The Bangkok Recorder.

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One of the great inventions
of the age.

Since the invention of that great and
powerful article of all military warfare
namely, gunpowder, which enabled the
warriors of antiquity to fling away their
bows and arrows, there has been no more
triumphant achievement in the arts, than
that just published to the world of ren-
dering gunpowder non explosive.

A gentleman by the name of Mr. Gale,
after the enthusiastic pursuit of this par-
ticular matter, for the long period of
fifteen years, has developed a plan by
which powder can be made as harmless
as chalk, and yet not injured in its quali-
ty of ready explosion. Mr. Gale's great
object was to render gunpowder a safe
article to be kept anywhere, without any
fear of accident or injury to any one
while thus protected, and in this desire
he has achieved the most complete suc-
cess.

When we assure our readers, that a
lighted torch may now be inserted in-
side of a barrel of gunpowder, without
any fear of explosion, they will scarcely
credit the fact, but it is incontrovertably
true. The association of the two words
FIRE and GUNPOWDER always creates a most
sensible apprehension or dread, but when
it is said that gunpowder may now be
employed to extinguish fire, the marvel
is as bold as it is correct.

The plan adopted to effect this almost
miraculous change, in the elements of
which gunpowder is formed, is in this
way. Common glass is taken and exposed
to the action of fire, till it attains to a
bright whiteness, or a white heat. This
molten glass is then suddenly plunged into
cold water, by which the cohesive qualities
of the glass are completely destroyed.
After being thus treated, it may be turn-
ed into an impalpable powder so to speak,
between the finger and thumb. This
glass powder is then taken and combined
in definite proportions with gunpowder,
by which the explosive quality of the
latter is totally destroyed while in this
mixed state.

The proportions are as follows. If you
wish to render gunpowder non explosive
and yet fiercely combustible, you are to
take two parts of powdered glass prepared
in the manner described, to one part of
gunpowder. This composition will not
explode on the application of fire, though
it will burn, with a slight fizzing noise.
In the proportion of three parts of glass
powder, to one of gunpowder, it is ren-
dered almost incombustible. In the
proportion of four parts to one, the
strongest gunpowder is made perfectly
harmless. In fact, it extinguishes flame
as several of the experiments show.

This then is the great invention of Mr.
Gale,—the great triumph of the age.
The next question then is, does not this
mixing of the two substances destroy in
totality the explosive power of the gun-
powder? The answer is, No. In this fact
consists the beauty of the invention. All
that is required is, that the mixture shall
pass through a copper sieve, when the
powdered glass passes through and the
gunpowder remains behind in the sieve.
Then touch that gunpowder with fire,
and it instantly explodes, in the same
manner, as if it never had been mixed with
the glass. While, therefore, this mixing
process renders gunpowder wholly harm-
less and safe, as an article which may be
stored anywhere, it adds very materially
to the preservation of the powder itself.
It is an effectual protection against damp.
It prevents friction among the separate
particles of the powder. It, in fact,
produces a mighty revolution in all our
ordinary and common ideas of gunpowder.
People were in the habit of saying, and
most wisely saying, you cannot be too
careful of gunpowder. Hence magazines
were constructed with special reference
to its preservation from all accidents by
fire.

But when this change is introduced,
as it no doubt will be, in every country
in the world, men may go to sleep on
barrels of gunpowder with as little risk,
or anxiety concerning their own safety
as if they were so many barrels of sugar.

The experiments to test the thorough
and complete success of Mr. Gale's in-
vention were made in the presence of
General Lefroy and the members of the
Ordnance select Committee. These took
place at the Martello tower, or Pet tower
which stands about half way between
Hastings and Rye. The greatest care
was taken against the occurrence of any
accident.

Fire was first applied by means of an
electrical battery. Five tons of gunpow-
der were thus subjected to experiment.
Finally the General permitted any person
who chose to go inside of the tower, to
witness the barrels, burning in which the
harmless gunpowder had been packed.

Whoever therefore, may claim to be
the original inventor of gunpowder,
whether he be a Chinaman, a Grecian, a
Persian, a Roman, or a Turk, the honor
belongs to an Englishman of rendering
that dreadfully dangerous compound as
harmless as any other substance in com-
mon use among mankind. The effect on
the interests and welfare of man will be
as great in this matter, as if all the beasts
of prey in our forests were suddenly de-
prived of all their wildness and ferocity,
and the day had really arrived when the
lion and the lamb could be seen lying
down beside each other, in mutual con-
tentment and peace.—RANGOON TIMES.

The recent Outbreak
IN THE ROYAL CITY.

As the first excitement has worn off,
people now inquire the origin of all this
sudden Rebellion. The following account
is given me by an old native acquain-
tance of mine. About six months ago,
there was a register taken of the followers
of each of the Princes. This caused some
discontent and roused feelings of suspicion
among them, and especially since then,
some of the more active have secretly ex-
tended their influence and procured adher-
ents. The Minggoon Mingtha made great
efforts and succeeded in attaching a large
number of men to his interest. The
Loungshee Mengyee found this out and
spoke to the Crown Prince. He at first
treated the information as nonsense, said
the boy was not likely to think any thing
seriously evil, and dismissed the matter,
mentioning nothing of it to his brother
the king. The Minggoon continued his
preparations. One night there was a grand
'Puay' at one of the Princes, the Crown
Prince was expected, and the tragedy was
to begin with a slaughter in the midst of
the theatrical performance. The Crown
Prince however did not attend, and the
rising was postponed. The Loungshee
Meng Gyee however got tidings of this
scheme and on his telling the Prince, the
latter attended to the information and
finally reported all to the King. The king
too at first refused to believe it, but the
Prince spoke of it again and the king
consented to take measures of precaution.

All the young princes were ordered to
have but six followers each, and to have
no arms, and to refrain from all com-
munications with the people not belong-
ing to the king. This brought the thing
to a crisis, and the Mingroon Princes—
there are two brothers—decided to wait
no longer. The Singwoon—their ma-
ternal uncle—was to set fire to a house
belonging to their party close to the palace,
and under cover of running to help to put
it out, the rush was made by the Ming-
goon and his brother and followers with
naked swords to the South gate of the
Palace: and through the outer court to
the Tey Gyee where the Crown Prince
was sitting talking with the Woongyees.

The Crown Prince saw the rush and
tried to get away. A cut on his leg threw
him, he was then cut down by the young
Minggoon,the dying Prince, then cried out
to his assassins, I am in your hands, it is
over with me, but do not hurt my brother.'
The Loangshee Mengyee was cut down
and left for dead. The Pakan Woong-
yee escaped over the fence into the in-
ner court. A few others were killed
and wounded. This first act was over
in three minutes. The rebels then rushed
through the second gate, and after some
resistance got through the third, then
rushed up to them 'yenan' drove out and
disarmed the guards. The young princes
then rushed into the inner apartments,
and found the king. The younger went
in first, made obedience and cried 'Lord
Father, come out this way, an enemy is
come.' The Toung duey Bo, cried
"you are the enemy" and rushed to cut
him down. The king cried, "Dont
wound him." the Minggoon himself and
men then rushed in, the Duey Bo was
then cut down, the King Woon caught
hold of the Minggoon who had raised his
hand to his father, and was immediately
killed by the rebels. In the confusion
the king escaped. The Princes came
down by the Northern side and out
through the gates into the large court.
The men there on guard had been order-
ed to load by the Yeynung young Minis-
ter, but the Minggoon single handed
rushed up and ordered them to lay down
their arms. They did so.—The Princes
then went out the same way as they came
in and rushed with a portion of their men
to the city just in time to be shut out, at
the East North gate after the king had
got in. The king had been carried out
from the Sammudan on the shoulders of
one of the Minggoon's secret adherents
whose role it was to stick to the king
under all circumstances, and not permit
his escape with life. An official saw a
dagger hidden in his waistcoat, and beg-
ged the king to come down. A pony
was caught and on this the king was got
into the city and Main Palace. The
Minggoon and his men, soon followed
and got into the outer court, but failed
to penetrate the second gate. They
cannonaded it, and broke the planking,
and would perhaps have got through but
the men of the Crown Prince were now
on them and drove the whole party out
of the palace. That night was a terrible
one inside the city. Those who were not
fighting on either side broke up into rov-
ing bands of ruffians, and every quarter
and street had to improvise a guard of
the inhabitants who defended themselves
and property as best they could. The
Minggoon got away about two o'clock,
but concealed the fact from his men till
the morning. His Uncle the Singwoon
was left to gather and command a body
of men as near the capital as possible,
while the Prince proceeded in the Steamer
he had taken, to raise an Army in his
district of Minggoon and the neighbour-
hood.—C. W. from the Rangoon Times.

Atlantic Cable.

The great fact of the day-—the Atlan-
tic Cable—-has been duly and satisfac-
torily tested. In proof of this the mon-
arch of England and the sovereign of the
great republic have exchanged friendly
salutations through the depths of the
Atlantic Ocean, and London and New
York have been placed in hourly com-
munication with each other-—the Wall
street of the latter being now, figuratively
speaking, adjoining the Missing Lane of
the former, as the ENGLISHMAN lately
observed. The business transactions of
the two nations are now, comparatively,
brought next door to each other. Thus
has been settled a great bond at which
the world at large may well wonder. May
it last undisturbed. We give prominen-
tly here the graphic observations of the
Home News on the grand result of the
gigantic enterprize:—-

The Atlantic Telegraph Cable is laid,
and not only laid securely, but with an
increase of power consequent upon com-
pletion. The Old and the New Worlds
are shaking hands across the mighty
waste of waters, and congratulations
have been already exchanged between
the Queen and the President. The im-
agination can hardly compass this
achievement. We hear people talking
in America. We know what was the
price of the funds ten minutes ago up-
wards of 2000 miles off. Ariel is no
longer a spirit, but a flesh-and-blood fact.
No estimate can be made of the difficul-
ties conquered, or the benefits obtained.
Even the failure of the former cable has
proved an incalculable gain, for the new
cable is an immense improvement upon
the old one; and the new instruments
used in the transmission of messages, and
the new system of numeral signals, ex-
hibit an advance of such magnitude as to
enable one cable literally to do the work
of two.

Nor is this all. We are advised to
stay our wonderment to think that this
great achievement is, in present expecta-
tion, but the beginning of similar mar-
vels, of which that mighty ocean will be
the scene—as shown by the annexed
further quotation from our respected
overland informer:—-

The experience which has been ac-
quired in the working of the Great East-
ern, has not only developed in a higher
degree than could have been anticipated
the marvellous powers of the great ship,
and thus enormously increased her prac-
tical utility, but has shown that she can
be managed with as much ease and cer-
tainty as the smallest vessel afloat. Two
other vessels have been sent to pick up
the cable of last year, a task in which we
have no doubt they will succeed. We
shall then have two cables between Eng-
land and America. The Great Eastern
is reserved for more extended labours.
For a long time to come, it is supposed,
she will continue to be employed in lay-
ing cables in the Atlantic, for the in-
creasing need of intercourse will require
an indefinite expansion of the means of
communication.

“All honor to those who conceived the
great design, and who have carried it out
so triumphantly.”—-MAULMAIN ADVER-
TISER.

Prussia.

The area of Prussia is at present 108,
212 English square miles, or about equal
to the combined territory of Georgia and
Florida. The population, according to
the census of 1864, was 19,304,843, fall-
ing but little below that of the Northern
States of the Union. The great majority
of the population, are Germans ; the to-
tal number of persons belonging to non-
German nationalities being 2,504,179. A
considerable portion of the latter are fee-
ble remnants of small tribes, which are
rapidly being absorbed by the German
nationality. Within the last few years
the Government of Prussia made several
important additions to the former domi-
nions, acquiring first the two Principali-
ties of Hohenzollern, next the important
sea coast district of Yahde, which it pur-
chased from Oldenburg, and more recent-
ly the Duchy of Lauenburg which was
ceded to it by Austria for a pecuniary
consideration. It holds, moreover, pos-
session of Schleswig, and avows its inten-
tion to permanently annex to Prussia
both this Duchy and that of Holstein. In
point of administration, Prussia is not
inferior to any other country of the
world. Its finances, unlike those of
Austria and Italy, are in a sound condition;
its army discipline has long been the ad-
miration of the entire civilized world.
The army, on a war footing, numbers
700,000, and its fleet consisted, in 1865,
of 37 steamers, 8 sailing vessels, 40 row-
ing vessels ; total, 85-war vessels. The
reigning King is William I., born in 1797,
who succeeded his brother, Frederic
William IV., in January, 1861.

Austria.

The Austrian empire, as at present
constituted, is divided into nineteen Pro-
vinces, the area of which is 236, 311
English square miles, with a total pop-
ulation, according to computation, of 36,
795,000 souls. This population is divided,
with respect to race and language, into
no fewer than twelve different national-
ities, namely:-—German, 8,200,000 ; Bo-
hemians, Moravians and Slovacks, 3,600,
000 ; Poles, 2,200,000 ; Russians, 2,800,
000 ; Slovenians, 1,210,000 ; Croats, 1,
360,000 ; Servians, 1,479,000 ; Bulgarians,
25,000 ; Magyars, 5,050,000 ; Italians,
(inclusive of Latins and Friauls,) 3,650-
000 ; Eastern Romans, 2,700,000 ; mem-
bers of other races, 1,430,000.

Austria is one of the great military
powers of Europe, her army on the war
footing being over half a million of men.
The navy, however, is comparatively
small, consisting, in August, 1864, of 39
steamers with 639 guns, 11,730 horse-
power, and 20 sailing vessels with 145
guns. Great efforts have been made
within the last few years to raise the
Imperial navy to a state of high efficien-
cy by the substitution of steam for sail-
ing vessels, and the gradual formation of
an iron-clad fleet of war. Austria has
become a constitutional monarchy since
1848, the main features of the constitu-
tion consisting, first, of the Provincial
Diets, representing the various States of
the monarchy ; secondly, a Central Diet,
or Council of the Empire ; and thirdly a
reduced form of the latter, or Partial
Council of the Empire, as it is called.

The public debt of the Empire, which at
the commencement of the French Revo-
lution in 1789 was $174,500,000, had
grown in 1863 to $1,210,222,085. From
1789 to the present time there has not
been a single year in which the revenue
of the State has come up to the expendi-
ture. The present Emperor, Francis
Joseph I., was born August, 1830, and
was proclaimed Emperor and King in
consequence of the abdication of his un-
cle, Ferdinand I., and the renunciation
of his father, Francis Charles, Decem-
ber 2, 1848. He was Commander-in-Chief
of the Austrian army in the Italian cam-
paign of 1859.-—Lo. Co. News.

Value of a Crown.

The Crown of England is valuable
enough to found half a dozen moderate
colleges. The twenty diamonds round
the circle are worth $150,000; two large
center diamonds, $20,000; fifty four
smaller diamonds in the angle, $270,000;
four crosses, each composed of twenty
five diamonds, $60,000; four large diam-
onds on the top of the crosses, $20,000;
twelve large diamonds in the FLEUR-DE-
LYS, $50,000; eighteen small ones in the
same, $10,000; pearls and diamonds in
the arches and crosses, $50,000; also one
hundred and forty-six small ones, $25-
000; twenty six diamonds in the upper
cross, $150,000; two circles of pearls a-
bout the rim, $15,000:—value of pre-
cious stones exclusive of metal, $820,000.

Josh Billings Again.

I kant tell you the best way tew bring
up a boy; but if I had one that didn't
lie well enuff to suit me, I think I would
sett him tending a drigood store. Pro-
bably, one of the best ways tew bring up
a boy in the way he should go, is tew
travel that ourselfs, once in a while. Still
there aint no sure thing; I have seen
them brought up as kerful az a lapp-dog,
and then go to the devil jist az soon az
they could strike the right track. And
then, I have saw them come out ov
someboddy's gutter and wash up like a
diamond. Raising boys iz a good deal
like raising colts, If yu dont git more
than one out ov ten that is a fast one, yu
are dewing fast rate.

Buty iz one uv them things that kant
be diskribed; yu might az well undertake
tew tell how a kiss tastes.

"I think, (from aktual experience,)
the happiest period in childhood is when
they have jist been spanked and got well
over it.

Odds and Ends.

—-Search others, for their virtues, thy-
self for thy vices.

—-Simeonly says that 'advice is like
the snow—the softer it falls the longer
it dwells upon and the deeper it sinks in-
to the mind.

-—When Socrates was asked why he
had built for himself so small a house,
he replied: "Small as it is, I wish I
could fill it with friends."

-—Life, is it not useful if it is happy?
says the egotist. Is it not happy enough
if it is useful? says the man of worth.

-—There is danger in being too neat.
An old lady in Holland once scrubbed
her sittingroom floor until she fell
through it into the cellar.

—-Good! men have the fewest tears.
He has but one who fears to do wrong.
He has a thousand who has overcome
that one.

—-Lord Chesterfield once remarked
that even Adam, the first man, knew the
value of politeness, and allowed Eve to
have the first bite of the apple.

—-Sentimental youth! "My dear girl,
will you share my lot for life?" Practi-
cal girl— "How many acres are there in
your lot sir?"

-—We are always ready to reckon our
trials, but are we equally so to keep ac-
count of the sins which draw them down
upon us?—-CHRYSOSTOM.

-—Sir Isaac Newton's bachelor nephew
was a clergyman. When he had perform-
ed the marriage ceremony for a young
couple, he always refused the fee, saying,
"Go your ways, poor wretches, I have
done you mischief enough already."

-—"Ah, Jemmy," said a sympathising
friend to a man who was just too late for
the train, "you did not run fast enough."
"Yes I did," said Jenny. "I run fast
enough, but I did not start soon enough."

-—Where was John Rogers burnt to
death?" said the teacher to me in a com-
manding voice. "I couldn't tell—to the
next—no answer.—"Joshua knows," said
a little girl at the foot of the class.
"Well," said the teacher, if Joshua knows
he may tell." "In the fire," said Joshua,
looking very solemn and wise.

—-We have known persons who could
sit three long hours in a closely-packed
concert hall, rendered suffocating by the
rising dust of applause; yet they could
not sit watching and praying hearing and
meditating one hour in the roomy house
of God; it gave them the headache.

Bangkok Recorder.

The prospects of Burmah.

Our latest advices from Burmah give
us much hope that the rebellion in
upper Burmah has been stayed—-that
—the one as 1st the other 2nd king,
cannot long escape capture and the
punishment they richly deserve—-and
that a far better state of political re-
lations between christian and heathen
Burmah will quickly follow this terrible
event than had hitherto been enjoyed.
We cannot doubt that our king Imma-
nuel will overrule this civil commotion
to the advancement of his cause and
the glory of his name in Burmah.

It would seem that the reigning
monarch, together with his ministers
of state, were, before the outbreak,
too proud and self conceited to enter-
tain for a moment the idea of seeking
a more intimate friendship with Eng-
land, or any particular protection from
her. It appears that the government
she hoped to become even less intimate
and dependant, and were, under the
influence of self-importance and dislike
of her English neighbors, managing
affairs so as to embarrass not a little
British interests in Burmah. But it
would seem that the Burman govern-
ment must now see matters in quite a
different light-—that she must now
feel her need of the powerful arm of
England to hold her up in her present
weakness, and must deeply regret
that she did not accept of her arm
when sometime since it was proffered
for her protection. Had she done so,
and acted in good faith touching the
proposed new treaty relations, we
cannot doubt that she would have been
spared the terrible confusion and
humiliation which has befallen her.

We learn that Col. Phayer, the Com-
missioner-general for British Burmah,
a man of great experience among the
Burmans, of great love for their wel-
fare, and a special friend of the king,
was to leave Maulmain—-on a visit to
the king in his deep affliction, and
that he would very probably, under
God, prepare the way for the negoti-
ation of new treaty relations between
the two governments such as will vir-
tually bring the king of Burmah under
the protection of England. We fondly
hope and trust this will be the good
news we shall soon hear from our
western neighbors.—-

And having written thus far on this
subject, we feel constrained to go
further, and say that in our mind
there is not a lingering doubt that if
Burmah long refuses to take England as
her protector, that the Almighty gov-
ernor of all nations will so order his
providences that she will quickly ruin
herself as a nation, just as the little
nations in India all have done which
persisted in their hatred of a Christian
government and the Christian's God.
The truth is the Word of the Almighty
is out against all such nations as will
not fear and serve Him; and it "will
not return unto Him void." Let all
these eastern heathen princes look at
it and study it in the book of the
prophet Isaiah 60: 12th-—"For the
nation and kingdom that will not serve
thee [Jehovah] shall perish; yea,
those nations shall be utterly wasted."

Had those Indian kingdoms early
abolished their idolatry as did the
government of the Sandwich Islands,
and welcomed the christian religion,
and christian teachers among them, and
adopted the Bible as the book of the
only true God, and framed their laws
and taught their children accordingly,
who can doubt that they would many,
if not all, of them have risen in power
and maintained a glorious indepen-
dence? The Burman government has
not done this, nor taken the first step
toward it, and she has thus "treasured"
up wrath against the day of wrath!
And if she do not soon repent by
abandoning idolatry, she must at least
loose the honor of continuing an inde-
pendent kingdom. China is manifestly
on the same road to subvertion as an
empire and for the same general cause.
And we must in faithfulness add that
we think Siam is following hard on to-
ward the same humiliation—-that noth-
ing can save her from it but a speedy
abolition of Buddhism, acknowledg-
ment of Jesus Christ as being "over all
God blessed forever," adoption of the
Bible as her only infallible standard of
faith and practice, the substratum of
all righteous laws, and an earnest
seeking of christian teachers for the
people and their children. Let Siam
but do this, and she will, in all pro-
bability, like the Sandwich Island na-
tion, maintain her independence, be
like her acknowledged as one of the
great family of christian nations, and
protected and honored as such. Then
will her true prosperity rise and shine
in Eastern Asia "brighter and brighter
unto the perfect day."

O that Burmah and China and Siam
were wise, that they would duly con-
sider the two diametrically opposite
lines of future conduct which the King
of kings is now leaving them to the
freedom of their own wills to accept
or reject—the one abominable idolatry
with all its darkness, degradation and
ruin—the other a pure christianity with
"all the fullness of the blessing of the
gospel of peace." As for our adopted
Siam we do still fervently hope that she
will yet "choose that good part which
shall never be taken away from her."
But if she do so, she must do it quick-
ly or be found too late for salvation

Sandwich Islands No. 2.

Captain Cook the discoverer of the
Islands was murdered by the natives
on Hawaii in a mob, February 1779.
The effect of that event was to deter
vessels from visiting the group until
1786, when Captains Dixon and Port-
lock touched at Oahu for refreshments
on their trading voyage to the North-
west Coast for furs and sea-otter skins.
Thence forward trading vessels stop-
ped at the Islands more and more fre-
quently.

Some years after this a European
ship was seized and plundered on the
western shore of Hawaii and the crew
all murdered excepting Isaac Davis
and—-Young. Kamehameha the reign-
ing king seems to have had no share in
the guilt of that transaction. He took
the two Europeans under his special
patronage, and they are said to have
exerted much influence in the early
part of his reign. But there is no
evidence that they ever in any way
taught even the first lessons of chris-
tainity to any on the Islands. They
were both promoted to chieftainship,
and the grand daughter of Davis be-
came the wife of Kamehameha IV.
and she was Queen of Hawaii in
1863 at the time Rev. R. Anderson
D. D. was at the Islands.

Vancouver accompanied Capt. Cook
to the Islands, and while on a voyage
of discovery, being sent by the English
government, he spent a good part of
the years 1792-3 & 4 at the Islands
and was treated with much kindness
by the king of Hawaii.

Vancouver then saw much evidence
that the population of the group had
greatly decreased since his first visit to
them, which is attributed to dissolat-
ing wars which had been carried on in
the interval, the prevalence of infanti-
cide, and the wasting tendencies of
intemperance and licentiousness among
the people. With regard to the hor-
rid practice of infanticide, Rev. Wm.
Ellis is regarded as undoubtedly good
testimony. In writing of it forty years
ago, he says.—-

"It prevails throughout all the is-
lands, and with the exception of the
higher class of chiefs, is, as far as we
could learn, practiced by all ranks of
the people. However numerous the
children among the lower orders, par-
ents rear not more than two or three,
and many space only one. All the
others are destroyed, sometimes short-
ly after birth, generally during their
first year. The means by which it is
accomplished, though numerous, it
would be improper to describe. Kua-
kini, the governor of the Island, in a
conversation I had with him at Kailua,
enumerated many methods, several of
which prove fatal to the mother also.
Sometimes they strangle their chil-
dren, but more frequently bury them
alive. It is painful to think of the
numbers thus murdered. All the in-
formation we have been able to obtain,
and the facts that have come to our
knowledge in the neighborhood where
we resided, afford every reason to be-
lieve that, from the prevalence of in-
fanticide, two thirds of the children
perished. We have been told by some
of the chiefs, on whose word we can
depend, that they have known parents
to murder three or four infants where
they have spared one."

"The principal motive" he contin-
ues "with those who practice it, is
idleness, and the reason most frequent-
ly assigned, even by the parents them-
selves, for the murder of their child-
ren is—-the trouble of bringing them
up. In general they are of a change-
able disposition, fond of a wandering
manner of life, and find their children
a restraint, preventing them in some
degree, from following their roving
inclinations. Like other savage na-
tions, they are averse to any more la-
bor than is absolutely necessary.
Hence they consider their children a
burden, and are unwilling to cultivate
a little more ground, or undertake the
small additional labor necessary to the
support of their offspring during the
helpless periods of infancy and child-
hood. In some cases when the child
has been sickly, and the parents have
become tired of nursing and attending
it, they have been known, in order to
avoid attendance and care, to bury it
at once ; and we have been credibly
informed, that children have been
buried alive merely because of the ir-
ritation they have manifested. On
these occasions, when the child has
cried more than the parents, particu-
larly the mother, could patiently bear,
instead of clasping the little sufferer
to her bosom, and soothing by caress-
es the pains, which, though unable
to tell them, it has probably felt, she
has, to free herself from this annoy-
ance, stopped its cries by thrusting a
piece of tapu into its mouth ; and dig-
ging a hole in the floor of the house,
perhaps within a few yards of her bed,
and the spot where she took her daily
meals, has relentlessly buried, in the
untimely grave, her helpless babe."

Kamehameha I. was a remarkable
man—-as much so among his people as
an Alexander or a Napoleon among
theirs, and well deserves the title
“great”—-He was great in stature,
great in mental capacity, and majestic
in his carriage. He was kind and
gentle and averse to war, and would
never have engaged in it, but in self
defence. The Almighty, whom he
knew not, favored him in all his wars
until in 1794 he became ruler of all
the islands except Kauai, and in 1809
made him monarch of all.” His
policy was to protect trade, in which
he received many useful lessons from
Vancouver. He regarded himself as
being the owner of all lands, and ap-
portioned them among his chiefs “ac-
cording to their rank and deserts,
which he did on the feudal tenure of
rendering military service and a pro-
portion of the revenues”. The peace,
order and security which existed
among his subjects in the latter part
of his reign was remarkable, consider-
ing his own want of light from chris-
tain lands, and the deep darkness, an-
archy, and desolating wars which
immediately preceded that state. He
died on the 8th of May, 1819 in the
sixty sixth year of his age, a few
months before the first christian mis-
sionaries embarked at Boston for the
purpose of preaching the gospel to his
people.

A Laos Physician.

We were much interested a few days
since in observing the practice of one
of the chief physicians to the king of
Cheangmai. We had taken our seat
in a sala of the temple before which
the royal barges are moored. Pres-
ently a gray-headed man came along
with a 'kind of satchel suspended on
his shoulders, and taking it off, sat
down in the sala. A young Laosan
woman then brought a three quart
bowl full of clear water and placed it
before the Doctor. A young man
brought another with about the same
quantity of water, and still another
man a smaller bowl full. We could
not imagine what was going to be done.
But the Doctor soon disclosed the mys-
tery. He opened his satchel, and
searching among many little bags and
bamboo calipots within (each being
nicely labeled in Laos letters) for the
bag he wanted, he opened it, and turned
out a lot of roots, sticks, bones, stones,
a piece of ivory, a bit of mother of
pearl, etc. There were in all sixteen
kinds of medical substances from
which he was going to make prescrip-
tions for the sick among the king's ser-
vants and attendants. Then, taking
out of his satchel a small rubstone a-
bout the size of those we were accus-
tomed in our youthful days to use in
whetting scythes, rubbed the articles one
by one upon it, first dipping its end
in the water, then rubbing it on the
stone, and this repeated three or four
times. Thus he served the whole—
the bone, stone and ivory as well as the
roots. We observed that some of the
roots and sticks coloured the water a
little. This being done the patient
or his servant was on hand to bear the
medicated water away for use. We,
with all due gravity asked the Doctor
what that medical compound was in-

tended to cure. Dysentery, was the
laconic reply. Then the young man
brought his dish of water before the
Doctor for medication, and taking out
another bag of roots, sticks, shells &c.
went through with much the same
process and then handed it over to the
patient. Into one of the bowls of wa-
ter he dropped several little pills
in which they were dissolved; and
that we learned was for fever.

The doctor seemed to have his pro-
fession all by heart. He was not at
all at a loss in making up his mind
what medicines he would use in the
several cases. He had only a word
or two to say to either of the patients.
It was not necessary for him to inquire
minutely after the symptoms, nor to
feel the pulse, nor to look at the tongue,
nor to sound the chest by percussion nor
the bowels by pressure for any grave
disease that might be lurking there.

Such seemed to be his reputed tact and
skill in his profession, that he had on-
ly to glance his eye at the patient once
or twice, and he would understand all
about it. Each disease seemed to have
such a fixed character at all times, in
his opinion, that it needs little or no
discrimination, little fear that the med-
icine labeled for its use will not do its
best to cure, and that if it fails, uncon-
trollable fate alone will have to be re-
sponsible for it, and not the Doctor.
We could not but think within our-
selves that essentially the same rou-
tine treatment of disease is well known
and much practised in the Western
world, as well as in Siam.

The present King of Siam.

At the King's coronation he made
no intimations with regard to develo-
ping the intellectual resources of the
country. His eye was particularly
fixed upon the wants of the physical
man, and with an eye to these, he
may, for the time have forgotten that
his country cannot be permanently
great till he has all the resources with-
in his own country for meeting all the
wants of the country.

The King proposed to encourage
commerce. He ought to have pro-
posed, at the same time, to have a
school to fit men for carrying on all
the departments of trade, Where is
the school, to make accountants, in-
terperters, ship-masters and kindred
officers? Echo answers, where? In
Siam certainly, not one.

Perhaps the school at the Prime
Ministers may become the nucleus for
such a seminary. When we see book-
keeping, and civil engineering intro-
duced, we shall feel that Siam is
taking a step in the right direction.

But young noblemen, such as com-
pose the members of this school are
not the class to which we ought to
look, for masters of the practical arts,
such as give skill in conducting the
various departments of labor, though
thus far in Siam, enterprise has had its
impetus from this class of men. The
Second King, the Prime Minister, and
the Prime Minister's son have stood
at the head of improvements. The
primary business of this class is official
business—-making and executing the
laws which determine the progress of
the country. They may, it is true, be-
come versed both in the theory and
practice of these business matters as
do the sons of Queen Victoria, to give
them power to make better law-givers,
ruling the country with a practical
knowledge of its wants and its re-
sources.

But it is the children of the middle
class that should become the bone
and muscle of the country, increasing
production in every department. And
what hinders Siam from taking the
noble example of New England, and
educating all her boys and girls, and
fitting them to think well when they
come forward to act their part on the
stage of life. The theatre, or gambling
rooms, or the wearing a sanctimonious
face at seats, will not prepare them to
be good men or good citizens. Dis-
cipline and study, properly directed,
with true principles implanted, can
alone secure well such an end, and
this course, entered upon in childhood,
is the proper mode.

But now the children run about
the streets, learning vice and idleness.
The young men find amusement and
employment at gambling houses and
various places of vice, unless they
may, in part, be gathered into some
monastery to learn any thing but in-
dustry, and efficient, straight forward,
upright, and downright thinking, that
makes a well versed man, prepared to
live and prepared to die.

The king, undoubtedly, respects
learning. He is learned himself, and
knows the advantages of being able to
think, to study, and to devine. He is
not himself, evidently content with the
old ways of Siam. He employs a
European teacher, and pays, all things
considered, a handsome salary, that his
children may be taught the learned
languages of the present day, and
have the key to open to them western
science, western literature, and all the
history and literature connected with
the christian religion. It is a good
example as far as it goes.

The English language may become
to the east what Latin was to the
Europe, a basis of word learning
and a key to scientific researches, and
the light that opens up to them the
true religion as it beams forth from
the precious Bible well translated. As
the sciences, are introduced into the
eastern languages, foreign words must
come with them, as a matter of course,
and the study of the languages from
which these words come can but fol-
low in the march of improvement.
The study of English is well; but Eng-
lish is only one branch to be pursued,
and this should be a subordinate
branch as Latin is in our western
schools.

It is a great desideratum in Siam to
make good easy readers of the Siam-
ese language. Almost all read, but
few are easy readers that grasp the
thought as the eye passes over the
page, and for this reason intelligence
comes very slowly. The books now
in the country, are very shabbily read.
It was praise when the old lady said
of her son, he can read faster than
the minister. It was a sign that the
reader was beginning to grasp his
words easily, as a practiced noto read-
er can easily take in at one view the
four staffs on the piece of music be-
fore him, so some general readers
grasp much at a glance. Some peo-
ple have little faith in those who read
books almost as soon as mother would
turn over the leaves; but practice does
wonders in this respect. A ready
reader is a great acquisition.

At least the king can insist that the
Wats send out good readers of the
native language, if they do no more,
and then books at hand will give char-
acter and thought. A good reader,
almost as a matter of course, becomes
an intelligent man. He will certainly
become so if his readings are turned
in the right direction,—-to history and
science, and works of sound princi-
ples, sound religion, and sound morals.

It is the business of children to
learn to read, when they can be of
little use in any active employment.
It is a great task it is true, but when
the task is done, a great work is ac-
complished, and surely Siam has now
facilities for boys to become good
readers, and the king has the power
to enforce the measure. And the re-
form secured, it will be a great honor
to the king and a great good to the
country.

In a report on Boston schools it is
said, and I think with much truth, all
that makes Boston and Massachusetts
what they are is in a great measure,
dependant upon a broad and liberal
system of popular education.

Tell it not in Cheangmai, publish
it not in the streets of the Malay
towns, that it is yet a problem whether
Siam can sustain one paper. Why! in
any country almost but Siam, they
have daily papers and the subscription
list is so numerous that they can af-
ford the periodical a little above the
price of the white sheet upon which it
is printed. Let Siam become a nation
of easy readers, and the Siamese Re-
corder would be offered at a penny a
paper, and every Siamese family have
one slipped under their door every
morning to discuss over a cosey break-
fast.

Above the old city during the time
of high water we find quite a number
of branches of the main river, leading
in almost any direction a person wish-
es to go, but during the dry season
many of them are dry. Indeed now,
in many places you can go with a boat
directly across the rice fields without
following any particular channel. The
banks of the streams too, are freer
from jungle, than below the city, so
that a more extended view of the
fields can be obtained. The water on
the fields is in many places four and
five feet deep, but still the rice mana-
ges to keep above water, and at pre-

ment promises a most abundant crop.
Fish abound in great quantities all over
the fields, and we saw them playing
around our boat. Many are employ-
ed in fishing, and most of the pla-
chow we find in market in this city,
are brought from up the country. Ma-
ny of the farmers appear to be enjoy-
ing a holiday, waiting on the rice crop.
Others are engaged in collecting the
tough barks, used here for making
ropes, sewing rice bags, fastening the
chow to the posts in boating &c. The
Siamese call it paw. The wood is
sown annually like rice, and it grows
to the height of five, and six feet,
when it is collected and the bark
stripped off, and dried and brought to
market.

Nokburi is distant from Ayuthia
about one day's travel on elephants,
but much farther by water, as the cur-
rent at this season of the year is so
strong, that a boat makes but slow
progress against it. Between the two
places there is no town of any impor-
tance. Maharat is the principle one,
and appears to be little more than a
fishing village. Every farming com-
munity however is a village. Instead
of settling down at respectable dis-
tances from each other, like farmers
do in western countries, so that they
can raise in peace, their own poultry,
and stock, we find them all huddled
up together, and so far as a European
can see, they have all things common.
Sometimes the back part of one man's
house, is placed close up to the front
of that of his neighbour. When we
come to inquire, however, we find, that
the inhabitants of most of those vil-
lages are closely related to each other,
and that the village had their origin
in a peculiar Siamese custom. When
a daughter gets married, according to
custom, the son-in-law must come and
build a house close to that of the wife's
parents, so that if a man has many
daughters, by the time they are all
married off, he is surrounded by quite
a village.

Nokbari is at present an insignifi-
cant little place, containing perhaps
three thousand inhabitants. It has
however once from appearances, been
a place of some importance and has
been well fortified. The old wall is
visible in most places. Besides the
wall, and at some distance outside,
there is another kind of false wall with
gates, guarding the principle entrances
to the city.

Still further out another set of gates
guard the same entrances, with a ditch
extending around the city. It was
therefore well prepared for any of
those desultory attacks, from the sur-
rounding nations, formerly so common
in the east.

The city seems to have been orna-
mented and fortified principally by
Somdet Pra Narai who obtained the
throne about A. D. 1660, and under
whom a foreigner known in Siamese
history as Phya Witchayen, by his
obsequiousness rose finally to the
rank of Prime Minister, thus holding
in his hands chiefly the reins of gov-
ernment. According to some writers
his name was Constantine Phaulcon,
a servant of the East India Company,
who absconded in their debt, and came
to Siam, where he managed to get
hold of considerable funds belonging
to the company. Through the com-
bined influence of this man, and the
Jesuit Missionaries, an embassy was
sent to the court of Louis XIV, at the
head of which was that wonderful man
Nai Pan spoken of in the last Bang-
kok Calendar.

Phaulcon built for himself a palace
on an elevated position at Nokburi,
the walls of which are still stan-
ding, but the whole place was so
grown over with weeds, and jungle,
that we could not approach it. It
must however have been a building of
considerable extent. The rise in fa-
vor and power of this man, appears
to have excited the jealousy of some
of the Siamese nobles, who ventured
to speak to the king about it. He
replied however, that a man of such
abilities, could not be overlooked.
The king also gave them an opportu-
nity of testing their abilities, in com-
parison with those of their rival. He
had a very heavy gun the weight of
which he desired to know, and called
upon some of his nobles to weigh it.
They however failed, as the gun was
so heavy, that it broke all their chains
and they could not suspend it. Wit-
chayen was then called upon and he
immediately ordered a boat to be
moored close to shore, and had the
gun placed on board the boat and
then marked the water line. The gun
was then removed and bricks were
loaded into the boat, until the same
water line was reached, and the bricks
were then taken out, and weighed in
separate lots. This feat established his
reputation as to superior ability.

He afterwards however excited the
anger of some of the nobles very much
by ordering the nains, or novices, and
some of the priests out of the wats to
do rachakan or government work.
This they considered an encroach-
ment upon their religion. Luang
Sarasat, a son of a former king by a
Laos Princess, accordingly stationed
himself at the entrance of the Royal
Palace, the day when Wit[?]chayen was
in waiting on the king, and when he
came out, struck him on the mouth,
and broke two of his teeth. He re-
ported the insult to the king, who
gave orders to have the offender arres-
ted but he fled to the capital, and
took refuge with his mother, who in-
terceded for him, and secured pardon.
After the death of Pra Narai however,
and accession of his successor, Wit-
chayen was murdered by this same
Luang Sarasat, and probably with the
consent of the king. He was in, as
usual, waiting upon the king, when
Luang Sarasat again awaited his com-
ing out, and stabbed him. The ruins
of Pra Narai's palace are but a short
distance from those of his Prime Min-
ister. His Majesty the present sover-
eign, has erected a new palace partly
upon the site of the old one.

About three miles from the town,
there are the ruins of an artificial lake,
said also to have been the work of
Pra Narai. There is an embankment,
in many places twenty feet above the
common level, upon three sides, and
the mountain formed the fourth side.
There was also a flood gate to let off
the superfluous water. In the centre
of the lake when full, there must have
been about five fathoms of water. It
appears to have been intended, to col-
lect the water, as it flowed down
from the mountain, during the rainy
season. It covers perhaps two hun-
dred seroes[?] in area, and must have been
a very pretty lake, containing fish
enough to supply the whole kingdom.
Rice is now flourishing in the centre
of the lake.

Nokburi is now noted especially
for the quantity, and quality of its
custard apples, and many of those ex-
posed for sale in this city come from
there. The trees generally bear the
second year after planting.

The mountain of Prabat looms up
about twelve miles distant. A new
and direct road has been cut from
Nokburi to Prabat, which shortens
the distance considerably.

There are also mountains quite near
to Nokburi, but the natives are averse
to visiting them in the wet season,
for fear of jungle fever, which they
attribute to the influence of the pees
or spirits.

LOCAL.

An old Siamese man was drowned
this evening in crossing the Bangkok-
yai canal near the office of the Record-
der. He was in a small sampan used
for a ferry boat and several others
with him, when a larger sampan coming
into collision with the boat, capsized
it, and the old man sunk and could
not be found.

We learn that three pirates have
recently been caught at Ban Taloo in
the Province of Petchaburee. The
particulars concerning the capture
have not yet come to our knowledge.

An important case of assault and
battery has just been tried at the court
of H. E. Chow Phya Kalahome and
decided in favor of plaintiff. Several
Chinamen, it appears, in attempting to
seize a party charged with selling spi-
rits unlawfully, killed one man and
wounded many others. The China-
men seem not to have been legally au-
thorized to arrest the spirit venders, and
therefore were fined 320 Ticals, which
money was paid to the friends of the
person killed.

We understand that all cases of liti-
gation connected with the spirit mono-
poly have to be tried at the court of
the Prime Minister because he stands
as security for the spirit farmer.

We have now come nearly to the
end of our wet season, and from all
the accounts that we can gather of it,
it has been remarkably propitious for
the forth-coming rice crop.

HEALTH—-We are happy to learn
that the general health of the foreign
residents here is good. With the ex-
ception of a few slight colds, which
may be expected at this season of the
year, all are in the enjoyment of health,
or in a fair way of recovery.

The Siam steamer “Chow Phya”
left for Singapore on the 30th ult.
having the following passengers, viz:
—-Messrs Romi de Montigny, Probst,
Lambert, and Littlejohn.

A very singular case has lately been
up for trial in the Naval Court of H.
B. M's. Consulate concerning the Eng-
lish Schooner Erin, which foundered
in the gulf on the eastern coast about
the middle of last August on her way
to Hongkong laden with rice. It ap-
pears that evidence of so grave a
character came out in the trial, that
the further investigation of the mat-
ter has been transferred to the higher
court at Singapore whither the parties
concerned have gone by the steamers
Chow Phya and Seewoon.

POSTSCRIPT OCT. 5TH.

We were happy to meet this morn-
ing Princess Somawadi the 7th child
of His Majesty the king of Siam being
carried on a royal sadan on the street
in front of H. E. Chow P'hya Kala-
home. Following her royal Highness
was H. E. the Prime Minister himself,
being attended by twenty or thirty
men neatly attired in full dress. They
were attending her royal Highness to
her state barge, and were going to ac-
company her, as we heard, on a plea-
sure excursion into the new canal
which is being cut from Bangkok to
Tachoon. It struck us as being a
very agreeable exhibition of Young
Siam, which does not think it unbe-
coming in the king to allow his
daughters as well as sons to leave the
royal palace occasionally, and move
about among the people in the city
and country, enjoying the change and
doing the hearts of the people good by
a sight of them.

Buddhist Superstitions.

Yesterday, in passing through the
temple Sumplum, our attention was
attracted by the immense company of
people there assembled. On inquir-
ing, we learned that an idol in that
temple was performing some strange
freaks, and giving to the faithful a
manifestation of its power. The
particular objects of interest seemed to
be a small recess or niche in a tall spire
near the temple, about fifty or sixty
feet from the ground where, it was
said, the glory could be seen.

We inquired of those who were gaz-
ing, what they saw. Some said, they
could see nothing, others said they
could see an image. We were told
that only those who had boon (merit)
could see the wonder. We concluded
therefore, that we must belong to the
unfortunate class who had no boon,
for, after close examination, we could
see nothing wonderful or different
from other spires built of brick and
mortar.

It seems that, a few days ago, it
was announced by some one that a mir-
acle was to be seen at the temple. An
ancient and sacred image of Buddha
brought from a distant city, and de-
posited in that temple was giving out
a refulgence of light and glory that
was distinctly visible. The people
flocked to see it. Those with wonderful
perspicacity could see the image of
Buddha reflected upon the inner part
of the niche in the spire. They be-
lieved it to be a miracle. They knew
it must be caused by the sacred image
of Buddha enshrined in the temple
below. The news spread. The in-
fatnated populace rushed to the place
to worship, and present their offerings
at that sacred shrine.

There they have been—-priests,
people, men, women and children—
coming and going for many days. To
add variety to the scene, there are
bands of music playing, and theatres
open to all. These, contrary to the
rules of Buddhist monasteries, were
crowded with yellow robed spectators.
Those who wish to gain merit must
make an offering. Consequently there
have been stands erected where tapers,
incense sticks, and gold leaf are retailed
to the worshippers. These places were
thronged. After purchasing their offer-
ing they would pass into the temple,
bow three times before the idol in wor-

ship,then come out and light the tapers
and offer them at the shrine. The
gold leaf was used for gilding the
idol. Every one, as he came in, laid
his offering of gold leaf on the idol,
smoothed it down with a cloth, then
placing his hands together raised
them to his head, bowed reverently
three times to the image, and then
retired. They doubtless thought they
were deriving great profit by loading
the idol with gold. We thought that,
perhaps, those who were selling gold
leaf &c. were deriving the largest
share of profit.

We talked with several intelligent
looking Siamese men, and inquired
the nature of the phenomenon. They
could not exactly tell what it was, but
all seemed to think there was some-
thing wonderfully strange there, and
that it was caused by the power of
the idol. Unable to discover any
thing remarkable we passed on through
the dense crowd into the main street
that leads through market. All along
this street were small groups of peo-
ple standing gazing at the temple. Af-
ter going some distance we were a
gain induced, by curiosity, to turn and
look at the spire which could yet be
seen. We now saw the cause for all
this excitement and superstition. There
was an image, sure enough! It might
be the image of Buddha or Vishnu, or
what not, for it looked terrible enough
for any of them. But what was it?
It was nothing more than the imag-
inary image of a man formed by vari-
ous colors caused by the weather upon
the stucco or plastering in the niche!
A reddish yellow color (which is, with
the Siamese, a sacred color) formed
the body of the picture, and black, the
back ground. It took some time
for us to discover any resemblance of
an image there, but when once seen,
and with the image formed in the
mind, it was very easy to trace it. In-
deed, the longer we looked, the more
distinctly could we see the resemblance.
It reminded us of a puzzle picture we
once saw of Napoleon formed by two
trees. The puzzle was to trace the
image of a human face in the picture.
At first sight there appeared to be
nothing but two scraggy, indifferent
looking trees. But, after you succeed-
ed in tracing the image of the face,
you could see nothing else in it.

The Siamese are credulous and su-
perstitious enough to believe that this
phenomenon, which may be seen any
day in the clouds or trees, is caused
by the power of the idol in that tem-
ple! There seems to be nothing too
absurd and ridiculous for them to be-
lieve in connection with their reli-
gion. Mount Prabat, where is fabled
to be the foot print of Buddha, is suffi-
cient proof of this. There, in a small
recess of that cragged volcanic rock,
they imagine they see the track of
Buddha's foot.

Thousands and thousands annually
flock there to worship-—what? Pure-
ly an imaginary trace of a foot
print in the solid rock, which some
of the Siamese themselves have ad-
mitted to be an imposture by Prâ
Chow Sông T'am, who invented it to
gain great merit, and give prominence
to his name.

At Prachai, a short distance from
Prabat, is another place where they
worship an imaginary shadow. This
is nothing more than a natural pheno-
menon of light and dark shades form-
ed by the weather on the face of the
rock. This, of course, is constantly
changing, but those who have been
can see in it a distinct shadow of their
object of worship.

At Petchaburi there is a temple
spire which the Siamese firmly be-
lieve never casts a shadow. This, they
think, is in some way, connected with
their religion, and is a miracle and
standing proof of its truth. We have
stood there in the full blaze of the
morning sun, and pointing to the dis-
tinct and well defined shadow tried to
convince them that they were believ-
ing what was not true, or rather disbe-
lieving what is true. No argument or
ocular demonstration could convince
them that that spire ever casts a sha-
dow. It was rather a massive spire, but
a few years ago it tumbled down, per-
haps, for want of a shadow! The
Siamese have commenced to rebuild
it. They estimated that it will re-
quire 12000 ticals to finish it. It is
reported that His Majesty is to con-
tribute 4000 ticals, and the balance to
be raised by contributions from the
people. Can any country or people be
called poor when they can lavish such
piles of money upon nothing?

There is said to be a place in the
large cavern in the mountain called
Kow Hlwang near Petchaburi where
is a pile of small stones which you
may scatter in any direction, and up-
on returning the next day, will find
them all piled up in regular order as
though they had never been disturbed.
This, they believe to be accomplished,
not by human hands, but by a mira-
cle. It is also said that in Sam roy
yawt, a mountain on the west coast of
the gulf, there is a cave which con-
tains a pile of stones having this re-
markable quality of coming together
again after being scattered.

Thus we might go on to enumerate
many other such instances of their
superstition. They can believe the
most ridiculous and absurd fancies of
their imagination, while that which
is truthful, real and substantial is re-
jected. Truly there are none so blind
as those who do not wish to see.

It appears from the Rangoon Times
August 29th, that the great Mhine-
loongyee timber cases, for a long-time
under trial at Maulmain, producing
intense excitement, have at length been
decided by the Recorder in favor of
the Plaintiffs, Moung-Khine, T. D.
Finlay, Js. Finlay and John Mc Call,
versus R. C. Burn, Shway Gan, B.
Soadden.

From another source we hear that
an appeal has been made to the court
at Calcutta.

Prices Current.

premium 10

FREIGHTS—Small vessels are in demand,
and high rates may be expected. Previous
to the arrival of the mail the following
settlements were made, viz:—

"A. de Winter" 50 cents per pical all
round.

"Peter" 45 cents inside and 40 cents
per pical outside.

"Water Lily" sugar to Bombay at 95
cents per pical.

For Singapore demand active and rates
are from 35 to 40 cents per pical.—No dis-
engaged vessels in harbor.

The following vessels have sailed for
Hongkong since 13th Sept., viz:—

"Via Canning" with 1352 p., pepper,
6537 rice, 1062 mussels, 129 hemp, 430
cotton.

"Kim Chy Song" with 3213 pls. rice,
425 teelseed, 108 peas, 161 mussels, 19
cotton.

"Ingeborg" with 6617 pls. rice, 300
sugar.

"Chili" with 10000 pls. rice.

"Dorothea" with 9455 pls. rice.

"Carlota" with 6534 pls. rice.

"Fairy" with 6000 pls. rice.

"A. de Winter" with 10900 pls. rice, 80
sapanwood, 82 cotton.

The following have sailed for Singapore.

"Verona" with 11826 pls. rice, 559 sa-
panwood, 522 teelseed, 85 peas, 722 cotton,
42 teak planks.

"Chow Phya" with 11 pls. horns, 5273
rice, 149 sugar, 596 teelseed, 360 salt fish,
38 onions.

"St. Paul" with 193 pls. hides, 4541
rice, 106 sapanwood, 78 sugar, 744 teel-
seed, 85 mussels.

"Onan Soon" with 1217 pls. rice, 474
paddy, 30 onions.

[The following is a CLIF which a friend
of ours has taken from the CHICAGO TRI-
BUNE for the consideration of any who
wish to see how the accounts would stand
between the U. S. and Great Britain in
case indemnification be determined upon.]

An Offset.

A special despatch from Ottawa, the
capital of Canada, says :

"In the Canadian Parliament yesterday
(June 22) Mr. Galt moved for the indem-
nification of the Government, by the Uni-
ted States, for the EXPENSES INCURRED
DURING THE RECENT FENIAN TROUBLES.
Several members of the Government party
advocated the move, when Mr. Chambers,
of Brockville, obtained the floor and spoke
against it. He said that Canada could not
support troops enough to resist the United
States. A thousand Fenians was a differ-
ent matter from 35,000,000 of Americans.
He also called for an investigation of the
conduct of the commanders of the Provin-
cial troops during the trouble, and denoun-
ced the management of the volunteers as
a blunder. Mr. Chambers was continually
interrupted and HISSED, the uproar be-
coming so great at times as to drown his
remarks. He was replied to by Mr. D'Arcy
McGee, and the motion of Mr. Galt WAS
ADOPTED."

They are a droll set of wags, those Can-
ucks. The "motion of Mr. Galt was adopt-
ed, to demand indemnification from the
United States for expenses incurred during
the recent Fenian troubles." That's good.
And the hissing of the doubting Thomas—
that was capital. Oh, certainly, make out
your bill, gentlemen, and present it at the
State Department for payment. The Yan-
kees are ready to settle. But they have a
little off-set, however, which of course you
will allow. As the Canadians are British
subjects, and constitute a part of the "Brit-
ish Empire," whatever account Uncle Sam
may have against Mr. John Bull will be a
legitimate and lawful off-set, and neces-
sarily must be allowed.

The American counter claim will run
something like this:

To depredations of British cruis-
ers on American commerce dur-
ing the rebellion.........$250,000,000
To Cotton loss to rebels...100,000,000
To aid given to the rebels in the
shape of arms, ammunition and
munitions of war, whereby the re-
bellion was prolonged two years..1,500,000,000
Principal of claim...............1,750,000,000
To three years interest on the same
at 7 per cent....................867,500,000
Total............................2,117,500,000

Allowing the Canadian off-set of say
$500,000, the balance due from Mr. John
Bull is $2,117,000,000, which we hope it
will not be inconvenient for the old gen-
tleman to pay. The money will be applied
towards the liquidation of that portion of
the public debt incurred in consequence of
Mr. Bull's acts of "neutrality."

Magnanimity.

That the South has been treated with
all charity and fairness THE NATION well
shows in the following simple illustration:

Let us imagine a man living on a West-
ern settlement, carrying on a dispute at
law with a perverse neighbor. The latter,
beaten in every court, makes a desperate
attempt to take his adversary's life. He
drives him out of his home, burns up his
property, kills two or three of his sons,
fights long after the struggle both at law
and in muscle is clearly decided, doing
more mischief after his cause is hopeless
than ever before, and only yields when de-
prived of every weapon, and when resis-
tance is simply impossible. How many
then, having fought such a fight, and beaten
such an enemy, and, we will further sup-
pose, being allowed by law to take his life,
or at any rate his property, would say to
him, "You may go free. You may have
all your property, and I will pay two-thirds
of all my costs at law, though I have an
execution against you for the whole a-
mount. I forgive you ALL the past, on
one condition: your man Cuffee helped
me to whip you; you must now treat Cuf-
fee as well as I treat you, and he will help
you pay your share of the cost?"

We say that no one man in a hundred
would act thus generously, either in Ameri-
ca or Europe. Yet this is exactly what
the Northern people have done to the
South, with substantial unanimity.

Temperance Items.

Major-General and Brigadier-General
Howard have joined the Sons of Temper-
ance......C. Edwards Lester, author of the
“Glory and Shame of England,” has be-
come a Temperance advocate. He lately
gave a touching account of his reformation
......Rev. B. W. Noel and Rev. C. H. Spur-
geon have enrolled themselves in the Tem-
perance ranks.......Rev. J. A. Davidson,
formerly in this State, is lecturing now in
Michigan.......A bill conferring on the Me-
tropolitan Health Board, in New York and
Brooklyn, the sole right to give or with-
hold licences, has passed the New York
Legislature. The new Board have fixed
the first-class license at two hundred and
fifty dollars, and the license of ale and beer
at one hundred dollars. No grocery is to
be licensed. It is expected that four thou-
sand out of ten thousand bars will be closed
by the Act.—-PACIFIC.

[From the China Overland Mail of the
11th Sept. we have the following items.]

—-CHMONG CHAT TAI, a notorious pirate,
was executed yesterday morning. He
made no confession before death, but
Hongkong may congratulate itself on be-
ing rid of so dangerous a scoundrel.

—-The FLOODING ordinance seems to have
a beneficial effect on the returns of crime,
the number of prisoners having decreased
some 20 per cent, and that apparently
not, as a rule, from undue leniency on
the part of the Magistrates.

-—FROM MANILA we learn that several
Chinese have been committed to prison
for bribing or attempting to bribe the
late Governor. The new Captain Gen-
eral seems to be "making an impression"
upon all classes and we wish him success
in his endeavours to purge that colony
from the evils, under which it has so long
suffered.

—-THE PERMISSION given to Japanese to
travel does not seem to have been intend-
ed as a fact. An English merchant, who
left last mail, was refused permission to
take his native servant with him on the
plea that the seal was not ready.

News Items.

A QUARTZ lead has been discovered in
Lightning Gulch, Josephine country, Or-
egon, from which, according to the Jack-
sonville TIMES, $5,400 was taken out in
two hours. The contents of one pan
was $2,000! The lead is said to be per-
fectly yellow with gold. The name of
the lucky discoverer of this immense
wealth is Malichi.

The NAPA REGISTER says, the Califor-
nia Borax Company are said to be taking
out this useful substance at the rate of a
ton a day. Chinese labor is mostly used.
The company have a steam engine and
other machinery in the railroad depot
here, awaiting transportation to their
works. The borax all goes to market
by the way of Napa.

TRUSTWORTHY advices from Texas,
Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama, report
that planters are putting in cotton to the
full extent of their ability, and that in
some sections the amount of land that has
been assigned to cotton culture is greater
than ever before known. The fears of
a scarcity of seed have proved groundless,
as seed is found to be plenty, though
much of it is risky from being too old.

DURING GEN. GRANT'S recent visit at
Richmond, the people flocked to see him,
and during his stay he was called upon
by such persons as Robert Ould, Ex-re-
bel Commissioner for exchange of prison-
ers ; Gen. Joseph Anderson, of the Tre-
degar Iron Works; Mayor Mayo, Gens.
Wickham and Henningsen, Judges Lyons
and Meredith, Hill Carter, Walter, Har-
rison, and many others. The ladies also
called upon Mrs. Grant freely. The
railroad company placed a special car at
his disposal, the Spottswood Hotel as-
signed him a large suite of rooms, the
Ballard House offered to do the same,
and every one vied to contribute to his
comfort and pleasure.

THE BILL that passed the House,
Wednesday, to levy a duty of twenty per
cent on all live animals imported, was
meant to checkmate a trick of the Can-
ucks, who are driving their sheep into the
United States, shearing them so as to get
the wool in duty free, and then driving
them back.

AT THE usual conference of the Afri-
can Methodist Church, held at Washing-
ton, D. C. last week, a white brother was
ordained, but not without some opposition.
Some of the colored clergymen thought
a mixture of colors would not work well
in their church ; they had no prejudice
against color, but were not sure that a
white clergyman would be acceptable to
a colored church. The majority, how-
ever, thought it a good thing to have a
mixture of colors, and Rev. James Reed
said, "Let us show that we do not dis-
respect a man on account of color."

THE TREASURY Department has re-
ceived through the United States Consul
at Brimingham, England, $4,500 in gold,
which was subscribed by the citizens of
that place for the benefit of the freed
race of this country.

CORRECTION.

In the Tide Table of the
Bangkok Calendar for
1866 for May, June, Au-
gust, and October, for High
read Low, and for Low
read HIGH.