Such was the old constitution of the Siamese
Government; but the late King introduced a
considerable innovation, which is now to be described.
Under the high title of Krom, he created
four great officers of state, among whom he divided
the administration of the kingdom, placing
under their authority the ancient officers, the
Kala-hom and Chakri, with their respective deputies.
The four officers thus created áre designated
Krom-luang, Krom-kun, Krom-sak, and
Krom-chiat. The first of these superintends the
pálace, determines all matters that are personal
towards the Sovereign, and is the King’s confidential
counsellor. The second; is charged with
the judicial branch of the administration, and
has a general superintendence over the northern
provinces of the kingdom, including Lao. The
third is charged with the war department, and
has a general jurisdiction over the south-western
provinces. The fourth is charged with the commercial
and foreign departments, and has a general
jurisdiction over the south-eastern provinces,
from Bam-pa-soi down to the confines of Kam-
boja and Cochin China. When we were at Siam,
this last office was exercised by the eldest illegitimate
son of the King, and who afterwards
succeeded to, or usurped the crown.
Every public officer in Siam takes, on admission
to office, an oath of allegiance, which is
afterwards periodically repeated once in every
year. I have seen the formula of this oath, in
which all the terrors of religion and superstition
are invoked, and in which the party calls down
upon himself, shoüld he prove disloyal, every
curse and punishment of the present or a future
world, naming in detail some of the most horrid
and revolting.
The Revenue of the Siamese Government is
derived from the following sources. A tax on
the consumption of spirits, a tax on gaming, a
tax on fishing in the Menam, a shop-tax, monopolies,
profits on trade, customs, tax on fruit-
trees, land-tax, Corvées, a poll-tax on the Chinese,
and tributes. Of all these, a short account
will be necessary.
A tax on the manufacture and vend of spirits
distilled from rice is very general throughout
the country. This tax is farmed, and hence its
amount has been ascertained with some accuracy,
and was stated to me to be for the whole
kingdom 460,000 ticals, or 57,5001, per annum.
The amount of this tax was given to me for
the following fourteen towns, which, as our
means of obtaining information were so very
imperfect, I give in detail with the view of
pointing out their relative importance. The tax
at Bangkok amounts to 144,000 ticals ; at Yu-
thia, the old capital, to 48,000 ; at Sohai, to 8,000;
at Tachin, to 8,000 ; at Raheng, to 8,000; at