22 Account of the Trade of Siam. 



have made on various resins, gum-resins, and balsams, fully 

 establish that these substances are powerfully acted upon by 

 the alkalis, and by soine of the acids, so as to be completely 

 dissolved, and rendered soluble in water. 



It will be a very wide and curious field of inquiry, to 

 discover what changes are thus produced in these bodies, 

 especially by nitric acid. Each substance must form the 

 subject of a separate investigation; and there cannot be a 

 doubt but that much will be learned respecting their nature 

 and properties, which hitherto have been so little examined 

 by chemists. 



The alkaline solutions of resin may be found useful in 

 some of the arts ; for many colours, especially those which 

 are metallic, when dissolved in acids, may be precipitated, 

 combined with resinj^by adding the former to the alkaline 

 solutions of the latter. I have made sornc experiments of 

 this kind with success ; ^and perhaps these processes might 

 prove useful to dyers and manufacturers of colours. It is 

 probable also, that medicine may derive advantages from 

 some of this extensive series of alkaline and acid solutions 

 of the resinous substances. 



III. SoiTie Account of the Trade of Siayn*. 



X HE English know so little of this place and its trade, 

 that it will require a particular description, as the traffic 

 may be much improved, particularly for the import and 

 consumption of British manufactures, such as broad cloths, 

 cutlery, ironmongery, jewelry, and toys. 



The Portuguese have principally enjoyed the trade and 

 profits of this place. There have been some speculations 

 made by British merchants from Calcutta, and which al- 

 ways turned out to advantage. 



The Menam (the chief river), by which ships enter Siam, 

 discharges itself into the gulph of Siam, and is rendered dif- 

 ficult of access on account of a bar, to cross which it is ne- 

 cessary to have a pilot. 



The winter here is drv, and the summer wet, occasioned 

 by the different monsoons, which act lierc as in the bay of 

 Bengal, viz. the north-easterly monsoon bringing in dry, 

 and the south-westerly monsoon bringing in heavy cloud?, 

 thick weather, and rain. 



• From the Mariner's Directory and Gitijc to the 7'raJe ard N iiiip:^- 

 iion of tbc Indian and China Scai. 



The 



