It is a noteworthy testimony to the influence of the American
missionaries that through their instruction in modern science the
most enlightened monarch of the Orient should have come to his
death as a result of his zeal in behalf of astronomy. Although
since he had ascended the throne King Mongkut had not been able
to devote time to pursuit of the sciences as he had done while
a priest in the watt, yet he maintained a real interest. His
requests to Dr. House for translations from foreign journals
included items of scientific interest. His patronage of the mission
school in favour of the sons of nobles was not merely to have them
taught English, but that through that language they might obtain
instruction in the sciences.
When circumstances brought it within his power to lend assistance
to the scientific world he seized the opportunity with a royal
will. Astronomers had predicted a total eclipse of the sun for
the year 1868, and indicated that the southern peninsula of Siam
would be the sole place on the globe where the eclipse would appear
in totality. In his great enthusiasm, desiring to be a patron of
science, the king determined to lead an expedition to witness the
phenomena. Dr. House describes the preparations in a letter (Aug.,
1868):
“The gulf of Siam lay in the greatest duration of the solar
eclipse since the sun began to shine, as some say; attracting
to these realms astronomers from Western Europe. Great
preparations were made to receive them with all honor and
to join them in witnessing the solar phenomena, on the part
of our science-loving king and his government. Large levies
of men were made to put up at the spot fixed by the French
astronomical expedition suitable buildings for all who were
present. No expense was spared in the way of entertaining
the numerous guests. It is said that two thousand catties
of silver ($96,000.) were expended upon the affair by our
public spirited king. A free ticket on a beautiful ship
of war, and entertainment while there, to all us foreign
residents. But as Mr. McDonald (now acting consul) desires
to go and both could not well be absent so long from the
station, I did not go down; and then, too, we were sure of a
very respectable eclipse here in Bangkok, which I wished to
improve for the benefit of the pupils in our school and our
native friends.... Here we saw stars distinctly in the day
time during the greatest obscuration.”
The site chosen by the astronomers was in the jungle, in which
the king caused a clearing to be made and temporary huts to be
constructed. During the brief sojourn in this unhealthy spot, the
king contracted a fever. The disease proved fatal, death occurring
shortly after the king returned to the royal palace.
The death of the king was a sore loss to the world. Dr. House wrote:
“The missionaries lost, some of them a kind personal friend
and a ‘well-wisher’ as he used to sign himself, and all
a friendly-disposed liberal-minded sovereign, who put no
obstacle in the way of their evangelising his people.”
Western nations lost a royal friend who had opened the gates of
his kingdom for intercourse. But Siam herself, while mourning the
death of an enlightened sovereign, had gained so much through the
seventeen years of his felicitous reign that his death could not
stop her progress in the paths he had opened for her. The light
which had found its way into the jungle of human notions through
the clearing Mongkut had made was never again to pass into eclipse.