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thoufand gilders, upon which the profits were eftimated at forty thoufand ; but as thecontraband trade with the Englilh has greatly increafed fince that time, and theorders from Batavia for cloths have not been properly executed, with other addi-tional influencing circumflances, this vent and the confequent profits, are much cur-tailed.
“ It is fo impo'ffibie,” fays Moffel, in his State of India , “ to prevent fmuggling atMacaffer, on account of the many creeks and inlets of Celebes , which afford oppor-tunities for a contraband trade, that I hold it expedient and neceffary that all privatetrade from the Spice Blands thither ceafe and be prohibited.” This private trade, how-ever, is continued as heretofore, at leaft to Amboyna and back.
This free or private trade is chiefly carried on from Macaffer to Amboyna and Ba-tavia in rice, flaves, tripangs, and the cloths which are made there ; from Amboynaback fpecie is moftly brought 5 and from Batavia provifions and fuch piece-goods as irenot prohibited.
The little that the Company draw from Macaffer and its appurtenances confifts infapan-wood of Bima *, and fome cadjang. A fir ip is, at prefent lent thither every year,which carries a cargo from Batavia, in the month of March or April, and returns to thecapital of India, by way of Bima and Sumbawa .
Governor Moffel was of opinion that this expence might be avoided, as the neceffaryfupplies for the fettlement at Macaffer might be fent by the fhip for Banda, which callsthere for rice, and the Bima fapan-wood might be fetched away by the fhip annuallyReturning from Ternate ; while the flaves which the Company require for their ownfervice from Celebes , might be difpatched to Batavia by the veffels employed in theprivate trade, for which a contradf exifls between the Company and the free mer-chants', but which is not now availed of; according to which fixty rix-dollars, or onehundred and forty gilders per head, is agreed to be paid by the Company for the com-Veyance of flaves to Batavia.
That gentleman further calculated the clear receipts of the Company, at the time,at eighty thoufand gilders ; in which fum were included the excife and cuflom-duties,Vvit h the territorial revenues, which were taken at forty thoufand gilders.
I cannot determine whether any diminution has taken place in the latter fince they ea r 1 75 2 ; but the forty thoufand gilders profits, which were then made by the'-ompany upon the trade in piece-goods, and upon opium, liquors, and other articles
lln portation, have undergone great alteration to the difadvantage of the Company ;as,at prefent Celebes is provided with the two firft articles in no inconfiderable quan-rties, by the contraband trade of the Englifh ; and it is not without reafon, that
Per ' J>8o,coolb. Bima fapan-wood was fold in Holland at /. 15 per ioolb. (equal to about 28s.
W C --) > an d upon this article the profit is fuppofed to be between fifty and fixty per cent. ;• which,the 18 f cai 'cely more than enough to cover the charges of conveyance to Europe . In April 17C9,
thev l, 11 ® ®' am ’ whence the Dutch ufed to receive much fapan-wood, but the trade to which country
Was^ ■ a k an doned f° r fome time, fent a letter to the government at Batavia, informing it that tranquillitythe r^ ain . rc ft° r t’d there, and that Siam had recovered from the ravages of the Avanefe ; requefling, at°ne r t ' rrie ’ ^ iat the Company would re-eftablifh their factory, and that they would furnifh him withI'is def 111 * 311 ^ Htufkets. To the firft point an anfwer was given, that the Company could not yet accede to
Paid i>
Siam
1 . " — JJd,
tioned * 0r T-4- 16. per ioolb., and the rate at which the Macaffer fapan-wood was fold, as abovemen-fr 0m Siam^'T* ^ I00 ^‘ does no ^ a PP ear that this article has, fince that time, been procured
I I apprehenfions
Vol.
XI.