No. 971.
Mr. Child
to Mr. Bayard.
Bangkok, February 18, 1888. (Received April 9.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that, so far as I can learn, the mission “of Sir Andrew Clarke, the agent of an English syndicate to build railroads in Siam, has proven a failure. The Siamese authorities refused to enter into negotiations with him, save that they would expend $20,000 or $25,000 in surveys for proposed lines, assuring him that they were not ready to build roads at present, nor could they do so until they knew definitely what said roads would cost and what business could be done over them, which would require at least two years; and even then, after the surveys are made, the King would not pledge himself to do anything, so the whole matter remains in statu quo as regards railroads in Siam.
I have, etc.,