settling, upon equitable terms, the amount of the purchase-money; will make out and fix the boundaries of the property, and will convey the same to the American purchaser under sealed deeds, whereupon he and his property shall be placed under the protection of the governor of the district, and that of the particular local authorities. He shall conform in ordinary matters to any just direction given him by them, and will be subject to the same taxation that is levied on Siamese subjects. But if, through negligence, the want of capital, or other cause, an American citizen should fail to commence the cultivation or improvements of the lands so acquired within a term of three years from the date of receiving possession thereof, the Siamese Government shall have the power of resuming the property upon returning to the American citizen the purchase-money paid by him for the same. ARTICLE V. Religion. Siamese servants. All American citizens visiting or residing in Siam shall be allowed. the free exercise of their religion, and liberty to build places of worship in such localities as shall be consented to by the Siamese authorities. The Siamese Government will place no restriction upon the employment by the Americans of Siamese subjects as servants, or in any other capacity. But wherever a Siamese subject belongs or owes service to some particular master, the servant who engages himself to an American citizen without the consent of his master may be reclaimed by him, and the Siamese Government will not enforce an agreement between an American citizen and any Siamese in his employ, unless made with the knowledge and consent of the master who has a right to dispose of the services of the person engaged. ARTICLE VI. war. American ships of war may enter the river and anchor at Paknam; but they shall not proceed above Paknam unless with the American ships of consent of the Siamese authorities, which shall be given where it is necessary that a ship shall go into dock for repairs. Any American ship of war conveying to Siam a public functionary, accredited by the American Government to the Court of Bangkok, shall be allowed to come up to Bangkok, but shall not pass the forts called Phrachamit and Pit-pach-nuck, unless expressly permitted to do so by the Siamese Government. But, in the absence of an American ship of war, the Siamese authorities engage to furnish the Consul American Consul, with a force sufficient to enable him to give effect to his authority over American citizens, and to enforce discipline among American shipping. ARTICLE VII. S amese to aid when, &c. Import and export The measurement duty hitherto paid by American vessels trading to Bangkok, under the treaty of 1833, shall be abolished from the date of this treaty coming into operation, and American duties, &c. shipping or trade will thenceforth only be subject to the payment of import and export duties on the goods landed or shipped. On the articles of import the duty shall be three per cent., payable, at the option of the importer, either in kind or money, calculated upon the market value of the goods. Drawback of the full amount of duty shall be allowed upon goods found unsaleable and re-exported. Should the American merchant and the custom-house officers disagree as to the Value of imports settled. value to be set upon imported articles, such disputes shall be referred to the Consul and a proper Siamese officer, who shall each have the power to call in an equal number of merchants as assessors, not exceeding two on either side, to assist them in coming to an equitable decision. Opium. Opium may be imported free of duty, but can only be sold to the opium farmer or his agents. In the event of no arrangement being effected with them for the sale of the opium, it shall be reexported, and no impost or duty [shall be] levied thereon. Any infringe ment of this regulation shall subject the opium to seizure and confisca tion. Exports. Articles of export, from the time of production to the date of shipment, shall pay one impost only, whether this be levied under the name of inland tax, transit duty, or duty on exportation. The tax or duty to be paid on each article of Siamese produce previous to or upon exportation is specified in the tariff attached to this treaty; and it is distinctly agreed that goods or produce that pay any description of tax in the interior shall be exempted from any further payment Right to purchase of duty on exportation. American merchants are to be allowed to purchase directly from the producer the articles in which they trade, and in like manner to sell their goods directly to the parties wishing to purchase the same, without the interference in either case of any other person. and sell. Rates of duty. The rates of duty laid down in the tariff attached to this treaty are those that are now paid upon goods or produce shipped in Siamese or Chinese vessels or junks; and it is agreed that Privileges of Ameri- American shipping shall enjoy all the privileges now exercised by, or which hereafter may be granted to, Siamese or Chinese vessels or junks. can shipping. American citizens will be allowed to build ships in Siam on obtaining permission to do so from the Siamese authorities. Exportation of salt, rice, and fish. Whenever a scarcity may be apprehended of salt, rice, and fish, the Siamese Government reserve to themselves the right of prohibiting by public proclamation the exportation of these articles, giving 30 days (say thirty days) notice, except in case of war. Bullion or personal effects may be imported or exported free of charge. Articles free of duty. ARTICLE VIII. The code of regulations appended to this treaty shall be enforced by the Consul, with the co-operation of the Siamese authorities; and they, the said authorities and Consul, shall be enabled to introduce any further regulations which may be found necessary in order to give effect to the objects of this treaty. All fines and penalties inflicted for infraction of the provisions and regulations of this treaty shall be paid to the Siamese Gov Fines and penalties. ernment. ARTICLE IX. The American Government and its citizens will be allowed free and Privileges, &c., of equal participation in any privileges that may have been most favored nation. or may hereafter be granted by the Siamese Government to the Government, citizens, or subjects of any other nation. ARTICLE X. After the lapse of ten years from the date of the ratification of this treaty, upon the desire of either the American or Siamese Treaty may be reGovernment, and on twelve months' notice given by either vised in ten years, party, the present, and such portions of the treaty of 1833 as remain unrevoked by this treaty, together with the tariff and regulations thereunto annexed, or those that may hereafter be introduced, shall be subject to revision by commissioners appointed on both sides for this purpose, who will be empowered to decide on and insert therein such amendments as experience shall prove to be desirable. ARTICLE XI. Ratifications. This treaty, executed in English and Siamese, both versions having the same meaning and intention, shall take effect immediately, and the ratifications of the same shall be exchanged at Bangkok within eighteen months from the date thereof. In witness whereof the above-named Plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed the present treaty in triplicate at Bangkok, on Signature May 29, the twenty-ninth day of May, in the year one thousand eight 186 hundred and fifty-six of the Christian era, and of the Independence of the United States the eightieth, corresponding to the tenth of the waning moon of the lunar month, Wesakh, or sixth month of the year of the Quadruped Serpent of the Siamese civil era, one thousand two hundred and eighteen, and the sixth of the reign of their Majesties the First and Second Kings of Siam. [L. S.] TOWNSEND HARRIS. * General regulations under which American trade is to be conducted in Siam. Trade. Arrivals of vessels. REGULATION I. The master of every American ship coming to Bangkok to trade, must, either before or after entering the river, as may be found convenient, report the arrival of his vessel at the custom-house at Paknam, together with the number of his crew and guns, and the port from whence he comes. Upon anchoring his vessel at Paknam, he will deliver into the custody of the custom-house officers all his guns and ammunition, and a customhouse officer will then be appointed to the vessel, and will proceed in her to Bangkok. tion. REGULATION II. A vessel passing Paknam without discharging her guns and ammunition, as directed in the foregoing regula- Penalty for viola tion, will be sent back to Paknam, to comply with its provisions, and will be fined eight hundred ticals for having so disobeyed. After delivery of her guns and ammunition, she will be permitted to return to Bangkok to trade. Vessel's papers. REGULATION III. When an American vessel shall have cast anchor at Bangkok, the master, unless a Sunday should intervene, will, within four and twenty hours after arrival, proceed to the American consulate and deposit there his ship's papers, bills of lading, &c., together with a true manifest of his import cargo; and upon the Consul's reporting these particulars to the custom-house, permission to break bulk will at once be given by the latter. * Signatures of Siamese Plenipotentiaries. Penalty for neglect. For neglecting so to report his arrival, or for presenting a false manifest, the master will subject himself, in each instance, to a penalty of four hundred ticals; but he will be allowed to correct, within twenty-four hours after delivery of it to the Consul, any mistake he may discover in his manifest, without incurring the abovementioned penalty.. REGULATION IV. An American vessel breaking bulk and commencing to discharge before due permission shall be obtained, or Smuggling, &c. smuggling, either when in the river or outside the bar, shall be subject to the penalty of eight hundred ticals, and confiscation of the goods so smuggled or discharged. Clearance of ves sels. REGULATION V. As soon as an American vessel shall have discharged her cargo, and completed her outward lading, paid all her duties, and delivered a true manifest of her outward cargo to the American Consul, a Siamese port clearance shall be granted her, on application from the Consul, who, in the absence of any legal impediment to her departure, will then return to the master his ship's papers, and allow the vessel to leave. A custom-house officer will accompany the vessel to Paknam, and on arriving there she will be inspected by the custom-house officers of that station, and will receive from them the guns and ammunition previously delivered into their charge. The English text REGULATION VI. The American Plenipotentiary having no knowledge of the Siamese language, the Siamese Government have of these regulations agreed that the English text of these regulations, together with the treaty of which they form a portion, and the tariff hereunto annexed, shall be accepted as conveying, in every respect, their true meaning and intention. to be taken. American citizens Siam, &c. REGULATION VII. All American citizens intending to reside in Siam shall be registered at the American Consulate; they shall intending to reside in not go out to sea nor proceed beyond the limits assigned by Privileges, &c. the treaty for the residence of American citizens without a Prohibitions, &c. passport from the Siamese authorities, to be applied for by the American Consul; nor shall they leave Siam if the Siamese authorities show to the American Consul that legitimate objections exist to their quitting the country. But within the limits appointed under Article IV of the treaty, American citizens are at liberty to travel to and fro, under the protection of a pass to be furnished them by the American Consul, and counter-sealed by the proper Siamese officer, stating in the Siamese character their names, calling, and description. The Siamese officers at the Government stations in the interior may at any time call for the production of this pass; and immediately on its being exhibited, they must allow the parties to proceed; but it will be their duty to detain those persons who, by travelling without a pass from the Consul, render themselves liable to the suspicion of their being deserters, and such detention shall be immediately reported to the Consul. Tariff of duties, S.] L. S. TOWNSEND HARRIS. Tariff of export and inland duties to be levied on articles SECTION I. The undermentioned articles shall be entirely free from inland or other taxes on production or transit, and shall pay export duty as follows: Articles paying export duty only. Signatures of Siamese Plenipotentiaries. |