The Present Condition of the Indian. Archipelago. 361 



I'olaining all the feudal attachment and homage of their subjects, and 

 finding no more honourable vent for the assertion of their freedom 

 from restraint and the gratification of their self-will, have almost 

 evei'ywhere sunk into indolent debauchees and greedy monopolists, 

 and, incited by their own rapacity and that of the courtiers who sur- 

 round them, drain and pai-alyse the industry of their people. 



The foreign elements at present exercising, or likely to exercise, 

 great influence on the condition of the Archipelago, are the dominion 

 of the Dutch and Spanish, the commerce and settlements of tho 

 English, the educational and missionary efforts of Christendom, the 

 growth of large Chinese communities, and the continued influx of 

 emigrants from China. It is probable, if England does not extend 

 her influence, that the whole Archipelago, with the exception of the 

 Malayan Peninsula (which is always considered a member of it), the 

 Philippines, and a small portion of Borneo, will, in no long time, be- 

 come a portion of the Dutch empire ; and if the humanising and 

 liberal influences which, we hope, are now modifying the character 

 of the eastern policy of that nation, receive full effect, and Nether- 

 lands India comes to be really looked upon as an integral part of Hol- 

 land, its inhabitants being admitted to a full reciprocity of advantages 

 with those of the European portion of the empire, there will belittle 

 to regret, and much to welcome, in the change. England, in intro- 

 ducing freedom of trade, and in leaving the inhabitants and their pos- 

 sessions, small as they are, to the unshackled exercise of their own 

 industry, has set an example of rational government which, if imi- 

 tated in every European possession in the Archipelago, would do 

 something to atone for past misgovernment and neglect. It is im- 

 possible to foresee how great the influence of the Chinese may be- 

 come. Large as the Chinese population already is, and numerous 

 as the annual emigrants from China are, they must, in the progress 

 of the change which is working in China itself, greatly increase ; and 

 there can be little hazard in looking lo the pressure of population in 

 China, as one of the most momentous elements in the future history 

 of the Archipelago. 



Broken down as the more civilised and once powerful states are, 

 till their governments, with hardly an exception, have lost all tho 

 energy and ambition to be useful, and retain only the power to be 

 hurtful ; divided as the greater proportion of the population of tho 

 Archipelago is, into separate tribes and communities too small to re- 

 sist the domineering and exacting spirit of the more covetous, bold, 

 and active Malays and Bugis who infest their coasts ; openly I'obbcd 

 and enslaved by their brother islanders ; defrandod by tho Chinese, 

 Kling, or Arab adventurer, whoso superior activity and cunning en- 

 able liim to profit more by their industry than thoy do themselves ; 

 neglected by the l^uropean who seeks the same end by honest moans, 

 and, that attained, returns to his native country, and gives tlium no 

 second thought ; and without any active internal elements of ad- 



