EXPEDITION TO MOLUCCA ISLANDS. tio 



sity to piracy, so common among the Malays ; and here, having men- 

 tioned this propensity for piracy, it may not be improper to re- 

 mark, that it would be a most meritorious work to put a stop to it, 

 should we have an opportunity, by gaining possession of all the 

 Dutch Settlements to the Eastward : which might in some time be 

 effected by a couple of frigates stationed in the Straits of Malacca 

 and Sunda or Bally, and four or five sloops of war or armed brigs 

 of a small draft of water, and made for sailing into the creeks 

 where the prows of the pirates generalty rendezvous. The sloops 

 to have ranges alloted to them, and then jmblishing, in all the 

 islands and chief towns of the Malays, Badjoos, and Buggesses, 

 that the English are determined to destroy the towns where or 

 under whose jurisdiction piracies are committed, and all prows 

 armed beyond a certain scale. After a few examples should have 

 been made, nations the most savage would soon cease practices so 

 ruinous to their interest. This undertaking, which would add digni- 

 ty and respect to the English flag, and promote the cause of huma- 

 nity, and social intercourse with nations now unacquainted with 

 such sentiments, might, I should hope, be accomplished at no very 

 considerable expense, as a certain duty of tonnage might be well 

 afforded, by all ships trading to the Eastward, for that security to 

 their Jives and properties, which they are now under the necessity 

 of guarding, each separately, at a very great additional expense of 

 men and guns, exclusive of the constant apprehensions under 

 which they carry on all their connections with those islands ; be- 

 sides which, as the intercourse of trade would by this means very 

 much increase, an inconceivably greater field would open for the 

 sale of British manufactures of all kinds ; for the safety of trade 

 once established, the prices paid for European articles by those 

 nations would fall to that just rate, which would enable them to 

 purchase infinitely greater quantities with more certain advantage 

 to us than we now derive from extraordinary profits attended 

 with great risks. 



Abundance and great variety of timber fit for ship-building is to 

 be got both here and at Penang. Masts of the largest size are got 

 very cheap from the opposite side at Syac,* and are sent annually 

 to Batavia. It was for the purpose of carrying a cargo now ready 

 here, that the Constantia, an old Indiaman, was sent here. A 



* Siak, 



