JAVA. 



627 



f i m 



extreme severity of the Dutch code, in the punishment 

 of crimes, while the police was rendered more effectual 

 for their prevention ; by collecting the revenue in a 

 more equal and less oppressive manner, and by aug- 

 menting the colonial and coasting trade of the island. 

 All the courts of justice were modelled on the plan of 

 those of Great Britain, so as to separate the judicial 

 from the police duties, and insure the more prompt 

 and impartial administration of justice. The principal 

 courts were established at Samarang, Sourabhaya, and 

 Batavia, which last was supreme. Regular custom- 

 bouses were appointed at the same places ; and no ves- 

 sels were allowed to enter for trade at any other port 

 in Java. At Batavia a duty of 6 per cent, and at Sa- 

 marang and Sourabhaya of 8 per cent, ad talorem, 

 was levied on all goods and merchandise imported by 

 ea, and required to be paid within one month. Cloths, 

 which were the manufacture of native eastern ports, 

 paid 15 per cent. ; and 12 per cent, was laid upon all 

 European and Chinese goods imported in European 

 and Asiatic vessels. Goods transferred in the roads 

 paid the same duties, as if actually landed for sale ; but 

 on goods landed for exportation, and not for sale, the 

 importer paid half duty on the invoice value, and gave 

 security that they should not be sold on the island. 

 All goods and merchandise having paid the import 

 duty were exempted from export duty. For the de- 

 fence of the island, a Javanese corps of 4000 men was 

 raised, and 15OO men of one of the native princes 

 taken into British pay, and clothed with the British 

 atfarm. Instead of the indefinite exactions, and forced 

 auilus, and inadequate rate* of price for the native 

 produce, imposed by the Dutch, a moderate land-tax, 

 equitably arranged, was exacted by government for 

 the security of property and protection of person. This 

 new duty, fixed and explicit, was acceded to by the na- 

 tive* with universal satisfaction, and paid with the ut- 

 'alacrity. The exertions of the cultivators being thus 

 ! by the certainty of possessing whatever they 

 iise beyond the proportion paid to the govern- 

 ment, the agriculture of the island was remarkably im- 

 proved and extended. The revenue, instead of being di- 

 minished, was raised to six times its former amount. 

 In 1 106, under General Daendels, it was only 818,128 

 rupee* ; while in 1814, under Governor Rafnes, it 

 amounted to 5,368,085, leaving a clear surplus revenue 

 of 8,800,000 rupee* per annum. In this nourishing 

 condition the island of Java has been restored by treaty 

 to its former masters ; a latasam to which the native 

 authorities are said to have msnifaattd the greatest re- 

 luctance. 



In Java, as in most tropical climate*, the year is di- 

 vided into two season*, namely, the oast or dry mon- 

 soan, and the west momoon or rainy season. The east, 

 or good monsoon, commence* in the month of April or 

 May, and terminates about the end of September or be- 

 ginning of October. During its continuance, the sky 

 is generally dear, (except that sometimes in the even- 

 ing, and towards the end of the season, a thunder 

 doud comes down over the mountains,) and the trade 

 winds Mow from four or five leagues on shore, through 

 the whole of the Indian seas to the south of the line, 

 from the south-east, and taH aouth-east. The west or 

 bad momoon, generally begins about the end of No- 

 vaaber ; and, while it continues, the westerly winds 

 often Mow with great violence, accompanied by heavy 

 torrents of rain, and storms of thunder. About the be- 

 ginning of March, they become more variable, till they 

 give place in April to the easterly wind*. March and 



Java. 



October, with part of the preceding and following 

 months, are called the shifting seasons, or the breaking " "~Y~" 

 up of the monsoons, and are considered as the most un- Climte. 

 healthy periods of the year. Along the whole coast, 

 the alternate land and sea breezes blow regularly 

 throughout the whole of the year, and greatly moderate 

 the intensity of heat. During the east monsoon, the 

 sea breeze is generally confined between north-east 

 and north ; but, in the west monsoon, it goes as far as 

 north-west. It begins to blow about 11 or 12 o'clock 

 in the forenoon, and increases gradually until evening, 

 when it imperceptibly dies away to a perfect calm 

 about eight or nine. The land wind begins at mid- 

 night, or a little before, and continues till an hour or 

 two after sun-rise, when it falls calm, till the accustom- 

 ed hour of the sea breeze. From the month of July to 

 November, the thermometer on the coast generally 

 ranges between 80 and 90" during the hottest time of 

 the day ; and, during the coolest part of the morning, 

 is seldom lower than 76. In ascending towards the 

 higher grounds, the warmth of the atmosphere gradu- 

 ally diminishes from 85, the ordinary heat in the plain, 

 to 50, the temperature experienced on the summit of 

 the mountains, which are even occasionally covered 

 with snow. In the highest parts that are cultivated, 

 the heat during the day is from (JO 9 to 65, and at 

 night as lowjis 54. The climate on the coast, and es- 

 pecially at Bantam, is more pernicious to the health of 

 Europeans, than that of any other country where set- 

 tlements have been formed. Of persons newly arrived, 

 the usual calculation i;, that three in five will die during 

 the first year, and of the survivors from nine to twelve 

 in the hundred annually ; exclusive of the troops and 

 seamen, among whom, in consequence of their irregu- 

 larities, the mortality is truly deplorable. The weight 

 of the air is nearly the same throughout the year ; but 

 does not possess so much elasticity as in northern re- 

 gions. The Iwrometcr seldom varies more than two or 

 three tenths of an inch ; and experiments in electricity 

 do not succeed so well as in Europe. 



The soil of the island is generally a pure vegetable Soil. 

 mould, resting on clay, or argillaceous iron-stone, or 

 coarse limestone of a loose and porous texture ; and is 

 equal in ti-rt lity to that of any country in the world. 

 The northern coast reits entirely on coral fabrics ; and, 

 near the foot of the mountains are several mineral 

 springs impregnated with iron ; but nothing more is 

 known of the mineralogy of the country. 



The soil in its natural state is covered with the most Production). 

 luxuriant vegetation, and yields a great variety of va- 

 luable and curious productions. Many places are co- 

 vered with thick forests, rendered impenetrable by the 

 quantity of underwood and creeping plants, forming a 

 kind of net-work, through which a passage cannot be 

 effected without the aid of a cutting instrument The Forest-trees. 

 large forests, which belonged to the Dutch India com- 

 pany as sovereigns of the country, especially those on 

 the north-east coast, furnish an abundance of timber 

 for ship-building and other purpose*. In these native 

 woods, the numerous tribe of palms or cocoa nut trees 

 are distinguished by their luxuriant growth, and some- 

 times reach the astonishing height of 150 feet. This 

 tree is to the natives of Java what the bamboo is to 

 those of China. Its stem furnishes the standards, raft- 

 ers, and laths of their houses ; and its leaves are used as 

 thatch. The pulpy substance of the nut affords a sweet 

 and nutritive food ; the liquid which it contains, an 

 agreeable and refreshing beverage ; and the kernel 

 yields by pressure a useful oil for various purposes. 



