抄録
As one of its stipulations of the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between Siam and Great Britain signed in April 1855, the British were accorded the privilege of Consular jurisdiction over British subjects. Subsequently, similar treaties were concluded with various European nations. The provisions of Consular jurisdiction could be easily conceded, for it seemed convenient for the Siamese at that time to let each consulate hold the trials of the small number of European traders who were accustomed to a different law.
However, as the situations changed during the last half of the 19th century, the treaty provisions became burdensome. The exemption from the Siamese jurisdiction was extended to many Asiatic subjects born in the Colonies which the European nations were acquiring and even more, to the foreign protégés, mostly Chinese, registered at some European consulate. Especially, the French consulate was eager to enroll many Chinese as French protégés. Thus people excluded from the law and punishment of Siam increased by ever widening scale. The Siamese were obliged to take some measures as to prevent the whole-sale creation of protégés. This seemed to have constituted one of the motivating forces of the modernization.
