cure against any attack that either the King of Siam or the
rebels of Cochinchina might be disposed to make against it.
Adran, some time before this, had made his way from
Siam to the southern province of Cochinchina, in order to
sound the sentiments of the people with regard to their legitimate
sovereign ; and, finding them still faithful to his interest,
and a general dissatisfaction prevailing against the usurper,
he conceived the plan of applying to Louis XVI. of France
for succours, in order to replace the lawful heir on the throne,
on such terms as would not be objectionable to himself, and
might eventually be highly advantageous to France. With
this view he set sail in search of the emigrant King. “ I met
“ with the unfortunate Monarch,” says he, in a letter dated
from Pondicherry, “ in a very wretched situation, accom-
“ panied by a few faithful friends, on one of the small islands
“ in the gulph of Siam, near the junction of this kingdom
“ with Cambodia. His soldiers were subsisting on roots
“ which they dug out of the earth.” Here, it seems, the
King committted to the care of the missionary his eldest son,
earnestly entreating him, in the event of any accident befalling
himself, to continue his advice and assistance to him as
a father and a friend ; and to instruct him never to lose sight
of his lawful dominions, of which his father was deprived by
violence and usurpation
Adran, having satisfied the King on this subject, took his
leave, and embarked with his young charge for Pondicherry ;
and, »having procured a passage from thence in an European
vessel, they arrived in Pari? in the year 1787- The young
Prince was presented at court, and treated with every mark
of attention and respect; and the project of the missionary
was so highly approved that, in the course of a few months,
a treaty was drawn up and concluded between Louis XVI.
and the King of Cochinchina, signed at Versailles on the part
of the former by the Comptes de Vergennes and Montmorin,
and of the latter by the young Prince. The principal articles
of this extraordinary treaty, which I believe is now for the
first time made public, were as follows:
I. There shall be an offensive and defensive alliance between
the Kings of France and Cochinchina; they do hereby
agree mutually to afford assistance to each other against
all those who may make war upon either of the two contracting
parties.
Hi To accomplish this purpose, there shall be put under the
orders of the King of Cochinchina a squadron of twenty
French ships .of war, of such size and force as shall be
deemed sufficient for the demands of his sendee.
III. Five complete European regiments, and two regiments
of native colonial troops, shall be embarked without delay
for Cochinchina.
IV. His Majesty Louis XVI. shall engage to furnish, within
four months, the sum of one million dollars; five hundred
thousand of which shall be in specie, the remainder