380 DESCRIPTION OF BATAVIA CHAP, xvn 



ever, built with a dome (which is seen very far out at sea), 

 is certainly far from an ugly building on the outside, though 

 rather heavy, and in the inside is a very fine room. Its 

 organ is well proportioned, being large enough to fill it, 

 and it is so well supplied with chandeliers that few churches 

 in Europe are as well lighted. 



From buildings I should make an easy transition to forti- 

 fications, were it not a subject of which I must confess 

 myself truly ignorant. I shall attempt, however, to describe 

 what I have seen in general terms. The city of Batavia is 

 enclosed by a stone wall of moderate height, old, and in 

 many parts not in the best repair; besides this, a river in 

 different places from fifty to one hundred paces broad, whose 

 stream is rather brisk but shallow, encircles it without the 

 walls, and within again is a canal of very variable breadth, 

 so that in passing their gates you cross two draw-bridges. 

 This canal, useless as it seems, has, however, this merit, that 

 it prevents all walking on the ramparts, as is usual in fortified 

 towns, and consequently all idle examination of the number 

 or condition of the guns. With these they seem to be very 

 ill provided, all that are seen being of very light metal ; and 

 the west side of the town, where alone you have an oppor- 

 tunity of examining them, being almost totally unprovided. 



In the north-east corner of the town stands the castle or 

 citadel, the walls of which are higher and larger than those 

 of the town, especially near the boats' landing-place, which 

 it completely commands, and where are mounted several very 

 large and well-looking guns. The neighbourhood, however, 

 of the north-east corner seems sufficiently weak on both 

 sides, especially on the east. 



Within this Castle, as it is called, are apartments for the 

 Governor-General and all the members of the Council of India, 

 to which they are enjoined to repair in case of a siege ; here 

 are also large storehouses, where are kept great quantities of 

 the Company's goods, especially European goods, and where 

 all their writers, etc., do their business. Here are also stored 

 a large quantity of cannon, but whether to mount on the 

 walls or furnish their shipping in case of the approach of an 



