36 Life o/Sir Stamford Raflies. 



came as friends to the Island. Holland had ceased to be an 

 independent nation ; and for the time there could be only two 

 parties, the one English, the other French. The emissaries of 

 the late ruler of France had perverted the minds of the majority : 

 many were doubtful on which side they should rally. At this 

 critical juncture, Mr. II, W. Muiitinghe, President of the Supreme 

 Court of Justice at Batavia, and Mr. J. C. Cranssen, another 

 principal civil ofTicor of the Dutch, declared for England and the 

 ancient order of things. To the influence of the decision and 

 conduct of these gentlemen, is to be ascribed much of the 

 cordiality and good understanding, which soon prevailed between 

 the official representatives and settlers of the two nations ; and 

 the Earl of Minto, with the wisdom and benevolence that cha- 

 racterized all his actions, constituted them members of the British 

 Council in Java. 



The value of the services which had been rendered by Mr. 

 Raffles, as well in the preliminary arrangements of this fortunate 

 expedition, as in the ultimate execution of the enterprise, was 

 fully appreciated by the Governor-General. They were re- 

 warded by his immediate nomination to the high and important 

 station of " LiEUTENANx-GovERNon OF Java and its Depex- 

 DENCiEs;". .." as an acknowledgment of those services, and in 

 consideration of his peculiar fitness for that office ;" Lord Minto 

 deeming him the most proper person to be entrusted with the 

 execution of that political system, which he had himself devised 

 and recommended. 



Accordingly, on the 11th of September, in the year 1811, the 

 eminent character whose life we are recording, took charge of the 

 government of Java. 



Having thus attended Mr. Raffles to the commencement of his 

 authority in Java, an authority productive of so many important 

 consequences to the welfare of its inhabitants, as well as to the 

 interests of all liberal pursuits connected with eastern Asia, we 

 will pause awhile in our narrative ; for the purpose of contem- 

 plating the extensive and populous island consigned to his govern- 

 ment. 



