170 DUTCH EASTERN POSSESSIONS. 



is calculated that there would be added to the pre- 

 sent trifling free produce of Java about 300,000piculs 

 of sugar, or 18,500 tons. 



The Dutch possessions in the East Indies con- 

 sist of — 



1. Part of the island of Sumatra. 



2. Almost the whole of the island of Java. 



3. The islands of Banca and Billiton. 



4. The islands of Bintang and Linga. 



5. Large parts of the southern portion of the 

 island of Borneo, which have recently been incorpo- 

 rated into one or two regular residencies, and assi- 

 milated to their Javanese possessions. 



a loss of 12 J per cent, to the colonial revenue, the duty on Dutch 

 cottons, for instance, being 12 J, while that on foreign is 25. 

 The factory only charter Dutch bottoms to carry home Java pro- 

 duce, and pay 75 per cent, more freight than they would be 

 obliged to pay by foreign vessels.'' . . . "Where is now the 

 mercantile spirit, the spirit of enterprise, that formerly existed in 

 Holland ? completely dead. There is hardly a merchant in the 

 country: the Maatschappy is the only merchant. Dutchmen who 

 have capital place it in the factory stock, receive their interest, 

 and smoke their pipes in comfort. Those who have no capital 

 are shopkeepers, or clerks in German houses, who act as pur- 

 chasers or transmitters of Java produce into Germany. And what 

 is the actual state of the finance in Holland ! Deplorable ! Not- 

 withstanding all the fine statements made by Finance Ministers 

 (and there is no people in the world more clever at figures than 

 the Dutch) there is not the least doubt that Holland is bankrupt, 

 and it is only wonderful, notwithstanding the warnings that have 

 been given, that England has not become more wary, but still 

 holds largely of this stock, because it pays a high interest. It 

 will explode some day, like the United States Bank." 



