So

for assistance. Also His Majesty licensed his vessels
to trade with their junks full with cargo to Mal-
3acca.nl

Of the Netherlands Company, our writer says:
"It is now more than 30 years ago since the Nether-
landers came to Siam. They won the confidence of
the king, so that the United East India Company
found it advisable to establish a comptoir for the
trade and enter into an alliance with the king. In
pursuance thereof a house or factory of wood was
built in Judia. In this house they traded for many
years 5 and native products were sent every year to
Japan. Although the Company did not make much
profit by this trade, the Company entered into great
friendship with the kings and was honoured more and
enjoyed a higher reputation than any other European
nationalities."2

We now rapidly approach the fall of Ayuthia
(1767), Even before its final overthrow, it was
known as the centre of Buddhist culture. In 1750,
the king of Ceylon heard that Buddhism was in a
flourishing condition in Siam and that it was more
pure in Siam than in Ceylon. The king of Ceylon,
accordingly, sent an envoy to Mahakala, the king of
Siam, who received the envoy warmly. He sent to
the king of Ceylon images of Lord Buddha in gold

1. Journal of the Riam Society, VII, part I, 1910, p. 52.
2. Ibid, pp. 54-55.