=3 116.80 Man-i-Bender Abbassî Man-i-Hashemi 16 Mans of Corn, straw, coal, &c., are sold by Kharvâr=100 Fabriz Mans 649 The unit of measure is the zar or gez; of this standard several are in use. The most common is the one of 40.95 inches; another, used in Azerbâïjân, equals 44'09 inches. A farsakh theoretically =6,000 zar of 40.95 inches=3.87 miles. Some calculate the farsakh at 6,000 zar of 44:09 inches=4·17 miles. The measure of surface is jerîb=1,000 to 1,066 square zar of 40.95 inches=1,294 to 1,379 square yards. The monetary unit is the krân, a silver coin, formerly weighing 28 nakhods (88 grains), then reduced to 26 nakhods (77 grains), now weighing only 24 nakhods (71 grains) or somewhat less. The proportion of pure silver was before the new coinage (commenced 1877) 92 to 95 per cent., it was then for some time 90 per cent., and is now about 89 per cent. The value of the krân has in consequence much decreased. In 1874 a krân had the value of a franc, 25 being equal to 17., at present, September 1885, a 17. bill on London is worth 32 to 32 krans, while the intrinsic value of 17. is about 34 to 35 krans. Accounts are reckoned in dînârs, an imaginary coin, the tenthousandth part of a toman of ten krâns. A krân therefore=1,000 dînûrs; one shâkî=50 dínârs. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Persia. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Report, by Mr. Ronald F. Thomson, British Secretary of Legation, on the population, revenue, military force, and trade of Persia, dated Teheran, April 20, 1868; in Reports of H.M.'s Secretaries of Embassy and Legation.' 8. No. IV. 1868. Report by Mr. Baring on the Opium Trade and Cultivation, 1881, in 'Reports of H.M.'s Secretaries of Embassy and Legation.' Part I. And by Mr. Dickson on the Trade of Persia, in Part VI. London, 1882. Report by Mr. Dickson on the trade of Persia, in 'Reports of H.M.'s Secretaries of Embassy.' Part I. London, 1885. Report by Mr. Consul-General Jones on the trade and commerce of Tabreez and the industries of Persia, dated Tabreez, March 31, 1874; in Reports from H.M.'s Consuls.' Part I. 1875. 8. London, 1875. Eastern Persia: an Account of the Journeys of the Persian Boundary Commission, 1870-72. 2 vols. 8. 1876. Report by Consul-General Ross on the trade and commerce of the Persian Gulf in 1884; in 'Reports of H.M.'s Consuls.' Part VII. London, 1885. Trade of Persia with Great Britain; in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom in the year 1884.' Imp. 4. London, 1885. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Binning (R. B. M.), A Journal of two years' travel in Persia, Ceylon, &c. 2 vols. 8. London, 1857. Blaramberg (General), Statische Uebersicht von Persien. Vol. ii. of Journal of Russian Geographical Society.' St. Petersburg, 1841. Blan (Dr. O.), Commercielle Zustaende Persiens. Berlin, 1858. Brugsch (Dr. H.), Reise der k. preuss. Gesandtschaft nach Persien, 1860–61. 2 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1864. Eastwick (E. B.), Journal of a Diplomate's three years' residence in Persia. 2 vols. London, 1864. Ferrier (J. J. P.), Caravan Journeys and Wanderings in Persia, &c. 8. London, 1856. Floyer (E. A.), Unexplored Baluchistan, London, 1882, Gobineau (Ch. de), Les Religions et les Philosophies de l'Asie centrale. 8. Paris, 1865. Macgregor (Col. C. M.), Narrative of a Journey through the Province of Khorassan and the North-West Frontier of Afghanistan in 1875. 2 vols. 8. London, 1879. Malcolm (Sir John), History of Persia. 2 vols. 4to. London, 1815. 2 vols. 8. London, 1829. Malcolm (Sir John), Sketches of Persian Life and Manners. 2 vols. 8. London, 1828. Markham (Clements R.), General Sketch of the History of Persia. London, 1874. 8. Polak (Dr. J. E.), Persien, das Land und seine Bewohner. 2 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1865. Sheil (Lady), Glimpses of Life and Manners in Persia. 8. London, 1856. Stack (E.), Six Months in Persia. 2 vols. London, 1882. Stolzel (F.) and Andreas (F. C.), Die Handelsverhältnisse Persiens, 'Petermannis Mitteilungen,' Ergänzungsheft. No. 77. Gotha, 1883. Watson (R. Grant), A History of Persia, from the beginning of the nine teenth century to the year 1858. 8. London, 1873 Wills (Dr. C. J.), The Land of the Lion and Sun. 8. London, 1883. SIAM. (SAYAM, OR MUANG THAI) Chulalonkorn I. (Somdech Phra Paramindr Maha), born 21st September, 1853; the eldest son of the late King Maha Mongkut and of Queen Rambhey Bhumarabhiromya; succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, October 1, 1868. Children of the King. I. Prince Somdech Chowfa Maha Vajirunhis, heir apparent, born June 23, 1878. II. Princess Sudha Dibaratna, born 1877. III. Princess Sri Vilailaxna, born July 1878. IV. Princess Bahurat Manimaiy, born 1879. Brothers of the King. I. Somdech Chowfa Chaturant Rasmi, born January 14, 1857. II. Somdech Chowfa Bhanurangse Swangwongse, born January 13, 1860. III. Krom Mun Naresr Varariddhi, born May 7, 1855. VI. Krom Mun Bhudhares Thamringsakdi, born March 16, 1856. There are other five brothers. The royal dignity is nominally hereditary, but does not descend always from the father to the eldest son, each sovereign being invested with the privilege of appointing his own successor. Government, Revenue, and Army. According to the law of May 8, 1874, the legislative power is exercised by the king in conjunction with a Council of Ministers (Senabodi), who have charge of the departments of the War and Marine, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Agriculture, the Royal House, and Finance. The Council of State consist of the ministers, 10 to 20 members appointed by the king, and 6 princes of the royal house. Each of the 41 provinces is administered by a governor; while there are several tributary districts administered by their own princes. The prevailing religion is Buddhism. In recent years the results of Western civilisation have to some extent been introduced. Some few young Siamese have been sent to schools in England, Germany, and France. The king's revenue may be estimated at about 2,000,000l. a year, of which sum the land tax produces 287,000l.; tax on fruit trees, 65,000l.; spirits, 100,000l.; opium, 120,000l.; gambling, 100,000l.; customs, 120,000l.; tin-mines, 90,000l.; edible birds'nests, 27,000l.; fisheries, 27,0007. All the taxes, with the exception of the customs duties, are farmed. There is no public debt, and paper money has not been introduced. The expenditure is stated to keep within the receipts. There is a small standing army, and a general armament of the people, in the form of a militia. Every male inhabitant, from the age of 21 upwards, is obliged to serve the State for three months a year. The following individuals are, however, exempted:-Members of the priesthood, the Chinese settlers, who pay a commutation tax, slaves, public functionaries, the fathers of three sons liable to service, and those who purchase exemption by a fine of from six to eight ticals a month, or by furnishing a slave or some other person not subject to the conscription, as a substitute. It is stated that the Government possesses upwards of 80,000 stand of arms, besides a considerable stock of cannon. The army is to some extent officered by Europeans. The fleet of war consists of four steam corvettes and twelve gunboats, officered by Europeans, chiefly Englishmen. The organisation of the navy is modelled on that of Great Britain. Population and Trade. The limits of the kingdom of Siam have varied much at different periods of its history; and even now, with the exception of the Western frontier, the lines of demarcation cannot be exactly traced, most of the border lands being occupied by tribes more or less independent. As nearly as can be calculated, the country extends, at present, from the 4th to the 21st degree of north latitude, and from the 96th to the 106th degree of east longitude, being a total area of about 250,000 square miles. The numbers of the population are still more imperfectly known than the extent of territory, and the difficulty of any correct result is the greater on account of the Oriental custom of numbering only the men. The latest foreign estimates give the population of the kingdom as follows, in round numbers: 2,000,000 Siamese; 1,000,000 Chinese; 2,000,000 Laotians; 1,000,000 Malays; total about 6,000,000. Kedah, Patani, Kelantan and Tringganu in the Malay Peninsula acknowledge her superiority, as do the Lao (Shan States) of Luang Phabang, Chiengmai, Lakhon, Lampunchai, Nan and Phre. The Siamese dominions are divided into 41 provinces. The native historians distinguish two natural divisions of the country, called Muang-Nua, the region of the north, and Muang-Tai, the southern region. Previous to the fifteenth century, the former was the more populous part of the country, but since the establishment of Bangkok as capital-with from 400,000 to 600,000 inhabitants-the south has taken the lead in population. Siam is called by its inhabitants Thaï, or Muang Thaï, which means 'free,' or 'the kingdom of the free. The word Siam-quite unknown to the natives-is probably identical with Shan applied in Burma to the Lao race. There is comparatively little trade and industry in the country, mainly owing to the state of serfdom in which the population is kept by the feudal owners of the land. Throughout the whole of Siam, the natives are liable to forced labour for a certain period of the year, varying from one to three months, in consequence of which the land, rich in many parts, is badly cultivated. Probably not more than one-twentieth of the available land is under cultivation. Domestic slavery is in partial process of abolition. Nearly the whole of the trade is in the hands of foreigners, and in recent years many Chinese, not subject like the natives to forced labour, have settled in the country. The foreign trade of Siam centres in Bangkok, the capital. The value of the total exports from Bangkok in 1884 was 2,052,3467., the staple article of export being rice to Hong Kong and Singapore. The minor exports embraced a great variety of articles, chief among them hides, sesame, pepper, sapan-wood, spices, ivory, cattle, horns, and teak. The total imports into Bangkok, in the year 1884, were of the value of 1,145,4471., the imports comprising mainly textile goods, hardware, and opium. In addition to this the imports from Siam to Lower Burma in 1884 amounted to 47,4517.; and the exports from the latter to the former, 254,9521. There is, however, a large trade on the other frontiers of Siam. At the end of 1883, the mercantile navy of Siam numbered 44 sailing vessels and 1 steamer, of an aggregate burthen of 16,000 tons. In 1884, 418 vessels of 241,149 tons cleared the port of Bangkok, of which 240 of 150,768 tons were British. The direct commercial intercourse of Siam with the United Kingdom is inconsiderable, and of a very fluctuating character. In the five years 1880 to 1884 the value of the exports from Siam to Great Britain, and of imports of British produce into Siam, was as follows: |