The kingdom of . ernment, and principal residence ofthe king and royal family. Unlike most other Eastern cities, there is no for-eign quarter, but the European houses *are dottedabout the city, the suburbs, the banks of the river,and the busiest part of the town. The nucleus of Bangkok is the royal palace, situ-ated on a bend of the river. The outer walls of thepalace enclose an immense area, but the ground de-voted to the actual residence and garden is compara-tively small. Within the walls are various ministries,namely, the Foreign Office, the Treasury, the Min-istry of the Interior,
The kingdom of . ernment, and principal residence ofthe king and royal family. Unlike most other Eastern cities, there is no for-eign quarter, but the European houses *are dottedabout the city, the suburbs, the banks of the river,and the busiest part of the town. The nucleus of Bangkok is the royal palace, situ-ated on a bend of the river. The outer walls of thepalace enclose an immense area, but the ground de-voted to the actual residence and garden is compara-tively small. Within the walls are various ministries,namely, the Foreign Office, the Treasury, the Min-istry of the Interior, the Ministry of the Household,and, in addition, the Royal Library, LegislativeCouncil, a magnificent Buddhist temple, barracks,etc. Surrounding the palace on the land side is thecity proper, formerly surrounded by a massive em-battlemented wall and pierced by lofty gates. Mostof the wall has now been pulled down, and a boule-vard constructed, and of the gates few have with-stood the modern desire for wide roads. Most of. u The Capital 107 the roads are macadamized, drained, and plantedwith trees, and many of the sidewalks are protectedfrom the sun and rain by lean-to roofs projectingfrom the houses. Next to the palace is a large openspace of grass of an oval shape surrounded by is the Premane ground, formerly used for theroyal cremations, but now used for drilling troops,kite-flying, cricket, foot-ball matches, and golfing. Anchored in the river, between the palace and thenaval dockyard, are the royal yachts and such ofthe gunboats as are not cruising in the gulf or con-veying troops to distant parts of the kingdom. From the palace to the southeast stretches theNew Road, the oldest of the roads built outside thecity. Formerly an elephant track running parallelto the river, along the backs of the houses whichfaced the river, it now passes through a denselypopulated quarter and is the busiest road in thetown. Lined on both sides by shops for some threemiles, it is trav
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidkingdomofsia, bookyear1904
