ACCOUNT OF CELEBES , AMBOYNA, &C. 239

If there be any government among the Company’s poffeffions, that requires a chief^ho is a man of knowledge and of found judgment, vigilant and zealous in difcoveringevery machination and defign that are concerted in the furrounding kingdoms and pro-vinces, it is that of Macaffer. As thefe qualities are feldom found in fuch perfons asare raifed to the head of affairs from the defk, or other employments which have no-affinity with the art of goverment, it is evident that their adminiffration cannot but beproductive of the moll prejudicial confequences ; and, for my own part.. I entertain nodoubt that there have been governors fent thither from Batavia, who have neverbecome acquainted with even the names of the greateft part of the nations with whomthey had to deal, much lefs with the various and intricate connexions fubfiftmg between-them and the Company.

I think it a radical defect in the management of the Company’s affairs, that fcarcelyever the fecond perfon, in any adminiffration, fucceeds to the office of chief governor,in the fettlement to which he is attached. He muff incontrovertibly poffefs more localknowledge than one who only knows the place by name, and who has never affifteda t the deliberations of the local council. Yet the mode which I condemn is fo uni-verfaily adopted, that it muff even be furmifed to be a maxim laid down by perfons inhigh authority, the motives of which it is impoffible to divine.

At the fame time, the government of Macaffer not being a very lucrative one, thegovernors feldom wifh to remain long in it; and they do not, therefore, take muchpains to dive deep into the knowledge of affairs, each thinking that it will' laft histime.

Befides what the Company allow the governor out of the profits upon trade, andthe territorial revenues*, there are other private advantages, which help to make outhis otherwife inconfiderable income. In the firft place, the collection of the tenth ofthe produce of the earth, at which the governor is prefent, one year in the northern, andthe other year in the fouthern provinces. Secondly, the yearly letting out to farm theduties on articles of confumption, for a preference in which two or three thoufandpiafters are generally given as a prefent. Thirdly, prefents are likewife given to thegovernor when vacancies occur among the petty kings of the oppofite iflands by their-ucceffors, to procure his favour. In the fourth place gifts are likewife offered by

j° m their matters, not to fuffer any ftip, of whatever nation, to ftay at that port, and that thefe orderstle y mutt implicitly obey.” To this Captain Carteret replied, that perfons in their fuuation had nothing:Vv ,?rfe to fear than what they fuffered, and that therefore if they did not immediately allow him the.libertyf *he port to purchafe refrelhments, and procure flicker, he would, as foon as the wind would permit,,ft 1 nce ad their menaces, and all.their force, go and anchor clofe to the town ; that if, at laft, he°uld find himfelf unable to compel them to comply with requifitions, the reafonablenefs of which could'jh* be controverted, he would run the ftip aground under their walls, and.after felling their lives as dearly asw e y could, bring upon them the difgrace of having reduced a friend and ally to fo dreadful an extremity. It.as not till after he had begun to put his threats in execution,, by getting under fail, and proceeding towardse town, that a treaty was entered into with him, by which, after much altercation, he was permitted toi°.to the bay of Bontain, in order to procure the necefiary fupplies of provifions and water, to ere& an0 pital for his fick, and to find fhelter from the bad monfoon,. till the return of a fit feafon for failing to

h V v ^ ward - t*.

Dutch Company fupply their eaftern fettlements with the cloths of Indoftan at 331 per cent.c an< r‘L on the prime coft; whatever they fell for more is the profit of their fervants. Five per cent, forMa 10n and del credere on thef.leofall articles, is divided between the governor and the fecond at.Sood*tl ’ t ^' e ^ )rmer has likewife an allowance of /-30oo (about 275I. flerling) per annum, to makehe expence he is at in entertaining the native princes and grandees. Tr.

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