AMERICAN CONSULAR BULLETIN A SPRINKLER IN SINGAPORE How they lay the dust in the streets of the hottest place on earth Vol.V January, 1923 I'o. 1 $t.00 A YEAR 35 CENTS A COPY The American Qonsular Association OFFICERS WILBUR J. CARR Director of the Consular Service Honorary President HERBERT C. HENOSTLER. .. .Chief of the Consular Bureau Honorary Vice President Consul General CHARLES C. EBERHARDT President Consul General STUART J. FULLER Vice President Consul DONALD D. SHEPARD Secretary-Treasurer Consul TRACY LAY Chairman Consul FREDERICK SIMPICH Vice-Chairman COMMITTEES EXECUTIVE Consul General NATHANIEL B. STEWART Chairman Consul General DEWITT C. POOLE Consul General EDWARD J. NORTON Consul EDWIN L. NEVILLE Consul TRACY LAY RECEPTION Consul General EDWARD J. NORTON Chairman Consul FREDERICK SIMPICH Consul EDWIN L. NEVILLE Consul FRANK C. LEE Consul LOWELL C. PINKERTON BULLETIN STAFF Consul FREDERICK SIMPICH Editor Consul ADDISON E. SOUTHARD Business Manager Consul HAMILTON C. CLAIBORNE Treasurer The American Consular Association is an unofficial and voluntary association embracing most of the members of the Consular Service of the United States. It was formed for the purpose of fostering esprit de corps among the members of the Consular Service, to strengthen Service spirit, and to establish a center around which might be grouped the united efforts of its members for the improve¬ ment of the Service. RANSDEL.L INCORPORATED. PRINTERS. WASHINGTON VOL. V, No. i WASHINGTON, D. C. JANUARY, 1923 Letters from Bangkok By Maurice P. Dunlap, American Consul, Bangkok, Siam I Kanyayon, 2464 B. E. steamer to Singapore and then four days on a (Or September 1, the year 2464, comfortable little steamer up the Gulf of Siam. Buddhist Era.) It sounds unreasonable but I have figured out that IT is nearly six weeks since goodbyes were said Bangkok is as far from Washington as one can to friends in Copenhagen and a new drink was possibly be on this hemisphere—plus a four days’ concocted on the occasion of my departure for journey. Siam—namely, the Bang-kok-tail. I have been At first I doubted about our finding it on the traveling almost continuously since, by train to map at all. I knew that the Siamese capital lay Esbjerg, by boat to London, on a P. and O. some twenty-five miles up the river but as we coasted along the islands and it grew dark with no river in sight, I feared the worst. Then the rocking pilot boats that mark the “bar” twinkled at us. then the lights of other craft. All the larger steamers sailing up or down the Me-nam must line up along the bar and wait for the tide. Gradually the water rises. As the proper depth is reached, anchors are weighed and the ships move on. And soon I ckscern the mouth of the “Mother of Waters” ;be¬ tween low lying banks of shadowy forest and swamp land, the dark, coffee - colored stream surges forth. A sampan or two drift by; the sails of a heavy junk are LOADING PADDY RICE silhouetted against the [3] AMERICAN (^ONSULAIl^UELEXrNr moonlit clouds; there is a gleam from the depths The office of the Consulate is in a good-looking of trailing vegetation—a lonely house on stilts concrete building situated only a few steps from comes into view: it is a fascinating entrance to the main street which runs for miles parallel to the a weird New World. Then the boat anchors winding river. The office consists of two enor¬ for the night and late watchers must to bed. mous, airy rooms and a store-room. It is immacu¬ With the first crack of day (the day does not lately kept with polished teak-wood floors, the trim “peep” here but “comes up like thunder,” you furniture sent out by the Department being taste¬ know) the steamer was “chunking” again and the fully supplemented by teak cabinets, tables and watchers were almost immediately on duty. More screens, all finished to match the oak tone. One strange craft—masses of floating vegetation, more notices this fine wood everywhere in Bangkok; it quaint houses on stilts; then a continuous row is very decorative and seems to take light, dark, along both banks, rice-mills, floating stores where dull or glossy finish equally well. There are two short-haired women and Buddlrst priests in boats Siamese clerks and a coolie who acts as janitor. are making purchases; teak mills, go-downs, until The Vice Consul, Dr. Carl C. Hansen, has apothe¬ finally a great sweep of water is visible swarming cary’s business in town but has been for many with life, boats bumping against ours, naked years connected with the office and still assumes coolies calling and shoving off with poles, and charge in the absence of a Consul. Dr. Hansen rows of amphibious-looking buildings stretching is an American citizen, of course, but was born in on into the distance above which rise the graceful Denmark and first came to Siam many years ago lines of a pagoda like a bell—We are THERE. in connection with mission work. He conse¬ In a few moments everyone on board has been quently is most familiar with the country and of captured by someone or other and I am being very valuable assistance to the office. motored by the clerk from the Consulate, along It has been a pleasure to find so many Amer¬ highways and by-ways and over the numberless icans associated with different interests in Siam. canals which interlace the city like a net—to the They meet in goodly numbers every Monday at Royal Hotel. The Royal Hotel is an institution the Legation when the Minister’s wife, Mrs. in Bangkok. It is a handsome, oriental-looking Brodie, has her afternoons at home. Real Amer¬ structure surrounded by beautiful grounds, with ican ice cream is a prominent feature of these the dining-room and kitchen in open pavilions, gatherings. It is quite easy to imagine one back quite separate except for a covered walk running in Manila; in fact, quite a number of the Amer¬ to the main buildings. At the gate a tall Sikh ican colony seem to know the Philippines. In watchman in uniform salutes each car as it enters. spite of the warm weather and the rather ubiqui¬ The hotel, I am told, was formerly the palace of tous insect life, almost everyone seems in good some Chinese merchant-prince, budt for a bevy of health and contented and there is a “boost Bang¬ fascinating wives, but he was murdered in one of kok” spirit which is most suggestive of the atti¬ the rooms (the guests still speculate as to who has tude of the Manila American. the “ghost room”) and now an Italian lady—a The Government of Siam has in its employ a clever and capable woman—has made such a good number of foreign advisers, most of them British, hotel out of it that royal permiss:on has allowed but several of them are Americans and none is her to call it the “Royal” and over the doorway more esteemed and respected than Dr. Eldon R. shines a golden Garuda, the fabulous bird which James, Adviser in Foreign Affairs. Another has displaced the elephant as the national Siamese American whose influence is most practical and emblem. There are electric fans and lights; the salutary is Dr. Ralph W. Mendelson, Medical In¬ latter all wink off a second precisely at eight every spector for Bangkok. The capital boasts of its evening so that Bangkok may set its watches. sanitary water supply and a daily test of its purity There is a French cook who left Marshall Joffre’s is made under Dr. Mendelson’s direction, so you party here some months ago and obsequious China may safely drink the water from the faucet-—that is, if you’re taking water. In similar work, but boys shuffle everywhere with cooling drinks. The not connected with the Government officially, is rooms are very pleasant with high ceilings and Dr. M. E. Barnes, sent out by the Rockefeller polished floors, the walls being combinations of Foundation of New York, assisted by another window, lattice work, balcony or Venetian blinds American, Dr. H. R. O’Brien. Dr. Barnes is every inch g-a-s-p-i-n-g for air, for, let the truth especially interested in the investigation and cure be known, Bangkok is hot. The thermometer has of hookworm and other tropical diseases. And rarely registered under 80 degrees since last another professional man of considerable impor¬ March! Life is like one jolly round of Turkish tance to the entire foreign community is the Amer¬ bath. ican dentist, Dr. T. B. McArthur. [4] Business interests are represented not only by 2 Tulakhom (October 2). several permanent residents attached to important For the first time in years an American boat has oil companies, but by agents who cover Siam from been here—the Victorious, one of the Shipping ether centers, such as China, Java or Singapore. Board vessels, with Captain O’Brien as master. One or two others handle certain American lines, The ship has been loading rice for the West Indies but many of the most important articles that sell and will return via Panama. The voyage may abroad (especially certain brands of motor cars) lead to a regular freight route being established are handled by British, Danish or Italian houses. between Bangkok and American ports on the Among the oldest American residents are those Atlantic Coast. who are or have originally been interested in the It is surprising how many Americans find their religious, educational or medical work of the mis¬ way to this distant corner of the world.