BANGKOK, or BANKOK, Siam, capital of the kingdom, extending for three or four miles on both sides of the Menam, which falls into the Gulf of Siam about 15 miles below. It consists of three parts—the town proper, the floating town and the royal palace. The town proper occupies an island seven or eight miles in circuit, and is surrounded with walls and bastions; situated in the midst of gardens and luxuriant foliage, it presents a very picturesque appearance. The floating town consists of wooden houses erected on bamboo rafts moored to the bank in rows eight or more deep The palace, occupying an island in the river, is surrounded by high walls. Though the gen eral character of the buildings is not imposing, numerous temples, glittering with gilding and terminating in lofty spires, are seen in many quarters. The approach to Bangkok by the Menam, which can be navigated by ships of 350 tons' burden (large sea-going ships anchor at Paknam, below the bar at the mouth of the river), is exceedingly beautiful. As the town is neared, numerous temples present themselves, and floating houses become common, and finally the whole city, with its rich wardens and shin ing temples and palaces, bursts full upon the view. The royal palaces, noblemen's houses, monasteries and dwellings of Europeans are of stone, and much modern improvement has re sulted in the extension of well laid-out streets., lined by brick houses, electrically lighted, and traversed by electric street railroads. Four lines of steam railroad connect with the prov inces. The circumference of the walls of Bangkok, which are 15 to 30 feet high and 12 broad, is about 6 miles. Bangkok is the con
stant residence of the king. The palace is surrounded by high walls and is nearly a mile in circumference. It includes temples, public offices, accommodation for officials and for some thousand soldiers, with their necessary equipments, a theatre, apartments for a crowd of female attendants and several Buddhist temples or chapels. Several of the famous white elephants are kept in the courtyard of the palace. Throughout the interior are dis tributed the most costly articles in gold, silver and precious stones. The temples of Bangkok are innumerable, and decorated in the most gorgeous style, the Siamese taking a pride in lavishing their wealth on them. In the neigh borhood of Bangkok are iron mines and for ests of teakwood. The trade, both inland and foreign, is very extensive. The foreign trade of Siam centres in Bangkok and is mainly in the hands of the Europeans and Chinese. The chief exports, rice, sugar, pepper, cardamoms, sesame, hides, fine woods, ivory, feathers and edible birds' nests, have reached a total annual value of over $21,000,000. The imports are tea, manufactured silks, and piece goods, opium, hardware, machinery and glass-wares, valued ' annually at over $16,800,000. The United States has a resident consular agent. The population is about 500,000, nearly half of whom are Chinese, the others including Bur mese, Annamese, Cambodians, Malays, Eura sians and Europeans. Bangkok was an unimportant river village prior to 1769, when it was selected by King Paya Talc for his capital.