The Compulsory-Labour System in Java. 245 



least four times as dear. A jiarty, strongly supported at 

 home, lias arisen in Java, advocating the doing away with 

 compulsory labom- throughout the island, but, owing to the 

 many Important interests imperilled by such a j)olicy, it has 

 been very generally repudiated. It is impossible in Java to 

 broach the topic of doing away with compulsory servitude 

 without inaugurating an envenomed discussion. For this 

 question concerns many planters and Government officials not 

 less closely than that of the abolition of slavery does the 

 planters of the southern States of America. On this point we 

 have heard such widely different opinions pronounced by 

 experienced, thoughtful, impartial men, that we are the less 

 disposed to express, on the occasion of so short a visit as 

 ours, any decided sentiments, since such would have pro- 

 bably been entirely changed, or at all events modified, if we 

 had lived all our lives among the natives, and had become bet- 

 ter acquainted with their customs and peculiarities of character. 

 It is believed — such at least is the general impression — 

 that in a land so favoured by Natm^e as Java there is but lit- 

 tle to be hoped for fi'om fi-ee labour, as the requirements of 

 the natives are very limited, and easily satisfied. Abandoned 

 to his own impulses of activity, the Javanese would only 

 work sufficiently to supply what was necessary for his mere 

 subsistence, or would only perform any extra duties so long 

 as the imposition of regular labour does not set itself in direct 

 antagonism ^^th his docile, gentle disposition. The manners 

 and customs of the country, the condition of the populace re- 



