The animal appears upon various objects, as the national emblem, the coat of arms, medals, the buttons of officials, etc. The late white elephant of Theebaw held a high rank and position at court, taking precedence of the heir-apparent; or, assuming it to have been connected with the British court, it would have been given precedence before the Prince of Wales.
The Order of the White Elephant is one of the most honorable conferred, and few have received it. Among them is Edward Arnold, author of “The Light of Asia;” and it was reported some time before the Burmese war, that the King of Siam was about to visit England for the sole purpose of conferring it upon Queen Victoria.
The following is a copy of the parchment which accompanied the one conferred upon Mr. Arnold. It is beautifully executed in gold, red, and black, and is a curiosity in itself:—
Somlech Phra Paramindr Maha Chulaloukoru, Chula Chom Klao, King of Siam, fifth sovereign of the present dynasty, which founded and established its rule, Katana Kosindr Mahindr Ayuddhya, Bangkok, the capital city of Siam, both northern and southern, and its dependencies, Suzerain of the Laos and Malays and Koreans, etc., etc.
To all and singular, to whom these presents come.
Know ye, we deem it right and fitting, that Edwin Arnold, Esq., author of “The Light of Asia,” should be appointed an officer of the most exalted Order of the White Elephant, to his honor henceforth. May the Power which is most highest in the universe keep and guard him, and grant him happiness and prosperity!
Given at our palace, Parania Raja Sthit Maholarm, on Tuesday, the 11th waning of the lunar month Migusira, the first month from the cold season of the year Toh Ekasole, 1241 of the Siamese era, corresponding to the European date 9th of December, 1879, of the Christian era, being the 4046th day, or 12th year of our reign.
(MANU REGIÂ) CHULALOUKORU, R.S.
Queen Victoria has, I believe, not yet received the order; but she is not unacquainted with the veneration entertained by the Siamese for the animal, as the following will show. Some years ago she sent an embassy to the kingdom of Siam, consisting of several noblemen and officers of rank, to conduct some diplomatic business; and, according to custom, they carried some valuable presents to the king. Upon their return, the latter, not wishing to be outdone by the Queen, delivered to Sir John Bowring a gold box locked with a gold key, containing the most valuable gift he could devise. Sir John, naturally thinking it a gem, perhaps of great price, bore it carefully from Siam to England, and personally presented it to her Majesty. Doubtless there was some curiosity in the royal mind to know what was so precious as to require a solid gold box and key; but it was not a gem,—though it may have been in the eyes of the Siamese monarch,—and was simply a few hairs taken from the king’s white elephant!
A Siamese ambassador, during a visit to London, thus referred to Queen Victoria in language intended to be highly flattering: “One cannot but be struck with the aspect of the august Queen of England, or fail to observe that she must be of pure descent from a race of goodly and warlike kings and rulers of the earth, in that her eyes, complexion, and, above all, her bearing, are those of a beautiful and majestic white elephant.”