330 



BAT A VI A. 



Batxvia. produce these fatal effects for which this place is so 

 "~ ""V" ' remarkable. And such is the general apprehension 

 of the unhealthiness of this colony, that even the 

 temptation of quickly amassing a splendid fortune is 

 insufficient to induce those who can reside at home 

 with any comfort, to seek a settlement in Batavia. 

 Many offices and professions are thus necessarily en- 

 trusted to persons little qualified for fulfilling their 

 duties ; and it is worthy of remark, that one of the 

 clergymen and the principal physician had originally 

 been barbers. 



Of a population, amounting to 110,000, exclusive 

 of women and children, scarcely 5000 are Euro- 

 peans ; and of these, not one-fifth are Dutch, the 

 greatest number being Portuguese and French. The 

 rest are composed of a great variety of Indians, who 

 nre all under chiefs of their own nation, such as, 

 Chinese, Javanese, natives of the island, Malayans, 

 Amboynese, Mardykers, Baliers, Bouginese, Masas- 

 sars, &c. The Chinese are the most numerous ene- 

 mies to idleness. They seem born for the bustle of 

 active commerce. They are indefatigably industri- 

 ous, and will submit to any drudgery, however labo- 

 rious, that is attended with a certainty of gain. 

 Cunning, however, and deceitful to the last degree, 

 they take a pride in imposing upon Europeans; and, 

 boasting of their dexterity, they tell you, that the 

 Dutch have one eye, but the Chinese have two. 

 They keep all the shops, and most of the inns in the 

 city, and are in general the farmers of the duties, 

 excises, and customs. The Javanese apply them- 

 selves chiefly to agriculture and ship-building ; and 

 the Malayans to fishing. This last is a most wicked 

 and profligate race. They profess to be Mahome- 

 tans ; but are absolutely void of morals, and would 

 commit murder for the most trifling reward. Their 

 last chief was publicly whipped and branded for his 

 villanies : since which they have been ashamed to 

 choose another. The Amboynese, a bold, boister- 

 ous, and turbulent people, are not allowed to live in 

 the city, but are confined to a certain quarter of the 

 suburbs. They are generally employed in building 

 houses of bamboo, with windows of split-cane, which 

 are very neatly wrought in different figures. The 

 Mardykers are of various trades, as merchants, gar- 

 deners, graziers, poulterers, &c. Few of the free- 

 Indians, however, are employed in domestic or me- 

 nial services. These are chiefly employed by slaves, 

 which are annually imported from Sumatra and Ce- 

 lebes. 



All the dominions, which the Dutch possess in the 

 East, are governed by two supreme councils ; the 

 council of the Indies, and the council of justice, both 

 of which are fixed at Batavia. To the first of these 

 belongs the entire direction of public affairs ; and to 

 the latter, the administration of justice in all its 

 branches. But the citizens and free-merchants are 

 amenable only to the tribunal of the city of Batavia ; 

 which is composed of eight aldermen and a president, 

 who is always a counsellor of the Indies. The go- 

 vernor-general, who presides in the council of the 

 Indies, is in a manner the sovereign of all the coun- 

 tries belonging to the company. Repossesses unlimit- 

 ed authority ; is allowed a court, and most of the 

 honours of majesty ; and so great are the legal emo- 



luments of his office, that without oppressing the Batavi*. 

 people, or burdening his conscience, he is able to 

 raise an immense fortune within two or three years. 

 He is, however, removeable at the pleasure of the di- 

 rectors at home, and, i:i case of treason, or other 

 enormous crimes, the council of justice have a right 

 to seize his person, and call him to account. 



The ecclesiastical government of Batavia resides in 

 eleven members of the reformed religion. Liberty of 

 conscience is granted to every denomination of reli- 

 gionists, though not liberty of worship : Mahome- 

 tans and Pagans are tolerated by government ; and 

 even the Chinese have their temples, in which they 

 worship the Devil under the figure of a gigantic co- 

 lossus, sitting cross-legged with an enormous belly- 

 hanging over his knees ; but the exercise of the Ro- 

 man Catholic religion is obstinately prohibited. 



The regular establishment of troops at this colony 

 seldom exceeds 3000 men, of which 700 only are Eu- 

 ropeans ; yet very few of these are furnished by the 

 Dutch. They are chiefly Germans, many of whom, 

 it is said, have been kidnapped into the service. The 

 irregulars are very numerous, consisting of Chinese 

 and natives of the island, who are commanded by 

 their own officers. All the white inhabitants, how- 

 ever, are trained to the use of arms ; for no person 

 can settle here but as a soldier in the company's ser- 

 vice, and he must serve a certain time before he is al- 

 lowed to enter into any branch of trade. But the 

 whole of their force is very inefficient for the defence 

 of the settlement : and the Dutch depend more upon 

 the insalubrity of the climate, than the strength of 

 their aims for repelling a hostile invader. The whole 

 establishment of the company in 1777 consisted of 

 613 persons in civil, and 35 in ecclesiastical employ- 

 ments, 99 surgeons and assistants, 125 belonging to 

 the artillery, 875 seamen and marines, 1571 soldier*, 

 and 903 mechanics ; in all, 4221 Europeans, besides 

 703 natives in their service. 



The bay and harbour of Batavia are excellently 

 adapted for commercial navigation. The trade con- 

 sists chiefly in the valuable productions of the island, 

 such as pepper, rice, sugar, cotton, and indigo ; and 

 as Batavia is the emporium where all the merchandize 

 of the Dutch company in India is deposited, the im- 

 port and export duties are very considerable. Yet 

 the revenues of the colony are altogether inadequate 

 for its support. This city being the seat of govern- 

 ment, the. charges of the Company's civil establish- 

 ment, as also of the military and marines, are defrayed 

 out of the treasury of Batavia. On this account a 

 considerable balance appears every year against it ; 

 and in 1779 the charges exceeded the receipts by 

 51,327 sterling. 



The establishment of this colony upon the ruins of 

 a royal city, in opposition to the efforts of the English, 

 and afterwards to the united forces of the populous 

 empire of Java, and its consequent prosperity, affords 

 us a striking example of what may be effected by 

 courage and perseverance. When the Dutch first 

 visited this island, the residence of the king of Jaca- 

 tra was an inconsiderable village pallisadoed with 

 bamboo canes. Having entered into an alliance with 

 this prince, they contracted with him for the produce 

 of his little territory, which consisted chiefly of pep- 



