Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2c.djvu/709

 702 PUBLIC TREATIES. SIAM, 1867. .1, . MAY 29, 1856, BETWEEN THE UNITED Mg1p»{FI‘lB(SAT§1(3l{> (Sl`A1}`w:AloI`1~IhL(iIEDED DECEMBER 17-31, 1867; RATIFIJEID AUGUST 11, 1868; RATIFICATION ADVISED BY SENATE JULY 25, wes; BATIFIED BY PRESIDENT AUGUST 11, 1868. No. 72.] Ummm) STATES CONSULATE, Bangkok, Deer. 31st, 1867. To Hon. F. W. SEWARD, Assistant Secretary of State, Washington, D. O. Modidcatiou of Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that I have received [8** R°E¤l•*i°¤ Affairs, informing me that the Royal Counsellors for the Kingdom of 1* *"699‘] Siam desire to change article first of the Treaty Regulations, and that the change shall go into effect on January lst, 1868. The article alluded to is as follows, viz: “Every shipmaster upon anchoring his vessel at Paknam will deliver into the custody of the custom-house officers all his guns and ammunition, and a custom-house officer will then be appointed to the vessel, and will proceed in her to Bangkok." The article as changed will require that the powder alone be left at Pakuam, but that the guns be allowed to remain in the vessel. I have given my assent to the change, and all the other Consuls have done the same. The change is a very advantageous one to shipmasters, as in [the] shipping and reshipping of their guns, some of which were heavy, was attended with much delay and expense; whereas they generally have but a few pounds of powder on board, which can be boxed up and put ashore in a very short time. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,. J. M. HOOD, U. S. Consul. cmw PHAYA PRAKLANG, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF TE KINGDOM OF SIAM, To Mr. J. M. HOOD, U. S. Oonsul, Saying: That the Senabodee of the Kingdom of Siam have considered this matter, and have come to the conclusion that as they saw that Siam was near the water, and that trading ships could ascend to the city, for this reason they asked a clause in the treaties that all guns and powder should be landed at Paknam before the ship would ascend the river. The Ministers Plenipotentiary also were of the same opinion, and yielded this point to the Siamese in the treaties. When avessel came in and the Chaw Pausk-nan at Paknam received the guns and powder off the vessel that [they] found it very diiiicult to take care- of the powder, and were afraid of an explosion, and for this reason they did not receive the powder from the vessel, but simply the guns. But now a long time since the Senabodee are of the opinion that the taking off of the guns at Paknam is a source of trouble to the vessels, for they took off guns belonging to many persons, and when the vessels come [came] down again it was often afternight, and when the captains went for their_guns the wrong ones were frequently taken, and when the vessel coming afterwards could not iind her own guns, there was a fuss, and the Siamese officers had frequently to pay for the guns. Again, the powder was left in the vessels, and they coming up and an-
 * 5* *'°K¤1¤**°¤¤- a letter from His Excellency Chaw Phaya Praklang, Minister of Foreign