200

ACCOUNT OF JAVA AND BATAVIA.

This province cofts more to the Company than any profits that accrue from it. Itis, however, of great importance, to defend the fpice-iflands, to which together withfive or fix other fmall iilands it ferves as a key. Thefe are properly the Molucca iilands.

A few years ago the Englifh eftablilhed themfelves at a fmall illand, not far diftantfrom.Ternate, which- is called Sullock, but they abandoned it again in 1766.

The charges which the Company incur at Ternate amount to about one hundredand forty thoufand gilders per annum, and the profits on the goods which are confumedamong the natives, to fixty or feventy thoufand * *.

This illand fuffered greatly in the month of Auguft 1770 by earthquakes. . Morethan fixty violent fhocks were felt in the fpace of four-and-twenty hours, and the for-tifications were much injured.

Macalfer is the fourth government; it is fituated on the illand of Celebes , part ofwhich is under the dominion of the Company, while they are in alliance with molt ofthe native fovereigns of the remainder. The eftablilhment here is equal to thofe of thebefore-mentioned governments. There are fortrefies, which are difperfed over theilland, to keep the natives in awe ; but the chief power of the Company confifts inthe policy of fomenting the mutual jealoufy of the Indian Princes, their allies, by whichthey are prevented from uniting, and are, in confequence, unable to undertake any thingagainft the Dutch .

The profits of the Company amounted in the year 1755 to eighty thoufand, and theircharges to one hundred and fifty-five thoufand gilders.

weight, yearly, amounting, at 5I. per tael, to 120,000!. and efculent birds’ nefts, which are efteemed agreat delicacy by the orientals, and efpecially by the Chinefe, in exchange for which the inhabitants takeopium, Indoftan piece-goods, chiefly blue cloth, fine Bengal coffaes and hiimmums, together with fomecutlery. Ternate does not, in general, require any fupply of provifions from Java as the ifles of Bandado. Some have given as a reafon for this difference, that from the commencement of the dominion of theDutch in the Molucca iflands, the lives of the inhabitants have been fpared ; whereas in Banda they wereall exterminated under the pretence that they were a perfidious nation upon whofe engagements no depend-ance could be placed ; and now that the cultivation of the foil there has fallen into the hands of a mixtureof Europeans and Indians, either as proprietors or leffees of the fpice plantations, they have not been ableto attend to the propagation of rice or other articles of food. In 1776-1777 the eftablifhment of Ternateconfifted of 59 perfons in civil employments, 3 in ecclefiaftical fituations, 10 furgeons and affiftants, 38belonging to the artillery, 2i4feamen and marines employed on fhore, 456 foldiers, and 67 mechanics, inall 847. In addition to his falary the governor has a yearly allowance of 7^2,400,'or about 220I. fterling,for the expence of entertaining the native princes; the governor and the fecond in command have 5 percent, divided equally between them on the fale of all goods imported ; and 1 per cent, is allowed on thecolledion of gold, to be divided between the governor and the colleftor. Tr.

* 1 he Company pay a yearly fum of/I3 2,250, or neatly 3000I. fterling to the Kings of the Moluccas ,in confideration of which they engage to deftroy all the fpice-trees, which are dilperfed through the woodsof their extenfive iflands, and detachments of Europeans are fent out from time to time to fee that thisextirpation be duly executed. The Company do not retain poffellion of the Moluccas on account of theirintrinlic value, but for political reafons, in order to keep other nations from the neighbourhood of Am-boyna and Banda, to the fecurity of which the poftcffion of Ternate was fuppofed greatly to contribute.The expences of government at the Moluccas , were calculated by the governor General Moflel atyii44,5co per annum, and the revenues at7.90,000 ; buqin 1 779, after the revolution mentioned in a pre-ceding note, the former were found to amount to/.2 29,406, and the latter to /’.114,997, leaving a deficitof/In 4,409, or about 10,400!. fterling, which is a large fum, when we confider that the mother-countryderives no advantage from this fettlement; for the profits on the gold and birds’ nefts beforementionedare confumed in India , and fcarcely fuffice to make good the charge of fending a fhip thither, as is doneevery year from Batavia, with ftores and neceffaries for the government. T&.

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