The native trade with Siam, Kamboja, and Co-
chin China, in its present extent, owes its origin
to the establishment of Singapore ; for previous to
this epoch we had no such intercourse, except with
the first-named of these countries, and even this
of only a few years' standing, and of very trifling
amount. The ports of trade are Bangkok in Siam ;
Saigun and Kangkao in Kamboja ; and Quinhon,
Faifo, and Hue, in Cochin China. There has
been no intercourse as yet with any port of Ton-
quin. In 1820, the number of junks which arri-
ved from all these places was twenty-one ; in 1821,



AND COCHIN CHINA. 865

thirty-three; in 1822, forty-two; in 1828, sixty-
four; and in 1824, seventy. I possess no later
account than these, but understand that the trade
has greatly increased. Exclusive of the junks, I
should mention that there have arrived every
year, for the last three, from the Cochin Chinese
capital, a merchant-ship and brig belonging to his
Cochin Chinese Majesty, who, notwithstanding
his Chinese prejudices, has lately become ena-
moured of the details and profits of trade. By far
the most considerable branch of this traffic is that
with Siam, and next to it stands that with the
port of Saigun. The great staples of import are
sugar, rice, salt, oil, and culinary utensils of cast
iron. The exports consist of opium, catechu, tin,
British iron, woollens, cotton piece-goods, and fire-
arms. In 1823, when the junks, as above stated,
amounted to no more than sixty-four, the imports
were estimated at the value of 300,000 Spanish
dollars. The following is an actual specimen of
the import cargo of a Siamese junk of the largest
class, with the prices at Singapore in 1824 :—

Sp. dol. cents. Total dol.
