The Bangkok Recorder.

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D. B. BRADLEY, PUBLISHER & PROPRIETOR.

"Come Unto Me."

Art thou sore distrest?

"Come to me," saith One,“and coming,

If he be my Guide?

In his feet and hands are wound-prints,

That his brow adorns?

"Yes, a crown in very surety,

What his guerdon here?

"Many a sorrow, many a labor,

What hath he at last?

"Sorrow vanquished, labor ended.

Will he say me nay?

"Not till earth, and not till Heaven

Is he sure to bless?

"Angels, martyrs, prophets, pilgrims,

—-FROM ST. STEPHEN, THE SABBATH

Telegrama.

Our Telegrams extend no later than to the 10th instant: A Telegram is said to have been received at Galle before the steamer left, dated London, 15th Sept., stating trade generally to be very dull; but no copy of this has come on to Sing- pore.

London, September, 7th,—The Times denies the report of the Marriage of the King of Greece to the Princess Louise.

London September 8th.—The Prus- sian chamber voted for the annexation bill almost unanimously.

New York, SEPTEMBER, 7TH.—Mr. Seward presented Romero to President Johnson, who said he hoped Mexico could be freed from foreign invasion by November.

[The following European news we ex- tract from the Straits Times.]

European Summary.

The Berlin Cabinet has refused the French demand for a rectification of frontier ; and the Emperor has declared that their friendly relations shall not be disturbed in consequence.

The Emperor Napoleon has written to King Leopold to assure him that no in- tention is entertained of annexing any part of Belgium.

The principal inhabitants of Jamaica have presented addresses to General Eyre on his departure. Subscriptions are being entered into in England for his defence against prosecution. He has been invited to a public banquet at Southampton.

Stephens, the Fenian leader, has an- nounced in America that a rebellion will break out in Ireland within the present year. Preparations are making for an- other raid into Canada.

Negotiations for peace between Prus- sia and Bavaria are proceeding favour- ably.

An armistice has been signed for four weeks between Austria and Italy.

A deputation of bankers has asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to relax the restrictions on the issue of bank notes.

A deputation from Birmingham urged the necessity of reducing the present rate of discount.

Reform meetings, demanding manhood suffrage and ballot, continue to be held.

A revolution has broken out in the city of Mexico.

The cholera, upon an average of days, is slightly diminishing in London.

The investigation into the plot against the life of the Emperor of Russia has led to the discovery of secret revolutionary societies.

The insurrection in Candia has assum- ed formidable dimensions.

The mission of the Prussian General Manteuffel to St. Petersburg has been completely successful.

Mr. Baker, the African traveler, has been knighted.

Great loss of life has been occasioned by a dreadful crush of people in Paris, on the night of the Emperor’s fête.

A conflagration has occurred in Ant- werp, involving an immense destruction of property.

(FROM THE HOME NEWS, AUGT. 27.)

Peace has been signed with Prussia by Austria and Bavaria.

The Emperor Napoleon has assured the English Government that he does not contemplate the acquisition of any Belgian territory.

A public banquet has been given to ex-Governor Eyre in Southampton. On the same evening a counter-meeting was held in the town. Mr. Eyre has been since invited to banquets at Bath, Chip- penham, and Cambridge.

Disturbances are spreading in Mexico, and the Imperialists have suffered seri- ous defeats.

French ships are fitting out to convey the last of the French troops home from Mexico.

Prussia has inflicted on Saxony a fine of two millions and a half sterling for having taken up arms in the late war.

A petition is getting up in Belgium, praying the King to place native Bel- gians and not Frenchmen at the head of the War and Foreign departments.

A political amnesty, including Mazzi- ni, has been declared in Italy.

Much popular irritation exists in Paris against Prussia.

An insurrection of Polish exiles has broken out in Siberia, and been suppress- ed.

Military law still prevails in New Or- leans.

Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands has arrived in New York.

The Empress of Mexico has left Paris.

A separate ministry is to be conceded to Hungary.

The insurrection in Candia has ob- tained important successes.

The grand jury of Middlesex have made a presentment to the effect that grand juries are practically useless.

The cattle plague is rapidly diminish- ing in England.

Extraordinary cases of bribery have been discovered by the commission ap- pointed to inquire into the last Great Yarmouth election.

Prussia.

The Lower Chamber has announced its acceptance of the reorganization of the army, and will vote all required sup- plies if only it may retain the full control of the budget. The government an- nounces that it wants about £9,000,000, which it will obtain by issuing Treasury notes. A bill has been introduced estab- lishing a German Parliament, on the basis of universal suffrage and one mem- ber to every 100,000 persons. It has been delayed, though published, as the Premier wishes the annexations to take precedence.

On Sunday, August 19, the king re- ceived the address in reply to the speech from the throne voted by the Upper House. It is reported that his majesty asked the members of the deputation which presented the address, "whether any one of them believed five weeks ago that such results would have been obtain- ed in so short a time. As for himself, he did not believe it. Every one did his duty, but it was to God that thanks were due for the great things which had been accomplished, and every one should in entire humility rejoice in the divine be- nediction." The king requested the de- putation to give his thanks to the Upper House for their conduct in supporting the new organization which is in course of preparation in spite of the efforts made in other quarters to impede this move- ment. The son of a prince, it was easy to understand how reluctant he was to deprive princes of their possessions. A painful struggle took place in his own mind on this subject, and the conviction alone that such a measure was necessary for the welfare of the country dictated his decision.

In the sitting on the 20th of the Lower House committee on the bill for the elec- tions to a German Parliament, the govern- ment commissioner declared that the whole of Prussia would belong to the new Confederation, and that a bill would be drawn up in conjunction with the other Confederate governments to determine the competency of the new Bund. He further stated that the aim of the govern- ment was to bring about, not merely a personal, but a material union of the an- nexed States with Prussia. On the 23rd, the debate on the address, in reply to the speech from the throne, took place in the Lower House.

The annexation gives the Prussian monarchy an increase of 961 square (German) miles, with 3,000,000 of in- habitants; and if we add Holstein and Schleswig, we have a territory of 292 square miles and 1,000,000 of inhabitants. It will now form a State of 5387 square miles and 23,000,000 inhabitants.

A telegram from Berlin of August 23 states that peace had been signed between Prussia and Bavaria. The territories to be ceded by Bavaria to Prussia comprise the districts of Orb, Gersfeld, Hilters, and Tham, situated in Lower Franconia. These districts contain in all 40,000 in- habitants. According to a French paper, Bavaria is to pay Prussia 30,000,000 florins towards the expenses of the war. The Bavarian Chambers are summoned, and the terms of peace accepted by Prussia are to be laid before them.

The treaty of peace between Austria and Prussia was also signed at Prague on the evening of the 23rd, and sent to Vien- na for ratification. After the ratifications have been exchanged the evacuation of the Austrian territory occupied by the Prussian army will commence immedi- ately. Three weeks is said to be the term fixed for the complete evacuation of Bohemia.

The Prussian official report on the bat- tle of Koniggratz computes the loss of the Austrians at 40,000 men, 18,000 be- ing prisoners, without wounds; and the number of Prussians killed and wounded at nearly 10,000. According to another Prussian official report the following are the losses sustained by the Prussians dur- ing the late war:—4472 dead, 5341 severely wounded, 8885 slightly wounded, 2569 missing, making a total of 19,267.

Various stories are told of Count Bis- marck. The first is told as occurring on occupation of the village of Nikolsburg by the Prussians, when many of the in- habitants complained of the exactions of the Prussian commandant:—

One of them, a Jew, so loud and bit- ter in his complaints that some Prussian soldiers who happened to be passing at the time seized him and began to strike him with their muskets. Count Bismarck, hearing the noise, now came up, in the uniform of a major of the Landwehr, and asked what was the matter. The soldiers explained that the Jew had been speak- ing in offensive terms of the Prussians. "It isn't true," exclaimed the Jew, who did not know the Prussian minister, "I was not abusing the army, but that Bis- marck. All eyes now turned inquiringly towards the Premier, who, however, quietly rejoined, "Let him go; he has only done what many others did before him."

Italy.

The feeling in Italy seems now to be all in favour of peace and of a speedy settlement of the present uncertain state of things. The following expressions of 'l' Italie' may be taken as a fair sample of these sentiments :—

The wishes of public opinion in Italy are very clear at this moment. The coun-

try desires as soon as possible to see an end of the negotiations which henceforth seem devoid of all serious object, and to take possession of Venice and the Quadri- lateral. For more than six weeks Italy has been thrown like a shuttlecock from deception to deception, and, if the truth must be told, she has not understood nor does she now understand the meaning of all that has passed. But she sees clearly that we are no further advanced to-day than on the 6th of July, and she wishes at least to assure herself of some results gained by the great sacrifice.

Baron Ricasoli has addressed a circular to the prefects and sub-prefects of Italy, in which he says:—-

Last night I communicated the news of the signature of the armistice, and negotiations for peace will now commence, which the government will endeavour to render honorable and useful to the country. Impress upon the people, and also upon the press, that this is no time for resistance or recrimination. The internal and exter- nal condition of the country is known to every one. But if true patriotism brings to light the evils of the country, it also knows how to conceal them when neces- sary, and to remedy them in due season. It is patriotism we need now, the essential characteristic of which is not to substi- tute personal desires for the necessities of the country. Bitter controversy and inop- portune recrimination would be a proof of external weakness, which benefit our enemies in every manner, and disturb the action of the government, which has now more than ever need to be free, and to be supported by public opinion in entering upon the peace negotiations. I feel that the government has a right to the confi- dence of the Italians, for it will do every- thing that can conduce to the welfare of the country. It is resolved to fulfil its duty to the end, and to exert all its efforts to enable Italy to issue stronger and more assured from her present position. Con- fidence in the government, concord and moderation among the citizens, such are the sentiments from which will arise the strength which will enable us to triumph over the obstacles, and accomplish in a fitting manner the destinies of the nation.

Rome.

The Roman question remains unchang- ed. The Pope has not yet come to any resolution. His holiness's attitude is still passive.

The official journal of August 21st say :—-

Signor Giacomo Commin, deputy to the Florence Parliament, has been con- ducted to the Pontifical frontier, solely for using a false passport, contrary to law. Other deputies and senators have previously visited Rome without ever having been molested, notwithstanding their intemperate language in Parliament and their hatred against the Catholic Church.

France.

The emperor's health has improved. The Paris correspondent of the 'Globe' writes on the evening of August 22:— "The emperor, after having twice re- ceived the last sacraments, and having been on the point of death from half the diseases to which flesh is 'heir, miracu- lously recovered, and now drives ou daily."

Prince Napoleon has left for Switzer- land.

The 'Moniteur' of August 21 con- tradicts the statement that the Emperor Napoleon had written a letter to the King of the Belgians, giving him an as- surance that he has no intention of an- nexing Belgian territory. It says:—

Although it is true that the French Minister for Foreign Affairs has inform- ed the British Government that France would not demand the fortresses of Ma- rienburg and Philippeville, which are in the hands of a neutral Power, it is not correct that the emperor has written to the King of the Belgians.

The 'Patrie' contradicts a report which had gained currency, that the em- peror will only give Venetia to Italy conditionally.

The Empress of Mexico left Paris on August 23 for Miramar.

The 'Gazette du Midi' asserts that some ships fitting out for Mexico are to convey reinforcements to the French troops in that country, instead of to bring home those which are already there.

Turkey.

The insurrection in Candia has reach- ed serious proportions. Several of the foreign commission, especially those of Holland, Sweden; and the United States, have suffered considerable damage, and the consuls have protested. Intelligence received viâ Trieste states that the in- surgents, 25,000 strong, occupy import- ant positions. The population is much incensed against the Turks, and the lat- ter are not in sufficient force to suppress the revolt.

Latest.
Prussia.

The manner in which Prussia is treat- ing the kingdom of Saxony is described by a Paris paper as extremely harsh, notwithstanding the generous interposi- tion of France and Austria in its behalf. A million and a half sterling is the fine inflicted by the government of Berlin on the Saxons in the shape of a war contri- bution for having taken arms in the late conflict on the side of the Austrians. To this amount, strong objection might not be taken ; but if it be true, as stated, that Saxony has been forced to complete a treaty transferring the command and the organization of its army to King William, the penalty is considered out of all proportion excessive for the offence of asserting its own independence and aiding a faithful neighbour and ally in his extremity. Meanwhile it is reported from Leipsic that the Liberal national party in Saxony are unanimously in fa- vour of the incorporation of their country with Prussia. They held a meeting on Aug. 25, at which a resolution was pas- sed to the effect that the common in- terests of Germany would thereby be best secured. That failing, it was re- commended as an alternative that mili- tary and diplomatic affairs should be vested in Prussia, and commercial mat- ters, both administrative and legislative, in the government of the new Confeder- ation.

By the treaty of peace signed at Pra- gue on the 24th August, between Austria and Prussia, the emperor consents to the union of Venetian Lombardy with the kingdom of Italy, conditional only upon the payment by the latter of the debts which shall be recognized as the share of the ceded territory. The precedent for this arrangement is the treaty of Zurich, under which Milanese Lombardy was transferred to Italy. But, notwith- standing this arrangement, it appears to be by no means clear that all difficulties are removed. It is said the Italian re- presentative in the negotiations with Austria is authorized to demand the re- stitution of national relics and objects of art which Austria has carried away from Venetia, including the iron crown of Lombardy.

Austria.

It is asserted that immediately after the ratification of the peace treaty with Prussia, the interior questions relating to the constitution of the empire will be settled. "The principle of a separate administration of Hungary and Austria will," it is said, "prevail in the new pol- itical organization of the empire. An imperial manifesto will be published, granting responsible ministries to Hun- gary with such power of independent action as is compatible with the unity of the empire." It is further stated that the emperor will reside during several months of the year at Buda, in Hungary.

America.

A telegram from New York, dated August 23d, transmitted by the Atlantic telegraph, announces that "President Johnson had abandoned the Fenian pro- secutions."

Our advices by mail steamer are to August 16, and among the more import- ant items of intelligence are the sub- joined :—-

The Great National Union Convention was opened on August 14th at Philadel- phia, and General Dix elected temporary chairman. Great enthusiasm prevailed, and the mention of President Johnson's name elicited prolonged applause. The Convention adjourned on the 16th, after passing resolutions declaring the Union and the constitution to be restored, and that neither Congress nor government could deny representation to any State. The resolutions urge the people to elect none but men admitting this principle. The right to prescribe qualification for the elective franchise is reserved to States. No State can withdraw from the Union, nor by its action in Congress exclude an- other State from the Union. The reso- lutions further tender sincere support to President Johnson.

The cholera is slowly abating in New York, but it is becoming epidemic in the interior and at several points on the coast. The disease has appeared at Chicago, Memphis, and other interior cities.

A bill has passed the Canadian Parlia- ment prohibiting persons suspected of disloyalty in Canada, drilling or carrying arms.

—-Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

—-It may not be generally known that editors get one important item of subsis- tence at a low price-—they get nomaid for nothing.

—-"I say Jim," says one friend to an- other, "I hear our friend A. has been in the oil speculation heavily ; has he made anything?" "Oh yes," says Jim, "he has made an assignment."

Bangkok Recorder.

Birth-day of the King of Siam.

By the many flags of all nations which we see floating on the flagstaffs at the royal palace, the palaces of all the princes, the nobles and lords and the Siamese shipping in port, we are reminded that this day is the 62nd an- niversary of the birth of His Majesty the king of Siam. Most heartily do we wish him a happy new year; and we would have been quite well pleased to attend his birth-day dinner party which came off this evening in the royal palace, had we been honored with an invitation to it. But this honor it did not please His Majesty to give us, nor one of our brethren the mere missionaries, nor one of the foreign merchants, as we learn, be- cause he has been led by some pecu- liar European influence, not necessary now to name, to think that it is not customary in monarchical and imperi- al governments for a monarch or em- peror to allow mere clergymen and merchants to sit at his table on such an occasion in company with consuls and bishops, as the former are sup- posed to rank below the latter. Hence His Majesty, being himself a mon- arch, and wishing to conform to Eu- ropean usages as much as he conveni- ently can, invited all the consuls, to- gether with the Roman catholic bis- hop and the vicar apostolic of Siam to his birth-day dinner. But we hear that there was one consul among them of whom the king stood in doubt whether his presence would be agree- able to certain European dignitaries whom he thought it all important to please, and that therefore he sent to obtain their views on the question be- fore-hand. The doubt was not as to character but solely as to rank.

We learn that that eclectic party had as good a time by themselves as they had last year, that the dinner was full equal to that of any of its predecessors, that His Majesty looked full as hale and robust as he did ten years ago, that he promises to have at least fifteen years of good health added to his illustrious reign, and that he was quite gracious to them all, but showing some preferences.

Now the reader of this may ask are you sporting with words, or are you really in earnest in saying that His Majesty did not invite any of the mere missionaries and foreign merchants to his birth-day dinner? To be sure we are in sober earnest, for it is a fact that none of us were invited to that dinner. But still it is due to truth to say that the king did not fail to remember us as his old and tried friends, for he sent us a very conde- scending and polite invitation to dine at his palace on the second day of his new year, wishing us to bestow our individual and collective blessings up- on him and his dynasty. How many of us his second class friends will at- tend, we are not prepared to say; and can only for ourselves apologize for non-compliance by offering the excuse that we are too Republican in spirit, ev- en "dyed in the wool" to encourage by our influence such foolish distinctions of honor made among persons invited to a celebration of a birthday in any man's mansion or palace, but more especially that of a monarch, who is expected to have adequate room in his heart and in his palace to receive all his invited friends at one and the same time, and to treat them essen- tially alike. We conceive that such an occasion as that of a birthday cele- bration, like that of a wedding, is the last place for any man, be he a peas- ant or a monarch, to divide the friends he accounts worthy of being invited to it, into different castes, and seating them at separate tables. This mere statement of the case must carry with it abundant evidence to any civilized and educated mind, not highly in- flated with the pride of station, that such gradations at such times are, and cannot but be abhorrent to good breeding. But it is not strange that a heathen monarch should naturally consider such a course as quite unex- ceptionable, especially if he be taught so by European consuls, and that he would need to be reasoned with on the subject to show him its inpro- priety. Hence we do not and cannot entertain any unfriendly feelings to- wards His Majesty for the course he has taken. But we do feel to censure strongly those persons from christian nations who have advised him to take it. We did hope that the experience of the two last royal birthday celebra- tions would be full enough to induce the king to return to his former cus- tom of having all his invited friends seated at tables in the same hall and at the same time, mixing consuls, clergymen, merchants, and others to- gether in a common and pleasant brotherhood. With the exception of one and at the most two Europeans, the unanimous testimony of all the guests at these annual celebrations and that of the king's we doubt not, was then and is now that such com- mingling of rank and feeling is in- deed as pleasant as heart could wish for such an occasion.

Domestic Animals.

We propose now, after a long inter- val of five months to resume our se- ries on domestic animals. The last animal we wrote about under this head was the little house lizard or the gecko. We will in this article de- scribe another animal belonging to the same genus, scientifically classed among the Saurians, and in which class belong crocodiles or alligators. Preposterous, some of our readers may think, to class a species of the alligator among domestic animals! But wait a little and we will show good reasons for what we do. The animal we now allude to is called by the Sia- mese tookkaa, being so named because it always utters this word when it speaks. Its general form is much like that of an alligator but a thousand times smaller. We class it among our domestic animals because it makes its home in our houses, and is a harmless, serviceable, social, and beautiful crea- ture as seen on our walls and ceiling, coming out every evening to look at you, and serve you in hunting and catching bugs and beetles that are an- noying you by buzzing about your lamps and your heads.

A full sized tookkaa is about ten inches long from the extremity of its jaws to the end of its tail, the latter being full one third of its whole length. Its head is somewhat of the dart shape being one and a fourth of an inch long, an inch wide from side to side, and three quarters of an inch thick. The two small nasal orifices are quite near the extremity of the upper jaw; the eyes, being as large as a small pea and beautifully black are set in the sides of the head a quarter of an inch be- hind the nasal passages; and the ears are placed quite in the posterior part of the head.

The tookkaa is a quadruped, hav- ing legs two inches long with five toes on each foot, armed each with a sharp claw. The balls of the toes look much like a fine rasp, but when seen through a glass on which they are holding, the grooves of the rasp-appearance entire- ly disappear. This must be the mechanism of divine make by which they are enabled to exhaust the air between their toes and the ceiling, and walk with their backs downward. But they sometimes forget to use it and hence fall from the ceiling pro- ducing a concussion which quite stuns them. Sometimes they fall on your heads and by their claws shock you dreadfully.

There is a great similarity in the color of tookkaas, which is a very curious arrangement of pale red spots on a pale green ground—the red occu- pying less than a third of the entire superfices. The order is such as to form nine or ten green circles around the body some three quarters of an inch apart. The red spots on the back are a little protuberant, but on the belly they are quite smooth. Looking at the creatures without a glass, they appear to be covered with a coat of mail made of the smallest glass beads very closely set. But when you take a magnifying glass you find that the beads are only scales neatly lapped on each other. There is the appearance of a small corded seam on each side of the belly mark- ing, as it were, its boundary.

The jaws of tookkaas are capable of sufficient expansion to grasp the largest beetles; but they make a singu- lar ado in getting them ready for swallowing. Beetles being too large to swallow at once without any prelim- inaries as they do flies, and too stren- uous of their own right to life to suc- comb without a vigorous and prolong- ed struggle, tookkaas have to work hard for their living after they have caught their game. They will give it three or four hard shakes and taps on the wall every few minutes, and this operation they have often to con- tinue for an hour or more before the beetle is dead and sufficiently broken down and softened to admit of swal- lowing. If the wall or ceiling be of wood the noise consequent upon this struggle is much like that of a knock with the knuckles by a visitor at your door. And many a time have we been awaked out of our sleep by it, supposing that some person was thus asking for permission to come in.

It was only a few weeks since when our daughter was startled from sleep by a rapping at the head of her bed. She searched the wall thoroughly in the direction whence the sound came, but found nothing that could cause it. Becoming quite nervous about it, and unable to sleep, she called us up to her aid. Being accustomed to the ways of tookkaas we immediately sus- pected that there was one of the crea- tures on the outside of the ceiling knocking the life out of a beetle. We took a lamp, and opening the window blinds looked outside in the direction of the sound, and there we saw one of the largest tookkaas doing just the thing we had suspected. Taking a long stick, we struck him fairly and sent him down to the ground when we went down and captured him as he was badly wounded. We put him into a glass bottle to preserve his life until we could take time to give him a thorough examination, and hence the minute account we have now given of the tookkaa.

We feel that we cannot well afford to loose the present opportunity to relate a circumstance which occurred to one of our foreign merchants here more than a year ago, in which we fully believe a tookkaa figured large- ly. Our friend the merchant related the affair to us himself and was great- ly puzzled to know how to account for it. He was no believer in ghost apparitions, nor witch stories, nor spi- rit rappings. So far as we can re- member his account of the matter it is as follows. He was sleeping alone in his bedroom near his office and his money chest—being somewhat skittish of thieves, and consequently had several servants within call, whom he might speedily summon to his aid in case of a tussle with a burglar. He was awaked in the dead of might by a mis- terious rapping on the outer wall of his bed-room. He got up and searched for the cause but found it not. He rapped heavily on the wall with his hands, but that only lengthened the intervals of the concealed rapping. Thinking that perhaps it might be some mischievous person playing a joke upon him from the outside, he hallowed to fright him away; and see- ing that this produced little or no change in the rapping, he took his pistol and sent several balls through the ceiling in the direction of the rap- ping. But this remedy likewise fail- ing, he and his men went out to search outside, but found no reasonable cause of the mystery. The rapping was continued at intervals sometime after that, and our friend could scarce- ly settle his mind in regard to it even after our explanation of it. He was not willing to think that he has been so humbugged by a tookkaa.

Tookkaas lay their eggs in concealed nooks and corners of our houses, but not in any thing like a nest. Having singular power over gravitation in re- gard to their own bodies, they are en- abled to extend the same to their eggs, and stick them up on the side of the wall. They are about the size of spar- rows eggs and of a purple colour.

The noise which a tookkaa makes as intimated above is simply the utter- ance of its name, and that is loud en- ough to be heard many hundred yards distant. They speak the name eight or ten times in succession with inter- vals of two or three seconds between each. They begin their set speeches with a strong and distinct utterance of the name tookkaa, and very gradually diminish the volume of the sound of each utterance until the close of the series, when it amounts to but little more than a grunt, as if the lungs had become quite exhausted of air.

Now this is an awful sound to one unaccustomed to it when waked by it in the dead of night. We remember how an old friend of ours was startled by it when sleeping in a barrack of a house some 30 years ago when he first came to this city. Had not the sound come to him in such measured accents, he would have thought that it was a warning from some human friend to rouse up and take care of himself from fire or from thieves, for the utterances are much like that of one saying take care-take care. But it was too formal and too cool and prolonged to be thus interpreted. What on earth thought he can it be! Is it a voice from the tombs warning me of death? No, for this has never been any part of my education—-that is all a humbug. Can it be a satanic influence. Well, it is possible though he at least indirectly through his em- issaries. So he looked about for the rascal who was trying to scare him, and behold it was only a tookhaa.

The Present King of Siam.

The Laws and usages as adopted by the present king.

The Manner of rewarding service.

Modes of punishing crime.

Stimulus afforded to labor.

The above chapters will appear in future Numbers. The XV chapter has the following:—

Siam in the light of its own past history is, even in the treatment of wo- man, on the march of improvement, and the king in the company of refor- mers. Think of the last king of Siam, He is said to have had three hundred wives. This is what will be remem- bered of him in coming time. He did no great good that will live after him, and as a polygamist he will be noto- rious in all time, as among the great- est of law breakers.

When the present king came to the throne he proposed a reform in this respect. We are only sorry he has succeeded no more perfectly. In some respects there has even in this depart- ment been a great reform. In the former reign a pretty girl of the com- mon people could not be trusted alone even in the vicinity of her own door. They were stolen frequently, when found in the streets to present to the nobility to become play actresses in their theatres. But we hear of no such evil doing at the present time. Peo- ple do present their pretty girls, it is true, to be trained up in the families of the nobility but there seems now no compulsion in the matter.

In some instances where ladies have been appropriated contrary to their own wishes, the king has freed them from the tyrants who would have op- pressed them and redressed their wrongs. In his own household, he has in several instances, allowed the daughters of noblemen, who had been presented to him, and were unhappy in their new relations, to return freely to their old homes and choose whom they would as partners of life, though they had once been allied to royalty. This is all honorable and as it should be, and the king has allowed all the ladies far greater freedom and more occasions of social intercourse and so- cial pleasure then all that have gone before him. Let the ladies honor his benevolence. But was it not possi- ble for him to have refrained from be- coming a polygamist. He had expe- rience which ought to have given him wisdom to act on two great questions poligamy and the celibacy of the priesthood. Could poligamy be abo- lished in this country a great obstacle would be out of the track of progress. Could celibacy cease to be binding on the priesthood another great good would be done.

The king was a long time in the priesthood. Did his experience tell him that celibacy was a promoter of virtue and goodness; or can he say with the great maker of the human race, it is not good for man to be alone. Celibacy is not essential to Buddhism. It is said that Buddhist priests in Thibet marry. If they could be allowed to marry in Siam it would be one step in the march of reforma- tion, and there would be one less need of a plurality of wives for others. The wives of the laymen would not need, as they often do now, to cook the priests breakfast and deliver it into their hands thanking them for the privilege, while the customs of the country debar the priests from those female influences which would make them thrifty and provident and far more upright, exemplary and useful.

The king as a polygamist must have had lessons of wisdom. He must have had great perplexities. It is an inevitable consequence with hu- man nature as it is; and the scene is not finished when he passes away; the evils will be complicated and number- less and without redress. In the mo- ments of his serious reflection the king must often be brought near the au- nouncement of the great maker. Let the man leave father and mother and cleave to the wife and "they twain shall be one flesh."

When the father of the present king left the throne vacant, this son had al- ready arrived at the age of manhood. He had married a descendant of the great PHYA TAK and had two sons. An elder brother was placed on the throne, royal only on the father's side, and the present king, seemingly, from his fully royal parentage, the real heir, giving up his wife and two sons re- mained in the priesthood more than twenty years. In the meantime, his wife was lost to him forever, and his sons grew up to manhood without the guiding hand of the father. Was it well for him that he gave up his wife and the training of his children? We think not.

There is nothing in the sacred rela- tion of marriage, properly entered up- on, that will hinder in the faithful dis- charge of our duties. The need of a help mate was coeval with the creation of man, and the relation properly en- tered upon and properly sustained is a promoter of all that is lovely and of good report.

When the present king came to the throne it was directly from the clois- ter to be ushered into the company of a great community of women. There were the relics of his brother's three hundred wives with their women at- tendants, and his brother's sixteen daughters the youngest already in her teens, his sisters and aunts and nieces, who had been all clustered around the throne. In old Bible times it was con- sidered a great calamity when seven women took hold of one man wishing protection and support. But here more than seventy times seven expec- ted to be provided for out of the ro- yal treasury and to be furnished with a home and protection from the throne. And it was now demanded from an ex-priest who had for more than twenty years been living in clois- tered halls, where he was forbidden to touch even the finger tips of his own mother.

It is a marvel he has managed them all so well and especially when we re- member that he has had in addition a whole troop of young wives, with a large circle of sons and daughters to love alike and promote equally or arouse a domestic disturbance. We wonder at the skill that has marked his career. Yet we must sincerely de- plore the whole system. Its operations are most destructive to all virtue and all domestic happiness throughout the realm. It cultivates 'loose morals and forms a kind of society that opposes few restraints to the progress of vice.

LOCAL.

His Majesty the king of Siam re- turned from NAKAWN SAWAN on the morning of the 6th inst., having been absent six days. It is reported that His Majesty took tne sun at that city, and has ascertained the exact latitude and longitude of the place. It is very pleasant to think that the king spends a good portion of the time he devotes to pleasure excursions in thus measu- ring the sun, as the Siamese call it, and other kindred scientifical recrea- tion from Court duties.

We learn that His Majesty is to take another excursion in eight or ten days to PITSANOOLOKE, a city situated a little East of North of Bangkok on the most Eastern branch of the Me- nam, and distant from this, we should judge, about three hundred miles. His Majesty makes these trips at the North in his royal steam yatch. The river being more than full of water at this season of the year, he hence meets with but little of the impediments in ma- king them hat he would do at other seasons.

His Excellency Chow Phya Kala- home and suit left this P. M. for a pleasure trip to RAT BOREE by the inland route, and hence went in one of his beautiful oar-barges being at- tended by many others. It is said that he has gone to sewt hatin—-that is, to present yellow robes to the priests in the Buddhist temples in that city, and that he will be absent about a week.

WEATHER.-—Our wet season is now daily withdrawing its forces which is just the right time, and the dry sea- son is coming in with great richness and glory. The whole vegetable kingdom is now displaying itself in its richest costume. The paddy fields are the most extensive, beautiful, and promi- sing, and every creature of all God's creation and preservation in Siam, ex- cepting man, is now praising him in the highest strains "for his goodness and wonderful works to the children of men."

We are happy to learn that gas light has at length been successfully intro- duced in this city by R. S, Scott & Co. through the skillfull experiments of A. Nelson engineer. As yet it has only been set in operation at the new Steam Rice Mill of Messrs Scott & Co. The first experiment was made on last evening.

That the citizens of Bangkok may have a good opportunity of witnessing the beauty and value of gas light as compared with that of oil, and thus be induced to exchange the latter for the former, we are authorized to invite them to call at the new Rice Mill on Wednesday the 24th inst. and Wed- nesday the 31st at 8 o’clock P. M., when they are promised a good view of the affair. As it is unquestionably the first essay in the direction of a great improvement awaiting this Metropolis, we hope there will be many witnesses. It is said that gas light can be made much less expensive for large estab- lishments in this city, than oil light. This consideration, aside from many others in its favor, is a weighty one since we have to pay $3 for twenty catties of cocoanut oil. We beg to enquire again, is there no relief from the oppression we suffer in the article of lamp oil? How is it that petrole- um cannot be imported with profit to the importer and with advantage to those who have long been paying ex- horbitant prices for cocoanut oil!

We learn that the new Steam Rice Mill of Messrs R. S. Scott & Co. will commence running in about a week, and that it is likely to be found in some respects an improvement over the three Steam Mills that have been introduced before it. These Steam Mills have already wrought a great Revolution in the business of hull- ing the rice of this market, and will doubtless be multiplied until it shall be thought, even by Chinese, quite preposterous to think of employing native hand mills for preparing Si- amese rice for exportation. It ap- pears that the three mills which have been running during this year have been doing a grand business.

The Buddhist miracle at temple Samplume is still in operation, and is still calling thousands daily, not on- ly from all parts of the city but king- dom to witness it and pay their de- votions to the profile of something which the recent wet weather has made in that niche of the temple spire.

We passed the place a day or two since and found a much greater crowd and noise of trumpets clarions, conch shells, beating of the two octave series of gongs and theatrical proformances than before. One priest being exce- edingly animated took us by the hand and led us to the golden image in a little building exclusively devoted to it, which he affirmed was the cause of that wonderful profile, or glory as they call it on the spire

We are credibly informed that even His Majesty the king is quite impressed with the belief that there is really a miracle being continually wrought there by the idol, and that he has actually had a sketch of the glo- rious shadow taken for the purpose of having a copper image made as a copy of it, that it may be kept in everlasting remembrance by the faithful. We hear that he has al- ready appropriated 500 catties of sil- ver for that object, and commanded an artist to proceed directly to the work.

Another view of the affair is, that the king has really too much good sense to believe that there is any miracle in it; but seeing that it fur- nishes a capital opportunity to make himself popular with his people, and to glorify his own reign, and perpetu- ate his dynasty, he seizes upon it from purely political motives, and not only appears to fall in with the popular idea of it, but even goes ahead of the peo- ple all, and makes more of it than any of them had thought of.

It is reported, that the imaginary image, on being examined a few days since by a priest regarded the most holy in the kingdom, manifestly veiled its glory out of respect to that holy man, and that when he retired from the view the veil was removed.

THE king of Cheang Mai has been prevented from starting homeward by the elopement of several of his men. Some of them have been caught and brought back to service, but the grea- ter part are still concealed somewhere doubtless in this modern Babel. To search for them, under the present city government, seems much like "looking for a needle in a haymow."

Sandwich Islands No. 3.

The question naturally arises—-why did the A. B. C. F. M. think of sending missionaries to the Sandwich Islands, so small a people and so little known, when there were many other heathen nations vastly more important to whom they did not send any? The question may be briefly answered by saying they did so because God in his provi- dence sent to New Haven, in the year 1808, a Sandwich Island youth, sub- sequently named Obookiah, by whom he aroused the hearts of American Christians to feel a deep sympathy for Obookiah’s people in their loneliness, ignorance, and moral ruin in those isles of the sea. He was brought to N. Haven, in company with two other Sandwich island lads by a ship-master who touched at Kealakekua and Wai- mea for supplies. The names of his two companions were William Kanui and Thomas Hopu.

Obookiah was a singularly intelligent youth, and had a wonderful thirst for knowledge. Having heard that at Yale college young men had the best of teachers and acquired knowledge rapidly, he ardently wished that he too might be favored with the same privileges. So much was his heart set upon this, that one day he was found sitting on the door steps of one of the college buildings, "weeping because the treasures of knowledge were open to others and not open to him." Mr. Edwin W. Dwight a pious student at Yale saw him thus, had compassion on him, and became his religious teacher, and the means of his conversion. Such was the interest which Obookiah, un- der God, created by his extraordinary thirst for knowledge, the rapidity with which he acquired it, his early con- version, and devoted piety, that in Dec. 1809 Samuel John Mills writing to Gordon Hall from New Haven of his interest in young Obookiah, proposed that there be missionaries sent to the Sandwich Islands. Obookiah grew in knowledge and grace rapidly from that time onward until the year 1817, when the A. B. C. F. M. established a mission school at Cornwall Conn. to which they appointed Mr. E. W. Dwight the first preceptor. Obookiah and four other of his countrymen constituted half of the first class of that school. Obookiah the most pro- mising of them all died the next year while a member of the class in his 26th year of his age. "The published ac- counts of his life and death awakened great interest among the churches in behalf of his people." And the Lord then put it into the hearts of two young men—viz Hiram Bingham and Asa Thurston to offer themselves to the A. B. C. F. M. as missionaries for the Sandwich Islands, and their offer was at once accepted. There were five other young men, layman, whom the Lord made willing to go with them—-one as a physician, two as teachers, one as a printer, and one as a farmer. All these seven young men in connection with their wives were publicly set a- part at Boston Oct. 15th 1819 for the mission work at the Sandwich Islands. And there were besides three pious Hawaiian youth, who had been members of the Cornwall school, appointed to form a part of that mission. Their names were Thomas Hopu, William Kanui and John Honore.

That missionary company embarked from Boston the 23rd of October 1819 in the Brig Thaddeus, Capt. Blanchard, and reached the coast of Hawaii March 31st 1820. Not a word had been heard previous to their de- parture from Boston of any change having taken place in the idolatry of the islands, and hence the missionaries had no other thought but that they would have "a perilous conflict with pagan rites, human sacrifices, and bloody altars." Though they had doubt- less prayed daily to the God of mis- sions that the abolition of idolatry in the islands might soon become a glori- ous fact, they could scarcely have dreamed that it had already taken place, even from before the commen- cement of their voyage, The first in- telligence they had of that wonderful event was immediately on reaching Hawaii. What language can describe the wonder and joy they must have had on hearing of it!. And how much their gratitude to God must have been excited and their faith in him streng- thened! How distinctly could they see the overruling and guiding hand of our king Immanuel in all the events which had been preparing the people and them- selves for the mission even from the time of Obookiah's arrival at N. Haven! No longer could they doubt that the prayers of that converted heathen that devoted follower of Jesus had had great power with God.

But they had soon to learn that king Liholiho together with his chiefs and people had not abandoned idolatry from any desire of embracing a better religion. They not only found him and them absolutely without any re- ligion, but also apparently satisfied with their destitution. They were poly- gamists, and seeing that the mission- aries had only one wife each, the king feared that they would if permitted to live on the Islands, dishonor him in his practice of polygamy. The king had also, as is usual, some foreign res- idents about him, who exerted their influence in exciting fears in his mind, that the missionaries would become political intriguers. Hence the ques- tion whether they should be allowed to reside on any of the Islands was discussed full twelve days. Meanwhile the missionaries, hoping in God, and waiting upon him in prayer, plead their case before the king and his court. Liholiho was persuaded to visit them on shipboard, and he dined with them "wearing only a narrow girdle about his shoulders, a string of beads around his neck, and a feather wreath on his head." Hewahewa, who had been the king's high priest, favored the mis- sionaries. Keopuolani, the king's mother is said to have plead with her son, that the missionaries might be permitted to remain with them. The result of the long discussion was that on the 12th of April 1820, an order from the throne was given to allow the missionaries to stop on the Is- lands one year, but that the com- pany should be divided among the different islands—some at Honolulu, on Oahu, some at Waimea, on Kauai, and some at Kawaihae on Hawaii. It would seem that one object of this division was to prevent them from exerting any political influence that might be likely to embarrass the gov- ernment, and another to give the princes and chiefs on the different is- lands an opportunity of being instruc- ted by the missionaries. At Kailua, Mr. Thurston had for his pupils the king and his little brother five years old, who subsequently became king Kamehameha III, two of the king's wives, a lad who afterwards became go- vernor of Hawaii, and among other lads another who became Judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

At that time the Sandwich Is- landers had no written language. But the missionaries, in a little more than two years after their arrival, re- duced the spoken language to writing, and Mr. Loomis, the mission printer, began to employ his press in making books. "Twelve letters in all-—five vowels and seven consonants express- ed every sound, and every syllable ended with a vowel!" The written language was thus made exceedingly simple and easy of acquisition, and this is said to be one great reason why the Hawaiians made the wonderful progress they did in book knowledge since letters were introduced among them, and why so large a portion of the people are now able to read and write.

[Present circumstances seem but too clearly to make it our duty to copy the following from THE LONDON AND CHINA TELEGRAPH of Sept. 5th. We had fervently hoped that there would be no more occa- sion for us to call public attention again to this unwelcome subject. We have no idea who the correspondent of the TELE- GRAPH from Bangkok can be, But as he signs himself OLD SIAM we conclude that he does not exactly belong to our party, for who does not know that we are Yo UNO[?] SIAM up to the hub, Be the writer who he may, he is evidently well acquainted with the affairs of Bangkok.]

The French in Siam.

In another column, a correspondent’s letter will be found relative to the en- croachments of the French in Siam, and the general position of that country. We have already published a statement that demands have been made for a slip of ter- ritory sufficient for the purpose of con- structing a canal. Now this is certainly one of the most preposterous claims ever advanced by a Power professing amity and friendship. We would fain look on it as a friendly act for the improvement and development of the kingdom, but the cir- cumstances of the case unfortunately estab- lish a different view. All persons acquain- ted with Siamese affairs will remember the unwarrantable action of the French Consul-General, M. AUBARET, previous to his withdrawal from that post about two years since, and it was fully expected by the Siamese that the French Government would accredit some other functionary; but no, M. AUBARET is again at Bangkok, and unless some urgent remonstrances are ad- dressed by the Siamese Government to the Court of the Tuileries, we shall not be sur- prised to find that he will follow up his demands by the introduction of the French troops which are located at Saigon—a con- venient distance. There is no disguis- ing the intentions of the French, for it is transparent that they are now manceu- vring a scheme for the commercial improve- ment of their possessions in Cochin China at the expense of Siam. The propositions are so scandalous, however, that even in these days of non-intervention we feel sure that our Government, as also that of the United States, will not quietly stand by and see the spoliation of so good an Asia- tic ruler as the King of SIAM, who has on all occasions promoted the interests of British and American commerce. But to take a purely selfish view of the matter, it will not suit our interests nor those of A- merica to allow France to domineer in Siam as she has in Cochin China. The Gov- ernment and merchants of both England and the United States have a settled stake in Siam which we cannot see easily wiped out by any Power. England and America have, with the liberal and intelligent as- sistance of the KING, made Siam what she is. Even the very concession which the French now ask for has already been con- ceded to a British merchant, and a good deal of money expended in the prelimi- naries for cutting a canal through the Isthmus of Kraw. It is therefore the com- monest justice that we should be supported in our claims. No doubt the possession of Cochin China (like Mexico) has been found a most inconvenient burden to the French Treasury, and M. AUBARET has been found to contain the necessary genius for altering this state of things. We trust however that M. AUBARET will not cause any trou- ble between the respective Government, but negotiate fairly for any concession he may require from the Siamese. He knows, or should know, that his Imperial master cannot and will not sanction anything favouring of filibustering. We fear from all accounts that M. AUBARET is a very unfit man in point of temperament to hold the post he has, and the French Foreign Minister could not have been aware of the discourteous, almost bullying manner, in which he discharges his functions towards the Government of Siam. French Consuls and Diplomats generally understand how to combine the suaviter in modo with the fortiter in re, and had M. AUBARET been trained to the work in the proper school no doubt he would as. The training of a man of war is certainly not suited to acquire the necessary qualifica- tions. It is to be regretted that the Si- amese Government did not lay a distinct complaint against him and protest against his re-appointment. We trust that Mr. KNOX, our Consul at Bangkok, has kept Lord STANLEY well advised as to the pro- ceedings we have called attention to, and that his lordship will give it the usual prompt attention.

(The following we copy from the LON- DON AND CHINA EXPRESS, of Sept. 10th.)

Since writing the above we have seen the following article in GALIGNANI, from which it would seem that we have by no means over-estimated the adverse inten- tions of the French. The writer of the article is however in error in stating that the concession had been refused to the English merchants, and the statement that the French propositions had been received with marked favour, “inasmuch as the reasons which caused just ‘apprehensions in the mind of the King in the case of England are not applicable to France, who does not aim at any territorial con- quests in these regions,’ is simply rodo- montade:—-

Advices from Bangkok give news of that capital down to July 14. The ques- tion of piercing the Isthmus of Kraw, which separates the Gulf of Bengal from that of Siam, had again come under con- sideration. A concession for that object had formerly been applied for by an Eng- lish company, but had been declined by the Court of Bangkok in consequence of some representations addressed to the King of Siam by the Bishop of Mallos, then residing in Paris, to the effect that it would be dangerous for the preservation of the whole Siamese territory to separate the northern from the southern portion; and the more so that this latter part, very remote from the capital by reason of the difficulty of communications, lay immedi- ately under the hand of England, who al- ready possessed important establishments in the Malay Straits. A French company has now submitted a new project to his Majesty, and been received with marked favour, inasmuch as the reasons which caused just apprehensions in the mind of the King in the case of England are not applicable to France, who does not aim at any territorial conquests in those regions. English agents, however, are still makin- efforts to obtain from the King the con- cessions originally applied for by their fel- low-countrymen. In the north of Siam difficulties have arisen on the subject of a vast territory bearing the name of Chieng- mai forming an independent kingdom, but still recognizing to a certain extent a Siamese protectorate. The Burman Gov- ernment having raised pretensions to su- zerainty over that territory, a diplomatic correspondence has taken place, and the belief was that the result would be favour- able to Siam. Lastly, the early return to Bangkok was announced of M. Aubaret, the French Consul, said to be the bearer of an autograph letter from the Emperor Napoleon to the King, and also the arrival of a mission charged to obtain an assurance that the scientific expedition which was to leave Saigon to reach China by the river Me-Kong would be received with kindness in all the parts of the kingdom it would have to traverse.

The Consul for Siam writes to THE TIMES as follows:—-

“Sir,—An extract from GALIGNANI’S MESSENGER, in to-day's impression of THE TIMES professes to give information from Siam. It is wholly unworthy of cre- dit; it is carefully concocted for a particu- lar purpose, and calculated to mislead those not acquainted with the country and Government, which are essentially British in interest and feeling.—I am, Sir, yours obediently, D. K. MASON. “September 6, 1866,” Consul for Siam.

Odds & Ends.

—What is companionship, where noth- ing that improves the intellect is com- municated, and where the larger heart contracts itself to the model and dimen- sions of the smaller?

—If we would have the kindness of others we must endure their follies. He who cannot persuade himself to withdraw from society must be content to pay a tribute of his time to a multitude of tyrants.

—“You have simply tried,” said a sym- pathizing friend of Joe Crowdon, weep- ing over the coffin of his third wife. “Yes,” responded the bereaved one “I have always had the dreadfullest luck with women.”

—An Irishman came to Dr. Russell and said, ”Arrah, doctor,’ it is no use at all to give me an emetic. I tried it twice in Dublin and it would not stay on my stomach either time.”

—A member of a fashionable church in New York electrified a music dealer, the other day, by inquiring for “Solo- mon’s Song,” saying his rector had spok- en of it as a production of great genius and beauty, and he wanted his daughter to learn it.

—He who thinks better of his neigh- bors than they deserve, cannot be a bad man, for the standard by which his judg- ment is formed is the goodness of his own heart. It is the base only who be- lieve all men base, or, in other words, like themselves.

—”A friend of mine,” said Erskine, “was suffering from a continual wake- fulness, and various methods were tried to bring him sleep. At last his physicians resorted to an expedient which succeed- ed admirably. They dressed him in a watchman’s coat, put a lantern in his hand, placed him in a sentry-box, and—- he was asleep in ten minutes.”

—A Dutchman’s temperance lecture: “I shall tell you how it vas. I put mine hand on mine head, and there vas von big pain. Then I put mine hand on mine pody and there vas an oder. There vas very much pains in all mine pody. Then I put mine hand in mine pocket, and there vas noting. So I fined mit de temperance. Now those vas no more pain in mine head. The pain in mine pody vas all gone away. I put mine hand in mine pocket, and there vas twenty dollars. So I shall shtay mit de temperance.”

—A Scotch clergyman did not satisfy by prolonging a certain portion of his flock. “Why, sir,” said they, “we think you dinna tell enough about renoun- cing our own righteousness!” “Renoun- cing your own righteousness!” cried the astonished doctor, “I never saw any you had to renounce!”

—It is very easy to look down on oth- ers; to look down on ourselves is the difficulty.

—The attempt to read many books of- ten ends in thoroughly reading notes.

—Among the advertisements in a late London paper, we read that “Two sisters want washing.”

—Geology is Time’s own biography, printed, pages collated and bound by the fragments of Omnipotence.

—At the North pole, go whatever way you will, you go due south; and at the utmost height of joy you can move only toward sorrow.

—England is unterrified in regard to the Fenian invasion; there is no pity-Pat about her heart.

—A person may believe as he pleases about things; but things will not, there- fore, be as he pleases.

—When once infidelity can persuade men that they shall live like beasts, they will soon be brought to live like beasts also.

—Thou may’st be more happy than ever were Alexander and Caesar, if thou wilt be more virtuous.

—Our prayers and God’s mercy are like two buckets in a well—while the one ascends the other descends.

Piracy and Murder.

The act of piracy and murder which we record to-day is a cold-blooded and deliberate atrocity ; which, their is every reason to believe, was prepared for within the limits of Hongkong harbour, as the first act of a VENDETTA that is to revenge the execution of Chat Tai and his accom- plices. The circumstances of the case may be briefly told. The LUBRA, an American schooner, left the harbour at 11 o'clock in the morning of Saturday last, bound to Japan. On the following day, when about 75 miles from the har- bour, 30 miles off Pedro Branco, a large piratical boat sailed and pulled alongside, the wind having fallen away to less than a knot and a half per hour. Without loss of time the schooner was boarded, without any resistance being offered ; the vessel being badly armed, and the Captain (Howes) apparently unsuspicious of the character of the boat. The pirates kept possession of the schooner for some hours, and having shot some of the crew who took to the rigging, killing one man and wounding other, finished their work by deliberately shooting the Captain. He was seated in his cabin, on a sofa, with his wife and two children, one only two months old. One of the scoundrels went up to him and fired a pistol bullet through his brain, and killing him instantly. Mrs Howes, and the crew remaining alive, were reserved for death in another shape. There were some barrels of gunpowder on board. The head of one of these bar- rels was broken in and the powder expos- ed. Fire, of which the marks are plainly visible, was placed in the vicinity, but the villainous design of blowing up the vessel, with the living witnesses of the crime that had already been committed, was frustrated. The fire burnt out, with- out communicating with the powder, and the vessel was brought back to Hongkong by the mate and the remaining crew. The bodies of the Captain and one of the men, were taken to the civil Hospital ; another man who was wounded by the pirates jumped or fell overboard, and was drow- ned. The Ayah also died this morning : the others are said to be recovering from their wounds.

The pirate who murdered the unfortu- nate Captain made use of expressions pre- vious to firing the pistol, that clearly evidenced the intent with which the schoo- ner was following up. It is no secret that the punishment inflicted upon Chat Tai and his gang is to be revenged, and it matters little to those who have sworn to the VENDETTA what may be the "nation- ality" of the foreigners who may fall into their hands. English or American, Dutch or Prussian—all are included in the category of intended victims. We do not say this with the mere purpose of creating unneces- sary alarm, for we know it is a fact that the energy with which the prosecution of the gang headed by Chat Tai was followed up, coupled with the activity of the English gunboats, and dread of the registration ordinance, have driven to desperation the scoundrels who live by piracy.—OVERLAND CHINA MAIL.

A remarkable Cure.

A young man wanted to marry a girl out in Wisconsin, but her rich parents forbade the match. The young man be- came sick—-very sick—-and had terrible fainting fits. The doctors were called, and he would soon die, and he said he wanted to. The father of the girl visited the patient, and agreed with both him and the doctors. The poor fellow said that if he could marry his Mary Ann he would die happily. His dying request certainly could not be refused, and Mary Ann, having no objections, the minister was sent for, and the solemn ordinance of marriage was performed before the most solemn messenger of death should step in to snatch away the gasping bride- groom from time to the regions of eter- nity. The knot being securely tied, the patient rose from the bed a well man. It was a great cure, astonishing both the cruel “parent” and the doctors, but the bride acted as though she had expected it all the time.

Odds and Ends.

—No one of my fellows can do that special work for me which I have come into the world to do. He may do a high- er work, a greater work—but he cannot do MY work.

—At an examination of the College of Surgeons, a candidate was asked by Ab- ernethy—"What would you do if a man was blown up with powder?" "Wait until he came down," was the reply.

—A man came home drunk on a cold night, and vomited in a basket containing goslings, which his wife had placed be- fore the fire, upon seeing which, he ex- claimed, "Oh! wife! wife! when did I swallow them things?"

A friendly hand to the friendless,

Kind words so short to speak,

But whose echo is endless.

The world is wide, these things are small.

They may be nothing, but they may be all.

—A man in England imagined that he had the rinderpest. His physicians un- able to convince him to the contrary, gave him a sealed prescription with which he hurried to the druggist. His bad symptoms immediately left him when the clerk opened it and read: "This man has the cattle plague; take him into the back yard and shoot him according to law."

London Letters.

PEACE is again restored to Europe. The preliminaries are settled. The result of the war is the utter prostration and hum- iliation of Austria, whom Bismarck has ignominiously kicked out of the German confederation, and has bound never to at- tempt to enter it. Thus ends the drama of the unification of Germany and the glori- fication of Prussia, and all through the genius of one man, and the murderous ef- ficacy of the needle-gun. Bismarck has re- served to himself the privilege of taking as much territory as suits him, and of do- ing with all the princes and people of Ger- many as he lists. The despotism acquired by Bismarck in two months is as great, and may be as galling as that of Napoleon or Attila. Europe stands aghast at his un- fathomable audacity and incomprehensible success. He is for the moment the sole arbiter of Europe, the map of which he is remodelling as pleases his own will. It is curious to see how the influence of France, which in June was considered omnipotent, is elbowed out of Europe in August. She who was the prime mover in the European commonwealth, is suddenly reduced to a subordinate position. With such contempt is France treated by the great Bismarck, that he has not condescended to name the Emperor in the royal speech. Italy is treated with the same sovereign contempt. There is much truth in the bitter remark of the liberal French papers, as far as they are allowed to speak, that just before the war commenced Napoleon held the balance of power in his own hands and might have stopped the war by lifting up his finger; but he allowed the opportunity to slip, and now the balance is in the hands of Bis- mark. Yet I have no doubt that if we could see all the reasoning which deter- mined the course of that imperial intellect, we should not fail to admire it. Be that as it may, the opportunity for the present is gone, and Prussia, that is Bismarck, is for the present the great ruling power of the Continent. Yet there is a ceaseless fluctuation in human affairs, and it is not to be supposed that he will be allowed al- ways to dictate to Europe. No one ob- jects to the unity of Germany, and we had rather see a Protestant power at the head of it than a stolid and conservative Catho- lic power; but the balance of power in Eu- rope must not be permanently disordered. We want however two millions of breech- loaders before we can think of a restora- tion of the equilibrium.

It is just possible that the Italians may renew the war with Austria, and get an- other licking. Not content with Venetia, they are clamouring for a larger slice of the Austrian possessions, and the Italian Tyrol and Trent. But it is said the Dicta- tor at Berlin will not allow any such pre- tensions to impede the settlement he has in hand. If they are persisted in, he will leave Austria and Italy to fight it out; and it is certain that the Italians have not shone in this campaign. They have not only been beaten by land, but the descend- ants of Columbus have allowed themselves to be beaten on his element by a fleet of Germans. But we must leave the Contin- ent to attend to matters of domestic inter- est, to the sad roll of English calamity written within and without with lamenta- tion and woe. The cholera is devastating the country, and, in London, our means and appliances for meeting it are found to be utterly inadequate. It is at present of the most virulent character, as the number of deaths greatly exceed the recoveries. It is travelling through various parts of of the country, but the chief mortality is in Lon- don; and in London is confined chiefly to the east, to the overcrowded parishes, the permanent abode of filth and malaria where the people by the hundred live in hovels to which the dog kennels of the aristocracy are palaces. The most ener- getic efforts are made to afford relief, not only by subscriptions which can at any time be raised by the thousand, but by personal exertions and a thorough organi- zation of visitors and medical attendants, to succour those who are attacked, and if possible to stay the progress of this pestil- ence. ******

The Ministry, I mean the Tory Ministry, as I told you would be the case—-I am, you see, a better prophet than Dr. C. who is ever postponing the millenium—-have eaten the whitebait dinner which was originally destined for the liberals. There is a fine caricature in PUNCH, which beautifully expresses the delight which beamed in the countenances of Lord Derby and his lieu- tenant, when they found themselves finish- ing the session at Greenwich. There is no doubt that some of them said some very good things, only they have not been chronicled. Well, the new broom is sweep- ing very clean, and there appears to be a very large accumulation of rubbish to be got rid of. Lord Palmerston's popularity, like charity, covered and concealed a mul- titude of sins. Under cover of his broad shield, all the departments, the Treasury excepted, slumbered and slept. It is now discovered that there has been incredible neglect and inconceivable jobbery at the Admiralty; the department which has al- ways been the most bumptious, and has in- dignantly resented any interference of Parliament; but of this in my next letter.

We are to have a weekly mail to Bom- bay as soon as possible, and notice has been given to the P. & O. Company of the termination of their contract. They will of course tender for the contract under the new arrangement.-— FRIEND OF INDIA.

Telegraphic Summary for
Europe and India.

[We give the subjoined brief heads of current events during the past 14 days, for the convenience of telegraphic agents along the homeward route, and shall con- tinue to do so by every mail:-—] HONGKONG, 27TH SEPTEMBER, 1869.

Prospectus issued of Railway between Shanghae and Fuchau.

An American Company, including large China merchants, have obtained leave from the Emperor to lay submarine cable from the North to Hongkong, connecting intermediate cities.

Piracy and murder committed by Cin- ese pirates on board American schooner LUBRA, on September 28, about 75 miles from Hongkong. The Captain (Howes) was deliberately shot through the head in his cabin, in the arms of his wife; one seaman killed, several wounded, one of whom fell overboard and was drowned. The crime was committed in revenge for the execution of other pirates.

Agitation against the Stamp Act in Hongkong has ceased. The Committee appointed to frame a protest to the Secre- tary for the Colonies, against His Excel- lency's policy, have not as yet performed their task.

Memorial against Stamp Act from Amoy residents forwarded to the Gover- nor. H. E. replies unfavourably to their views.

Difficulty in making Chinese accept the new Dollar. Governor issued a procla- mation, making it a legal tender.

The Chinese disapprove strongly of the new ordinance for registering junk, &c. It affords, however, the only means by which the fitting out of piratical junks in this harbour can be prevented.

Two Macao crimps summarily executed for manstealing on the mainland.

Japanese purchased several steamers including DUMBARTON. KASHTON[?] late British gun-boat, fired upon by Shoogoon's forts in Straits of Simoneseki.

Reported death of Tycoon, wants con- firmation.

A fearful typhoon between Japan and Shanghae. DUPLEIK[?] and NIPHON[?] safely weathered it.

Coolie trade at Macao flourishing with increased vigour.

The Hon. W. T. Mercer retired to Hongkong.

No news of importance from Northern Ports. French Admiral and one vessel at Chefoo awaiting squadron before pro- ceeding to Corea to demand satisfaction for murder of French missionaries.

Tonnage abundent Em ployment scant. Rates declined to £1 for London and £2 for Melbourne per ton of 50 feet.

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.

NOTICE. THE partnership hitherto existing between DOMINIQUE REMI DE MONTIGNY and EDOUARD SCHMIDT under the style or firm of REMI SCHMIDT & Co. and carrying on the business of general merchants at Shanghai, Yokohama, Bangkok, and London has been this day dissolved by mutual consent.

REMI DE MONTIGNY, E. SCHMIDT. Bangkok 30th August 1866.

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