36°2 USELESS FOR COMMERCE. 



Malays or Chinese might be induced to emi- 

 grate, and would support themselves in detached 

 spots, no doubt ; and the introduction of as many 

 such labourers as could be supported would be a 

 great assistance and comfort to the few Europeans 

 condemned to be stationed there. Without a few 

 such labourers, indeed, to cultivate their gardens for 

 them, and supply that quantity of vegetables and 

 fruit which they have not, by their own exertions, 

 been able to bring into existence, it seems to me a 

 piece of downright cruelty, to compel or induce 

 even a military party to remain there. As a place 

 for the production of any kind of export, then, Port 

 Essington is, in my opinion, utterly useless ; nor do 

 I see how it can become a place of any commerce. 

 What could induce, for instance, any European or 

 Australian merchant to send a cargo of goods to Port 

 Essington ? or, if a store of goods were there, what 

 could induce any one to come there to buy them ? 

 If a vessel were to come up from Sydney to sell a 

 cargo of goods among the Moluccas, or neigh- 

 bouring islands, why should she turn aside and 

 stop at Port Essington ? All the neighbouring 

 islands are either in the power of the Dutch, or 

 independent. Now, the best plan for a vessel 

 wishing to trade with the independent islands, 

 obviously, is to go to them at once ; while she has 

 just as good an opportunity to smuggle her goods 

 directly into the Dutch islands, if that be her 

 object, as the natives would have if they were to 



