1000
SIAM
I 111 ports
18P6
1897
Exports
1S90
1897
£
£
£
£
Treasure .
r.54,2ol
874.370
Rice
2,121,145
2,.342,019
Cotton goods .
230,541
237,208
Teak .
264,805
284,012
Silks
88,298
91,519
Treasure
198,369
116,520
Gunny bags .
72,213
75,092
Marine products .
103,638
84,888
j Kerosene.
54,805
75,437
Woods (other than
Miscellaneous piece
teak) .
39,441
39,173
goods .
77,129
08,803
Bullocks
40,029
4,419
Sugar
39,707
62,310
Pepper.
27,074
22,693
1 Opium
99,931
55,055
Other articles
225,190
308,894
j Cotton varn .
40,991
40,016
Hardware and Cut-
lery
35,039
39,938.
Steel, Iron and
Machinery .
30,053
29,974
Other articles .
768,214
829,418
The imports (in order of value) are from Singapore, Hong Kong and China, Europe, Bombay. The exports (in order of value) are to Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe, Bombay, Brazil, Saigon, China. There is also a con- siderable trade on the northern frontiers with the British Shan states and Yunnan, amounting in 1895, for imports,- to 17,518Z., and for exports to 19,525?.
The trade of the United Kingdom with Siam, according to the Board of Trade Returns, was as follows during the last five years : —
—
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
Imports from Siam into U. K
Exports of British pro- duce to Siam
£ 46,995 85,961
£ 115,186
78,245
£ 157,994 139,845
£ 110,264 136,487
£ 246,940 150,380
The chief articles of direct import from Siam into Great Britain in the year 1897 were rice, valued at 130,133Z. and hewn teak-wood, valued at il4,619Z. Among the direct exports of British produce to Siam the chief articles in 1897 were machinery and mill-work, of the value of 24,612Z. ; iron, wrought and unwrought, 16,651?. ; cottons, 22,624Z. ; railway carnages, S,105Z. There is a large importation of British piece-goods, transhipped .at Singapore.
Shipping and Communications.
In 1897, 533 vessels of 453,611 tons (390 of 351,894 tons British) entered, and 521 of 463,244 tons (386 of 358,452 tons British) cleared at the port of Jiangkok.
The railway from Bangkok to Paknam (14 miles) was opened in April, 1893. In 1888 a survey for a railway from Bangkok to Chiengmai and other northern and eastern provinces of Siam was commenced ; a line from Bangkok to Ban Mai on the Patriew river has been sanctioned ; a railway from Bangkok to Korat (165 miles), has been completed and is worked regularly as lar as Hinlap, 98 miles from Bangkok. There is an electric tramway in Bangkok, worked successfully, and the town is also lighted by electricit}', a concession for that purpose having been granted to an American Syndicate.
