for the pur-
pose of obtaining information to enable
him to prepare a report respecting the
letter, he found it necessary to send
copies of it to the custodes, to the minis-
ters of religion of all denominations, and
to several other persons from whom he
thought he might get useful information.
As Mr. Eyre says, considering the large
number of persons to whom Dr. Under-
hill's letter thus became known, the ma-
jority of whom were not under the con-
trol of the Government, it is not surpris-

ing that it soon found its way into the
public prints. Mr. Eyre flatly denies
that the letter was printed in the GAZETTE.
He contends that the publication of the
letter was the necessary consequence of
its having been sent to the Secretary of
of State, and he therefore holds that the
whole responsibility rests upon the writer.

(All the forgoing articles are from the
ILL. LONDON NEWS of Feb. 17th and 24th)

Tattooing.

One of the customs of the New Zea-
landers is particularly worthy of atten-
tion—that of tattooing. It is found in
various parts of the world, and is of very
ancient origin. Its history begins at least
with Herodotus, who informs us that both
in Thrace and Lybia, the natives were ac-
customed to puncture and color their
faces, and various parts of their bodies.
The practice of pricking different forms
on the person—-crowns, anchors, and the
like—-is still common among our soldiers
and sailors. It has been asserted that in
some of the Egyptian paintings there is a
distinct indication of tattooing on some
of the figures. It is well known that our
ancient British forefathers dyed their
bodies with wood, and painted or tattooed
them with various designs. Many savage
tribes still adhere to the custom, but it
is nowhere more prevalent than among
the New Zealanders.

The word “tattoo,” by which we now
designate all those indelible devices which
have been pricked into the skin, is of
Oceanic origin, and has been traced to
the language to Tahiti. The operation
is regarded with religious veneration, as
the individual tattooed is supposed by
this means to be placed under the imme-
diate protection of a divine being. The
god of the tattoo is called Tiki, and his
worship prevails through the Oceanic
group. The images of Tiki are like most
other savage idols, chiefly remarkable for
their ferocious expression—the natives
apparently associating extreme wisdom
and power with excessive ugliness.

In all the Oceanic Islands, tattooing is
practised in the same manner. The in-
struments employed are neither numer-
ous nor complicated. They consist of a
pick—-a needle-like tool-—a small wooden
hammer, that serves both to drive in the
needle, and to remove the blood that
gushed out. The process is described by
the New Zealanders as “Moko,” and it is
still practised. A traveler, long resident
in New Zealand, tells us that in crossing
through a native village one morning, he
observed Tawi, one of the aborigines,
tattooing another, the son of Dire-depahi,
on the upper part of the thigh. The
operation was evidently very painful;
but it was borne with stoical patience.
The prick employed was made of the
wing-bone of a pigeon, sharpened to a
point. With this instrument, which was
ingeniously fitted into a handle, the op-
erator traced the various lines required
for the completion of the device, strik-
ing it now and again with a piece of
wood about a foot in length. The blood
flowed freely, but the patient remained
perfectly calm, supporting himself, as he
lay half erect, on his elbow. The needle
was frequently dipped into water mingled
with the juice of a tree, thus giving a
dark color, almost black, to every line.

An operation so painful and so tedious
is necessarily extended over a long period.
No man, however savage or stoical, could
submit to being tattooed from head to
foot without intervals of repose. A chief
must be thoroughly tattooed; but to ac-
complish the complete work, occupies
years. It is begun in infancy, and con-
tinued at intervals, but is seldom finished
before manhood.

The artists whose business it is to tat-
too are held in great estimation. They
are assigned a high social rank, and are
well paid for their labour. Some of them
exhibit very considerable ability in the
design and execution of the devices which
they imprint on the skin of their patients.
They are generally of what might be
called an ornamental character, although
the effect produced scarcely merits the
term. Scroll-work, geometrical figures,
and the like, are principally employed;
fruits, flowers, or animals are rarely at-
tempted. A recent traveler expresses
himself as fully convinced that were
some of these native artists placed under
proper instruction, they would take no
mean rank among the painters and sculp-
tors of Europe.—-THE FRIEND.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
—-Captain Winner once recieved a
sharp answer from a negro which will
bear repeating. The black man had
long been acquainted with him, gene-
rally helping him load his vessel. In
the course of a conversation one day
Winner accidentally remarked that he
was a Christian. “You a Christian!”
said the darkey, in astonishment,
“Law’s a mighty massy I’d never found
it out in the world if you hadn’t told
me.

Bangkok Recorder

The Provinces & States
of Siam.

One of our correspondents, under
date of the 10th ult., propounded to
us two important questions, for the
purpose of eliciting information now
peculiarly needed by the foreign com-
munity and the several governments
in treaty relations with this country,
concerning the several States and de-
pendencies of Siam. The first ques-
tion is—-How many Provinces are
there? and the second-—What are their
relations to the central government?
We had studied the general subject
involved in these questions a long while
before the questions were propounded
to us, but much more carefully since.
From what we had learned before and
have recently added to our stock of
knowledge touching this matter, we
will now venture an attempt to answer
the questions, only promising, that
while we think our answer will be
found in the main correct, we cannot
flatter ourselves that it will not con-
tain some, and perhaps, many mistakes,
for one of the most difficult things to
be done in this country is to obtain
perfectly accurate information on sub-
jects relating to Siamese territory and
government.

The civil government of Siam
is mainly divided between two Prime
Ministers—-viz.-—Chôw P'raya Sré-
suriwôngs t'ôh Sâmuhâ P'râ Kâlahôme
and Chôw P'râya P'oot'ârap'eiwat'nôh
Sâmuhâ Nayôk. Theformer is regard-
ed as being on the right hand, and the
latter on the left of the throne-—with
the idea that the king is sitting on his
throne with his face to the east. Hence
that part of his kingdom at his right
hand is the Southern division, and that
part at his left hand is the Northern
division; and such is in fact the
general division of the kingdom be-
tween these two Prime Ministers. But
it is not strictly so, for there is another
high Minister who comes in and claims
by law as belonging to his jurisdiction
a considerable portion of Siam North
of a due line East and West of the
capital, and a very large portion South
and West. The title of this high Lord
is Chôw P'raya P'râklang. Hence there
is in fact three Noble Lords to whom
all the kingdom of Siam is apportioned
out in charge-—that is to say all the
state business appertaining to each of
these several divisions must be trans-
acted under the seal of the Lord to
whom it is assigned.

The seal of Chôw P'râya Srêsuri-
wông P'râ Kâlahôme is the figure of
a kôch'sâe (an animal somewhat like
a lion but having two ivory tusks like
an elephant). The seal of Chôw P'râya
P'oot'ârap'ei Sâmuhâ Nayôk is the
figure of a lion, and the seal of Chôw
P'râya P'râklang is the figure of a lotus
flower.

Chôw P'râya Kâlahôme is over every
thing that concerns the military and
navy. Chôw P'râya P'oot'ârap'ei is
over all that appertains to the habita-
tions and dwellings of the people—-
numbering and classifying them—-the
appointment of magistrates among
them, and the royal treasury in general.
Chôw P'râya P'râklang is over all the
foreign interests—-as foreign corres-
pondence—-reception of ambassadors
and consuls, together with all the
business they may have with the Siam-
ese government—and all vessels of trade
both domestic and foreign-—He has
also an important charge over the Trea-
sury department, and hence that part
of his title called P'râklang. But this
charge, if we understand it correctly,
is strictly speaking, subordinate to the
Prime Minister of the Northern division.

All other departments of govern-
ment are merged into these three grand
divisions—-as for example the agricul-
tural department, having the noble
Lord Chôw P'râya P'ôulât'ape at its
head, and the department of ruling
the capital, guarding the royal palaces,
having Chôw P'râya Yômârat, the Lord
mayor, at its head, fall under the Min-
ister of the Northern division and all
their business must have the sanction
of his seal.

Each of the three Lords over the
three grand divisions of the govern-
ment, has a fixed number of Provinces
or States over which he exercises a
special authority and throughout which
his own particular seal is essential to
sanction all state business, and these
States are denominated, interior or in-
prop, centrally and outer. The interior

and central belong to Siam proper—
the outer are simply tributary States.

Each one of the High chiefs has his
own system of judiciary comprising
several grades of courts. Appeals may
be made from the lower to the higher
and from the highest to the supreme
tribunal, at which the king himself
is judge, or some prince or other high
officer of government, to whom the
king especially refers the case. The
latter is the usual course. Appeals from
the P'râklang's highest court must be
made to the tribunal of one or the
other of the Prime Ministers. This
we believe is "the king's high
way" for the people to obtain justice.
But it is much more pleasant to look
at it as sketched on paper than it is in
the usual experience of the people.
There are many "lions in the way"
and unlike those found by Bunyan's
pilgrim, they are unchained.

Each of the three Ministers is al-
lowed by old custom (which is law)
so to manage the affairs of his juris-
diction, so that he shall be well paid
for his charge. Their salaries are
far from being adequate to their sta-
tions, and their perquisites are proba-
bly many fold more than their salaries.
It is the universal custom for the
people to lay presents at the feet of
their rulers high and low, whenever
they desire any favor from them, and
the more valuable the presents the
more sure of course are they of ob-
taining their requests. The natural
tendency of these presents is to act as
bribes, and bribing on a large scale
with all its horrible corruptions grows
out of this pernicious custom. It
must be abolished if Siam is ever to
take an honorable rank among civili-
zed nations. Her officers of govern-
ment, from the highest to the lowest
must have salaries sufficient to support
them well in the discharge of their
duties, and it must be made a high crime
for them to take any thing in the
character of a bribe.

The Chôw P'râya Kâlahome holds a
special jurisdiction over the Western
and South Western provinces. These
are Prât'ôômât'aneô, Nâk'awn K'u'an
k'ân, Nâk'awn Séét'âmarât, Chôôm-
p'awn, Lâng-sôôan, T'alâng, P'ét-
ch'âbureô, Klawngwan, Bangtâp'an,
Takôôa-t'oông, Takôôa-pa, Kôôi,
Pran, Ch'eiya, P'at'âlôông, and Sâng-
k'lâ. He also has authority over the
outer provinces and counties on the
Malayan peninsula—viz. Pâttang, Srai,
Yaring, Kâlantan, Tringanu, Cam-
mâmand, Nawng chick, Jala, Ramarand
Ragel, on the eastern side; and on the
western side he has Kedah, Plis, and
Sâtoon &c.

Chôw P'râya P'oot'âp'eii has special
authority over the following States at
the North, Northeast and Northwest
viz.-—Singâbureô, Sâbureô, Lôpbu-
reô, Sârabureô, Pra-ch'ei-ch'an,
Ayuthia, Nâk'awn-nayok, Prâchim,
Ch'ach'ôôang-sow, Sôôp'an, T'arong,
Bua-ch'ôôm, Ch'eitaran, Kâmpran,
Nâk'awn Râtch'asema, Prât'âbong,
Nâk'awn Siamrap, Râhââng, Ootârâ-
dit, P'itsanôôloke, Sawank'âloke,
Sôôk'ôt'ei, Kâmp'aang-p'et, P'ich'ei,
Nâk'awn Sawân, P'ichit, Mânorôm,
Ch'einât, Oot'ei, Int'âbureô, and
P'rômbureô. He has also supervis-
ion of the tributary states in northern
Cambodia, Cheangmai, Lamp'ôôn,
P'raa, Nân, Lôôang-P'râbang, Nâ-
k'awn P'ânom, Nâk'awn-ch'ôôm, and
P'asâk.

The Chôw P'râya P'râk'lang holds
jurisdiction in the Southeastern part of
the kingdom over the States of Ch'ân-
tabureô, Trat, R'ayawng, Ch'onbureô,
Samôôt'âprakan,-—at the North Non-
t'âbureô, and at the West Samôôt'-
songk'ram, Sâk'awnbureô, and Nâ-
k'awnch'eisôô.

He also has a general charge over
the states in Southern Cambodia.

Each of the interior or inner pro-
vinces is ruled by a governor appointed
by the King of Siam without any re-
gard to hereditary descent from the
previous incumbent. The governors
are usually selected from among men
in or about the capital whom the king
delights to honor, and from such, ge-
nerally, as have been trained into gov-
ernment service as sons of nobles and
lords;—-this vein of aristocracy being
as essential to the monarchy of Siam
as to any other.

The duties of each governor are to
rule the State over which he is placed
in the name of the king, taking the
supervision of all the civil affairs of
the State, administering justice to
the people, executing special demands
of the Supreme government upon the
services or the property of the people,
and to collect taxes and imposts, the
same as is done in the capital. The
usual Siamese phrase by which the
act of ruling a Province or State is
designated, is the significant one kin
muang—-literally eat the State. The
idea is that the ruler gets his liveli-
hood and wealth by that service
and from the people of the same.
There was originally, no doubt, much
more of truth than poetry in the
phrase, the great object being to get
a living with riches and honors out of
the people, and not to remove obstruc-
tions in the way of the people’s being
blessed with prosperity. But we fan-
cy that matters have been gradually
improving in this respect since the
present reign commenced; still there
remains too much reason for a literal
rendering of the phrase in regard to
many of the governors that now rule
those States.

The Provinces denominated central
as for example Nāk’awn Rātchāsēma,
Prattabong, Nākawn Siamrap, and
Rahāāng are usually governed by
their own hereditary chiefs and offi-
cers. The laws and customs and mode
of government in those Provinces are
much the same as at the Capital, with
but few modifications to suit their
peculiar circumstances. The control-
ling power is vested in the chief alone.
The taxes and imposts are collected
by his authority and transmitted to
the Capital.

The outer or tributary States of
Siam, as for example Cheang-Mai,
Lampoon, Luang Prâ bang and the
other Laos Provinces at the North,
are ruled by their own hereditary
princes who have laws and customs
peculiar to themselves. Their taxes
and imposts are collected for them-
selves alone, and not for the supreme
government at Bangkok. But the
Laos chiefs are accustomed to send an
annual tribute to the government of
Siam, and the Malayan tributary pro-
vinces are expected to send to the
supreme government a triennial tri-
bute, consisting principally of silver
and gold artificial trees of various
sizes from 3 feet to 6 feet high with
corresponding branches and leaves.

All the Siamese tributary States are
virtually under the Protectorate of
the King of Siam—-the king being
Lord paramount or Suzerain. When
a chief accedes to the seat of supreme
authority in any tributary State, it is
necessary that he obtain the sanction
of the Suzerain. In case the Suzer-
ain is called upon to select a chief for
any tributary State, he must make
the selection from that State and the
prince must be unanimously approv-
ed by both officers and people of the
State. Enjoying such popularity his
appointment may be confirmed by the
king of Siam, and not otherwise.

Should quarrels and disputes arise
between the chief and his subordi-
nate rulers, or should they act un-
justly and make complaints against
each other, producing confusion and
anarchy, it is then the duty of His
Siamese Majesty their Suzerain to
send an army to restore peace and
punish the leader or leaders of the
trouble, whom the majority of the
officers of government and of the
people condemn. This the king does
by bringing him or them to the Capi-
tal for punishment as transported
criminals. The king does not him-
self or by proxy adjudicate in such
cases. That is done, as above inti-
mated, by the judiciary of the tribu-
tary State to which the criminals
belong.

Should war be made upon a tribu-
tary State by a neighboring State not
tributary to Siam, and the govern-
ment of such a tributary State duly
inform His Majesty the king of Siam
of the matter, and request his aid
His Majesty their Suzerain will, in
such a case, feel himself under obliga-
tion to render assistance to the amount
of his ability.

Udangmejay, the present capital of
Cambodia was formerly a tributary
of Siam as Cheang Mai now is. “But
the French came and made a treaty
with the chief by which his country
has been made an independent nation
and he has become as an absolute
sovereign, or a free chief under the
mutual protectorate of the Emper-
or of France and the Monarch of
Siam. Yet even now, the chief King
of Cambodia is doing some times ac-
cording to former customs, giving in-
formation of certain affairs to the Sia-
mese authorities.”

We hope and trust there is
much correct and important informa-
tion in the above notes, and that all
the errors which may be found in this
our effort to answer the questions of
our correspondent will be promptly
corrected by him who is so well able
and has ever shewn himself willing
to communicate information concern-
ing Siam.

To our Buddhist Champion.

We will at the outset frankly ac-
knowledge that our antagonist has in
his last article displayed much more
tact and power at argumentation than
we had conceived it possible for him
to summon. And we are really sur-
prised to find that he, having been
educated in the temples of Siam, is so
well acquainted with the European
rules of polemic controversy. It
would almost seem that he had been
trained in a fully civilized land, and
had received lessons on argumenta-
tion from some of our distinguished
western logicians. We were particu-
larly impressed with his remarks on
the importance of arguing directly to
the point in question, and keeping out
all subjects and even words irrelevant
to that point. We fully agree with
him in the views he has so clearly and
forcibly expressed in that regard; and
it has ever been our purpose as well
as principle to discuss with him ac-
cording to that excellent rule of a
"point blank now" at the point in
question. We had flattered ourselves
that we had in the main held to that
rule in our practice, and were quite
taken aback to find that our antago-
nist was of the opposite opinion, and
was feeling himself very dishonorably
treated, not to say insulted, by what
he conceived to be our violation not
only of that good rule of logic, but al-
so of the Buddhist sacred books, in
our mode of reply to him in No 13.

Now we would humbly beg his
pardon for having given him this of-
fence. It was not intended, neither
do we think that there was much rea-
son for him to judge that we did "lug
in irrelevant matter" and thus attempt
"to cover up the point" under dis-
cussion. When and where did we
"lug in the subject of lions and other
stories into our argument"? He
himself most surely "evinces a deli-
rious mind" in seeming to suppose
that all the subjects on which we
have dilated in the *Bangkok Recor-
der* for the last six months were quite
out of place because they had no
bearing upon our discussion. We can
scarcely suppress our risibility when
our royal champion gives us to
think that he felt himself hard pressed
against a wall by the *outrageous* and
quite unexpected side push he charges
us of having given him. But now
that he has come out of his cramped
quarters and is displaying uncommon
freedom and power, we feel that it is
becoming in us to be sober minded
since the Lion of Buddhism has been
so much aroused.

We confess that our reply to him
on his objections to the Bible for its
simple and unscientific account of
the origin and use of the Rainbow,
was such as might seem to render us
guilty of the charge of dodging "the
question" by a "side push with irre-
levant matter." The reasons why we
took the course we did with that arti-
cle, we have already sufficiently stated
in No 13 and 15. But as we have
learned that such reasons have little or
no force in his or any other Buddhist's
mind, we feel now determined to give
him henceforth only a "fist for
fist argument" and scrupulously
avoid all appearance of "pushing him
with our side."

With the exception of that one ar-
ticle which we did indeed rather rude-
ly treat, we beg to ask our antagonist
and with him all who have read our
previous replies to his objections to
the Bible, if we were not faithful in
answering nearly or quite all the
skeptical questions he propounded?
Take for instance the objections he
alleged against the Bible concerning
the account it gives of the creation
some days after the light, the rudeness
of Noah's Ark, his apparent ignor-
ance of ship-building and navigation
the want of continued miracles to
confirm the truth of Christianity, etc.
When and where did we violate that
excellent rule of logic to which our
antagonist professes to have such
high regard? So far from it, we
have heard from our friends in many
quarters that in their opinion we had
stuck too closely to that rule, and were
occupying too much space in our small
paper with arguments on points too
plain to require an argument.

In the course of our reasoning, we
have had occasion to put here and there a
question to our champion as grave
and important to the argument as why
he ever put to us. But what has he
done with them? Not one has he
made the slightest attempt to answer,
but treated them all, as he falsely
charges us of having done with his—
by covering them all up with irrele-
vant matter. Indeed he has virtually
reiterated questions that we had care-
fully answered before, and flourishes
them about as though we had never
written a word that had any bearing
upon them. We had labored to show
him that the Bible uses popular lan-
guage and scarcely ever employs scien-
tific al terms in speaking of the sky, the
sun, moon and stars, just as he him-self,
with all his knowledge of astronomy,
does in speaking to his children. But
instead of offering a word of reply to
it, he came forward with another ob-
jection of the same class, which he
thought he had found in the Bible
account of the rainbow. He flatter-
ed himself that he could prove from
that, that the writers of the Bible were
utterly ignorant of science, inasmuch
as they appear not to have known that
the rainbow is “simply an ocular
illusion that it is not in the cloud at
all nor in fact any where else.” And
because he thinks Miss Mary of the
Hoilo [?] America has demonstrated that, he
judges the Bible cannot be a book wor-
thy of our confidence. Now because he
thus ignored our previous reasoning
all this, we were but too successfully
tempted to treat lightly, even border-
ing on ridicule that outrage allso [?] of
polemical civility and sound logic.
But enough of this fault finding. Let
all the past be dropped, hoping that
both parties will be benefitted by our
mutual criticisms.

We desire the best good of our an-
tagonist and of the hundreds of mil-
lions he represents, and therefore feel
happy to labor unweariedly “in sea-
son and out of season” in the paper
and out of it, and by all authorized
modes of reasoning and persuasion if
by any means we may convince him
and his most venerable host—unpar-
alleled in numbers, of the inimitable
excellence of the Bible as a light to
guide the footsteps of mankind to ho-
liness and happiness here, and to eter-
nal life hereafter.

Having thus cleared the way we
will in a future issue resume an or-
derly and orthodox argumentation
with our Buddhist Champion.

Queen Victoria and the Bible.

It was a noble and beautiful answer of
our Queen—-the monarch of a free people,
reigning more by love than law, because
seeking to reign in the fear of God —it was
a noble answer she gave to an African
Prince who sent an embassy with costly
presents, and asked her in return to tell
him the SECRET of England's greatness
and England's glory; and our beloved
Queen sent him, not the number of her
fleet, not the number of her armies, not
the amount of her boundless merchandise,
not the details of her inexhaustible wealth.

She did not, like Hezekiah; in an evil hour,
show the ambassador her diamonds and
her jewels, and her rich ornaments, but
handing him a beautifully bound copy of
the Bible, she said, "Tell the Prince that
THIS IS THE SECRET OF ENGLAND'S GREAT
NESS."—BRITISH WORKMAN.

KING EDWARD VI.-—At the coronation
of this youthful king, which was on
February 20th, 1547. he being then only
nine years old, when three swords were
brought, as signs of his being king of
three kingdoms, he said there was one
yet wanting. And when the nobles about
him asked him what that was, he answer-
ed, "The Bible! That book," added he,
"is the sword of the Spirit, and to be
preferred before these swords. THAT, in
all right, ought to govern us, who use the
sword, by God's appointment, for the
people's safety. He who rules without
the Bible, is not to be called God's minis-
ter, or king. From that alone we ob-
tain all power, virtue, grace, salvation,
and whatsoever we have of Divine
strength."

Some interesting anecdotes connected
with the youthful days of this excellent
prince, have been preserved. One day
when engaged with some companions in
amusements suitable for his age, he
wished to take down something from a
shelf above his reach. One of his play-
fellows offered him a large book to stand
upon; but, perceiving it to be the Bible,
King Edward refused such assistance with
indignation, and reproved the offender,
saying that it was highly improper that
he should trample under his feet that pre-
cious volume, which he ought to treasure
up in his head and heart."

Correspondence.

Sir: —This was a case tried in the
British Consulate in which James Mc
Kay was plaintiff, and Daniel Mac-
lean defendant.

The plaintiff produced a contract
dated in 1862, in which he had agreed
with Mr. John Clay, engineer pro Dan-
iel Maclean, to lift a boiler then sunk
in the river for the sum of $ 70. The
defendant was to find all labor and
material for the same.

The defendant then stated, that very
probably the plaintiff bought the said
contract in Hong Kong, for twenty
dollars.

The plaintiff then produced a letter
from Mr. Kempt, clerk to Borneo Co.
Limited, stating that he was present at
the writing and signing of the said con-
tract. The Consul took the letter in
his hand and threw it down on the table
the same as if it was on fire, saying that
he would not read any letters of that
sort; (and said) the witness would be
summoned to appear and put on oath.
The plaintiff then lifted Mr. Kempt's
letter off the table, seeing there was not
the least chance of it igniting, and put
it in his pocket.

The defendant then stated that he had
lifted three boilers for the plaintiff's
one, and that he had never seen the
plaintiff before, and that he had never
received any bills for the amount claim-
ed, except one with an impertinent note,
and that he superintended the work
himself.

The plaintiff then said the defend-
ant was not there except on three oc-
casions, and each of these times, on-
ly from fifteen minutes to half an hour;
and here was Mr. Moore present that
carried three bills for the amount claim-
ed in 1864.

The Consul then said that he would
put the cause off from this day the 11th
to the 16th April.

April 16th 1866, at 10 A. M. plain-
tiff and witnesses had arrived at the
Consulate; at 11, 45 A. M. the defend-
ant came. The plaintiff and witnesses
were then called in.

First witness, Mr. Kempt sworn—
stated, that the contract now produced
is the same which was written and sign-
ed in my presence, and further the
plaintiff was working on board of two
gun-boats for several days and nights,
but how long he could not now say.

Witness was then ordered outside.
Mr. Moore was then called, and
sworn:—stated, that when he was
chief-mate of the "Bangkok Mark"
plaintiff sent him on three different
occasions with bills to the defendant.
On two occasions he gave the bills to
Mr. John Clay, engineer to the de-
fendant, and the third time he carried
a bill which was receipted; he brought it
back again as Mr. Clay said he would
come on board himself that afternoon
and settle it, but did not come: and Mr.
Moore further stated, that on this last
occasion he got two new nuts made for
the truss-bands of the fore-yard, and
that he asked Mr. Clay what he was to
pay for them. Mr. Clay answered, no-
thing for such a trifling affair.

During the time the last witness was
on oath the defendant was laughing
all the time.

Defendant sworn:—stated, that he
never authorized Mr. Clay to engage
the plaintiff or any one else. Consul
then asked him if he saw the plaintiff
there at work, he answered, that he did
and a number more of Europeans,
but he could not tell who they were.

Plaintiff was then sworn:—and
stated, that there was no Europeans
at work there, except Mr. Clay, Mr.
Norton, and plaintiff. Consul then
asked plaintiff if he could swear that
Mr. Clay was authorized by defendant
to engage the plaintiff, he answered, no.
The Consul then said, he would de-
cide the case against the plaintiff.
The plaintiff then said, that he would
appeal to the supreme Court. Consul
answered, he could not. Plaintiff then
asked for the decision of the Court in
writing. Consul said he could not have
it. The plaintiff then said, that he
would have to leave Court as a forger,
referring Consul to defendant's state-
ment of the 11th inst. viz:—"Plaintiff
having bought the said contract for
$20 in Hongkong," Consul said, he
did not hear defendant make that
statement.

Plaintiff then referred the Consul to
Mr. D. J. Edwards and Mr. Moore, who
were both present. The Consul stated
that it was wrong of the defendant to
make that statement. This finished
the case.

The plaintiff leaves the above state-
ments and decision of Court to an in-
telligent public.

When Consul's have only one Ear,
and one Eye to hear and see with, it
is high time they were recalled home.

Mr. Editor.-—Notwithstanding your
very enviable position as an assistant
in efforts to keep the cars of progress
on the track and the passengers from
jumping out and breaking their necks,
still I must tender my sympathies to
you and those engaged with you in
the same Herculean undertaking.

While it delights me to see the grow-
ing inquiry of all classes after all sorts
of knowledge, not excepting religious
the grandest of the whole, I am pain-
ed that you have so few works of sci-
ence and literature prepared in the
languages of the people to put in the
hand of the masses, by which their
multiplied inquiries would be solved
without occupying space in your too
small paper. Were your inquirers,
as formerly, only personal visitors, you
could have the assistance of maps and
drawings, chymical and philosophical
apparatus, etc. as do all teachers of
science in Christian countries. But
these cannot be introduced into a
newspaper; and to pars[?] your native
correspondents without some suitable
answers to their inquiries would be
tantamount, in their estimation, to an
acknowledgment of a defeat, not
thinking for a moment that though a
man has truth on his side, it is much
easier for another to ask him questions
concerning that truth than for him to
answer them. Even the most eminent
philosophers frankly acknowledge that
a child's questions are often beyond
their ken. Homer, the great Grecian
poet, it is said, worried himself to
death because he could not answer the
inquiry of an ignorant fisherman.

Now, though it be a fact that your
helps are so limited, I am glad to see
you encourage the spirit of inquiry e-
ven at the hazard of having it come
up sometimes not in the most desirable
form, for it will lead eventually, I
might say, according to the laws of
mind, necessarily, to the procuring of
men by those in power, whose ener-
gies shall be wholly devoted to the
work of translating books on science
and literature, as well as religion at
whatever cost. And I am happy to be a-
ble to say, that there are now men well
qualified for the responsible underta-
king, and would enter into it should
they be called for, which I venture to
predict for your encouragement, will
not be long hence. For this grand un-
dertaking His Majesty the King to-
gether with some of the princes,
the Prime Minister and others are e-
ven now quite well furnished, having
good European libraries which in their
present form are of little service ex-
cepting to a few amateurs in the English
language, and even those would much
better understand translations of their
English books into their own lan-
guage. Most of our scientific works
are written for cultivated minds, and
must be so translated as that they will
be adapted to a people like this, who
have no terms to express the most
simple principles. This is especially
true in chemistry, philosophy and met-
aphysics. They know a great deal a-
bout the mind, it is true, and much
more about matter, but have no such
thing as natural, moral, or mental
philosophy as a science, and hence new
terms must be introduced and a new
class of words added to their vocabu-
lary.

And here is suggested the necessity
of having that Siamese and English
Dictionary of yours completed. It is
now much needed, and will be still
more so continually as the people be-
come more intelligent. What student
in Europe or America would not as
soon think of doing without his din-
ner as his dictionary? And yet the Si-
amese have nothing worthy of the name.
I hope you will get your Siamo-Eng-
lish dictionary through the press as
soon as possible, though I am not so
stupid as to suppose that with all the
business already upon you, you can ac-
complish such a work without a good
deal of time, and much less, without am-
ple remuneration. The time is past that
you Americans, should work for the
Siamese "free gratis and for nothing"
as your missionaries have hitherto done
and are still doing for the most part.
The Siamese have risen too high in
the scale of nations to prize what costs
them nothing. They have learned to
take from your hands the grandest
historical and religious books the
world possesses without a civil "thank
you," which the most uncultivated of
them would not fail to do should you pre-
sent them with a mere flower. They
have become accustomed to feel that
the reception of the books you offer
them is a sufficient reward for your
kindness, while England's sons not
many centuries ago could not pur-
chase an entire copy of the sacred vol-
ume for a $1000. The Siamese need
not wonder at the slow progress Eng-
land made towards civilization when
literature was so expensive, whilst
they themselves, with all the extraor-
dinary helps within their reach are no
more rapid in their advancement.

Persevere then with a steady hand
and loving heart, always encouraging
investigation on all important subjects,
and you will have the sincere thanks
and approbation of all the good if no
others.SIGMA.

Mr. Editor.—-It seems to me that
your informant, whoever he is, was
not at the grand party given last week
by the Harbor Master, in honor of the
lately married couple, or he would not
say it was such a grand affair, every
body being so much pleased, and such
grand speeches we had.!! Unfortunate-
ly I was one of the guests on that eve-
ning and very sorry I was, for such
an ill arranged affair I have not seen
in many a day, and as for speeches, or
any thing in that line, there were none.
The worthy host of that evening should
not have forgotten the King’s party,
and the Consuls of Bangkok.

One half of the guests being so much
slighted, and in fact some of them felt
insulted, were not in a good mood to
be sociable. It was a miserable affair.
A good many would have left the ta-
ble altogether, if it would not have
been disrespectful to the bride and
bridegroom. But they finally made up
their minds to worry it out the best
way they could, fully determined not
to get into such a scrape again if
they can avoid it.

Sir:—Our much respected fellow
countryman Thomas Miller Esq. A. G.
R. O. A. C. has again taken his de-
parture from Siam for his native land.
On this occasion his stay with us has
been short.

His first residence in Bangkok to-
gether with his last, gives his many
old friends an opportunity of judging
of his many evil and good qualities.
May happiness and good fortune at-
tend him through life.

Our Paper.

We desire to remind our patrons
and readers generally that the "Dang-
kok Recorder" is a free paper issued
from a free press and open for free
discussion; and that while our feelings
would sometimes lead us to suppress
damaging complaints alleged against
one or the other of the parties con-
cerned in a discussion, impartial justice
will not allow us to do so, since the
party feeling aggrieved has equal free-
dom to make himself heard through our
columns. But while we offer to the
public a free platform on which all
may stand forth and be heard, we
must of course desire and endeavor as
any good chairman of a public debate
would do, to exclude all scurrility and
intermeddling with strictly private af-
fairs.

Our local subscribers probably wan-
der why they do not get the weekly is-
sues of the Recorder on the morning
of the next day after their dates. Our
apology is that the little pay we get
for the paper will not allow of the ex-
tra expense of working at night. We
wish in every issue to include all the
local news up to the evening of Thurs-
day, and we must have at least
one day and sometimes two after that to
get each issue ready for distribution.
We shall henceforth endeavor to have
the paper reach our patrons in the ci-
ty generally on every Friday evening
but it will be Saturday morning some-
times before they will get it.

We are indebted to A Rodlich Esqr.
for the loan of two No's of the "London
Illustrated News" which were brought
from Singapore by the "Jacmel
Packet." From these we have gleaned
several interesting items of intelligence
the most important of which is the
suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act
in Ireland, but too clearly showing that
England has been in imminent danger
of a terrible rebellion, and feels that
she cannot even now prevent it with-
out taking the extreme measure she
has. We fervently hope and expect
she will prevent the much dreaded ex-
plosion, and adopt measures that will
eventuate in restoring peace and quiet-
ness among her Irish subjects.

The suspension of the Habeas corpus
act in the U.S. by the late President
Lincoln in 1861 was w. [we?] think, severely
criticised by most of the organs of the
British government But now being
brought into similar circumstances how
quickly and universally do they approve
of what they condemned in Lincoln. But
seeing that Lincoln's bold act resulted
well, it is surely wisdom in England to
follow the example.

The second great Benefaction of Mr.
Peabody for the benefit of the poor in
London inconneclion with the £150,000
he gave for the same object in 1862
is indeed magnificent and well worthy
of the praise of all men. But let us who
are poor and therefore cannot begin to
perform such a splendid deed, remem-
ber that we have the ability given to
us of God to do a deed in his sight
and that of all heaven, — as great and
very likely much greater than Mr.
Peabody's benefaction, by devoting
our little all to him as the widow of
the two mite's in the Gospel did.

LOCAL.

We have heard of nothing of any
special local interest occurring since
our last issue. Every thing is won-
derfully quiet in the city and the
country so far as our knowledge ex-
tends. The heavens only have been
in commotion, and the result has
been several grand thunder showers
by which "seed time" has been fully
inaugurated exactly in the right sea-
son according to Siamese observations.

There is no alarming disease preva-
lent among us. Even dysentry which
rather prefers this season to all 'others,
is not common. The slight fevers
which were quite rife a few weeks since
appear to be passing away. And the
"night sweats" which preyed upon al-
most every person during the hot
season are now only occasionally heard
of. In short we may say that our cli-
mate is now for the most part very
healthy and delightful.

Prices Current.

EXCHANGE-—On Sight, 3s. 11d. per picul.
count 10 d.s. Hongkong, 3 Peen. discount
80 d.s. London, 4s. 6d. @ 1 $ coyan.

FREIGHTS—-Owing to the few foreign
ship pine in port, freights have [fallen?] from
40 to 45 cents inside, and 40 cents up
side of the bar for Hong Kong.

The following vessels have sailed for
Hong Kong since 19th April:
Swedish bark "Killinn" rice 4,000 pls.
sapanwood 58 pls.

Siam bark "Auson" 3600 picul
dy 1103 pls. sapanwood 1235 pls.

Siam bark "Fira" rice 2,000 picul, paddy
dy 220 pls. sapanwood 1235 pls. tin 145
pls. hemp 87 pls. mussels 283 pls. car-
damums 26 pls. gamboge 13 pls.

British ship "Lennox Castle" rice 12,000
pls.

Hanoverian brig "J. A. Fluchtte" rice
2925 pls. paddy 240 pls.

American ship "A. M. Lawrence" rice
15,000 pls.

Prussian bark "Cathrina Jungeson" rice
4890 pls. mussels 102 pls. tin 16 pls.

Siam brig "Arroy" for Siam [with?] rice
240 pls. paddy 922 pls. sapanwood 11½
teak planks 80

Sir Isaac Newton.

An humble cottage in the retirement
village of Woolsthorpe, in Lincolnshire
was the birthplace of Isaac Newton,
in the year 1643. The sickly child
of an already widowed mother, who
obtained a scanty living from the pro-
duce of a small farm, his lot seemed
to present few attractions and fewer
hopes. Yet, as soon as he had found
opportunity afforded for the exercise
of his powers, there were presented
early indications of ingenuity, if not
of genius, in the mechanical contriv-
ances which he made; and in the mills
and clocks, the kite and sundials, with
which he surrounded himself, there
were evidences which augured much
for time to come. At any rate, his
meditative moods and book-porings
were soon found utterly incompatible
with the discharge of the humble duties
of agricultural life which were entrusted
to him. His friends wisely resolved
to favour the bent of his genius, and
he at length exchanged the stack-yard
and the stable for the academic clois-
ters of Trinity College, Cambridge,
where as a student and professor he
manifested those evidences of intellec-
tual power and achieved those extraor-
dinary discoveries which have given
immortality to his name.

Our space forbids us to indicate the
various steps by which he rose to
eminence in those regions of astronomi-
cal science over which his genius loved to
expatiate; but that must be reserv-
ed, which gives more moral dig-
nity to his character than any mere
intellectual attainments could have
conferred. In those computations
which ultimately demonstrated the
universality of the influence of the law
of gravitation, he unexpectedly found
there was an inconsistency between
his calculations and his anticipations,
which invalidated his theory, and des-
troyed the hope which he had so fond-
ly cherished of attaining to the dig-
nity of solving one of the greatest pro-
blems of existence. Instead of attempt-
ing, as too many would have done,
to "make up the difference" from im-
agination or delusion, in order to save
their theory, he accepted the result;
and, by an act of self-denial which has
been emphatically characterized, as
"more heroic than any other recorded
in the annals of intellectual pursuit,
he dismissed the speculation from his
mind. His reward came at last.
Some false data, which he had assumed to
be true, were corrected, and the long
desired and long delayed conclusion
was obtained. The delight of that
triumphant moment, when he saw
that the mighty discovery was all
his own, can hardly be conceived; and
it is affirmed that such was his agita-
tion as he continued his calculations,
and found that every figure was bring-
ing him nearer to the culmination of
his desires, that he was at length un-
able to proceed, and was obliged to re-
quest a friend to conclude them for him.

To convey some idea of the extent
of the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton,
it is enough to say, that so intricate
and comprehensive have been the prob-
lems which he first opened up to re-
search, that despite the laborious efforts
of Clairault, D'Alembert, Euler, La-
grange, and Laplace, it is affirmed that
another century will be required to
complete the task. Yet, with a mo-
desty which throws into still nobler
relief his splendid attainments, New-
ton tells us, that his own efforts seemed
to him "as only a child picking up
pebbles from the shore, while the great
ocean of truth lay unexplored before
him"—-British Workman

God's Plan of Your Life

Never complain of your birth, your
circumstances, your hardships; never
fancy that you could be something if
you only had a different lot and sphere
assigned you. God understands his
plan, and he knows what you want a
great deal better than you. The very
things you most deprecate as fatal mis-
fortunes or obstructions, are probably
what you most want. What you call
hindrances, obstacles, discouragements,
are probably God's opportunities; and
it is nothing new that the patient should
dislike his medicines, or any certain
proof that they are poisonous. No! 'tis
true to all such impatience — choke
that envy that gnaws at your heart
because you are not in the same lot with
others; bring down your soul, or rath-
er, or bring it up to receive God's will, and
do his work, in your lot, in your sphere,
under your cloak of obscurity, against
your temptations, and then you shall
find that your condition is never oppor-
tuned to your good, to 'consent with
—A Dr. Bushnell

Ear boring in Burmah.

Students of history are always anxious
to discover the customs, manners, habits
and peculiarities of those nations or re-
ces, with which they desire to become
acquainted. Among the domestic cus-
toms of many nations, both of ancient
and modern times, is that of boring the
ears. It has been practiced both by
christian and heathen nations from time
immemorial. It is intended as a means
to ornament the person. Formerly it was
a practice generally followed not only
among the female sex, but to some ex-
tent among the male sex of different na-
tions of Europe. The outward adorn-
ment of the person by dress and jewelry
is highly becoming in every intelligent
and rational creature, provided, it is not
carried to excess. But where that orna-
mentation requires any cruel or painful
operation to promote it, the object is
clearly inconsistent with the laws of
beauty and of nature.

For a long period, it was very fashion-
able in England to have the ears of a
child bored with a red hot needle. The
fond parent had that cruel and barbar-
ous plan adopted under the simple be-
lief that she was doing her duty to her
child. It would enable her child at ma-
turity of years to wear earrings and
drops. And it is almost wonderful to
think of the kinds of rings and drops,
which were once worn by ladies, and of
the great variety of materials of which
these ornaments were made. The fashion
is rapidly becoming obsolete in Europe
and especially in Great Britian. Parents
have more wisdom now than they once
had. They do not believe it to be quite
right, to subject, a child who is unable to
judge for herself, of the propriety of this
cruel procedure. To run a red hot nee-
dle through the lobe of both ears is no
trifling affair. It undoubtedly produces
a great deal of pain, and as to ear rings
or drops being any addition to the love-
liness and beauty of the female face, it
is very questionable. Human sentiment
looks upon the unnecessary infliction of
pain, as both unjust and barbarous.
Doubtless this cruel custom will be
wholly banished from enlightened com-
munities within another generation.
Surgeons used at one time, to bore the
ears of their patients, as a relief to weak
or sore eyes. But they now prefer,
where such a remedy may be thought
necessary, to place a seton through the
back of the neck, instead of disfiguring
a man’s looks by making holes through
his ears.

Our local readers are well aware, that
this process of boring the ears is one of
the customs of the people of Burmah in
whose land we dwell. It is a very an-
cient custom among them, and is prac-
ticed indiscriminately among both sexes.
We have but to look at any [?]Burman we
meet in the street, to be convinced of
the fact. It is a practice which is pur-
sued among the families of kings, queens,
princes, nobles and the great men of the
country. In truth there is no portion of
the people exempt from it. The cere-
mony of boring the ears of a child is the
occasion of a great domestic festival a-
mong them. It was lately observed at
the Burmese capital. One of the Kings
children had its ears bored, and the fes-
tival lasted for several days.

Among the humbler classes, it may
make a festival for a day, or only one
morning. In a ramble last week, we
witnessed the performance of this cere-
mony at Pazoondoung. It may be brief-
ly described. The preparations had been
in progress for three or four days. The
parents of the child have in the first
place a couple or three booths, or sheds
raised near their house on some suitable
spot. The booth is a mere covering
from the sun. Cloths are spread out on
a frame work of bamboo and then cur-
tains are hung round as screens. These
sheds are the rendezvous for the guests.
A raised floor is put up in one corner for
the officiating priests, and they are invi-
ted to be present very early in the morn-
ing to say prayers and receive the offer-
ings prepared for them.

The offering consist mostly of those
symbolic trees of plenty, on which a
great variety of domestic utensils and re-
quisites are found growing. A yellow
cloth for the priest rolled up is placed at
the top, and an open umbrella crowns the
summit of the “TREE OF PLENTY.” Oc-
casionally two or three hundred meet to
assist in this domestic proceeding. Food
is prepared long before the day dawns,
mats are spread on the ground, and the
tables laid out with crockery for the
guests.

The hero or the heroine of the occa-
sion is dressed up most gorgeously in
gold tinsel and silks, and brought out to
have the operation performed. Mounted
on the raised platform the poongyees go
through their customary prayers, the
laity are all sitting crouching round and
uttering the responses. Some offerings
on those pagodas like trays are placed be-
fore the priests. When prayers are over
the child’s ears are then bored. If the
parents can afford it, the needles are
made of gold. These are inserted into
the lobe of each ear, and retained in
position by a bit of beetulnut behind and
a piece of onion in front. The child is
cheered up by kind words and presents,
but is not drugged in order to bear the
pain. This, cruel operation over, the
professional operator is rewarded for his
services. Sometimes it is undertaken by
a man and sometimes by a woman.
When the child’s ears are well, the gold
needles are given to the borer. The
friends seat themselves round the tables
for breakfast. This is generally a boun-
tiful meal. Occasionally they take a
cup of tea after breakfast, but never
anything stronger. Good clear water is
the universal beverage and an immense
supply of beetle is eaten.

The Rinderpost.

This fearful scourge is still scatter-
ing destruction and death among the
herds of neat cattle and flocks of sheep
in the Old World; and every person in
America who raises good cattle or sheep,
or likes excellent beef, mutton, butter,
and cheese, is filled with fearful fore-
bodings at the thought that the scourge
may obtain a foothold among our an-
imals.

Mr. T. S. Gold, corresponding sec-
retary of the Connecticut Agricultural
Society, has sent us the following let-
ter for publication, which will be read
with interest. Whether the Massachu-
setts pleuro-pneumonia is or is not
identical with the “rinderpest,” or with
any other pest, it behooves every per-
son to manifest suitable interest in pro-
tecting our flocks and herds from eve-
ry disease of that character.

Mr. EDITOR.—-An article appeared
in The Independent of the 16th inst.,
from the Hon. Amasa Walker, on the
cattle plague. He appears to have a-
dopted the serious error of confound-
ing the “pleuro-pneumonia” or Mas-
sachusetts cattle disease, and the “rin-
derpest,” or Russian cattle plague.

The pleuro-pneumonia was introduced
into Massachusetts in 1859; but by
prompt legislative action its ravages
were checked. It has been longer
known in the milk stables of New York
and Philadelphia, as the “stomp-tail
cow disease.”

But the “rinderpest” is admitted to
be a different and far more fatal disease.
Indigenious to the steppes of Russia,
in 1856. it spread into Germany. In
1857 Prof. Simonds, of the Royal Ve-
terinary College of England, was sent
to Germany by the Royal Agricultu-
ral Society to investigate the disease.

Prof. Simonds found it terribly dis-
tructive, and in the highest degree con-
tagious; but he reported “that no fear
need be entertained that it would reach
England.” He gives as the reasons for
this opinion, distance, insular position,
military cordons about infected dis-
tricts, and no direct cattle trade. Yet
by direct cattle trade from Russia the
disease has been introduced into Eng-
land, where it is spreading with fear-
ful rapidity. Indeed the history of
its progress forms the leading topic in
the journals. Sheep as well as cattle,
attacked by it, are capable of commu-
nicating the disease. Portions of dis-
eased animals, fodder from their stalls,
clothing of attendants, each can con-
vey the disease.

As Ireland is still exempt from the
plague, the English Privy Council has
prohibited the importation into Ireland
from England “any cow, heifer, bull,
ox, or calf,” also “any skins, hides,
hoofs, or other parts of the above named
animals.” Sheep, swine, and goats
were afterwards subjected to the prohi-
bition. We agree with Mr. Walker
in the value of prevention, and earnest-
ly hope Congress will prohibit the im-
portation of any of these animals from
Europe. S. T. GOLD.

Remedy.

Mr. Worm's remedy has had, as far as
we can hear, every reasonable success.
Those who pinned or are pinning their
faith on remedies of their own proclaim
its failure, and the professors have pro-
nounced no benediction over it; but none
was expected. Mr. Duckham, the editor
of the "Hereford Herd Book," who is
by no means a believer in cures, bears
his testimony, among others to its effect
on two beasts belonging to a neighbour,
and their seems little doubt that if it had
been brought out months ago it would
have saved a very large percentage. It
is very curious that onions have always
been looked on as an antidote for this
diseas, and a hundred years ago it was,
we hear, a practice to hang a rope of
them round the beast's neck. Mr. Worms
recommends an increase in the quantity
of onions and garlic from 1 lb. to 2 lb.
each, the ginger from 1 lb. to 1¼ lb.; and
the assafœtida from ¾ lb. to 1¼ lb. If
their is scouring, he is in favour of the
following mixture for a full-grown beast:
—"One desert-spoonful of laudanum and
one wineglassful of catechu, in about a
pint of thick rice-gruel." How far these
remedies will be pursued, under the
poleaxe reign, it is difficult to say. It is,
however, certain that Dr. Wilkinson, with
his hyposulphite; and Mr. Worms, with
his medicine, are about the only pioneers
that we now have to help us to combat a
disease which might be brought over,
year after year, by an evil-disposed per-
son, in a quill—Ill. Lon. News.