96 MALAY LAND TENURE. 



" ticulieres)* Those of Krawang — only two in number and 

 " comprising 313 and 51 villages, respectively, with a popula- 

 " tion of nearly 180,000 souls — exceed in extent and importance 

 " many an European State. 



" These little principalities have been objects of dislike to 

 " the Dutch power, ever since, dating from the fall of the 

 " noble Company, there has been a governing government : to 

 ' ' the Company, commerce was always the chief thing. Some- 

 " times the government has repurchased them ; f on other 

 " occasions recourse has been had to not very honourable 

 " means in order to obtain possession of them. J 



" It is certain that these lands, especially those of no great 

 " extent and cultivated by Chinese, might support a happier 

 " native population. Nevertheless, for some years past com- 

 " plaints have much diminished, thanks probably to the strict 

 11 control of the government. 



" However that may be, it was supposed in 1854§ that it 

 " was particularly against these absolute principalities that 

 " ill-will was entertained in high places, and guarantees were 

 " accordingly asked for. The governments protested, saying 

 u that such a use of the law of dispossession would be an 



* " In Dutch, particulier landbezit. The origin of some of these conces- 

 sions is not a little mysterious. The Bulletin des Lois, 1836, No. 19, con- 

 tains the Ordinance for the West of Java regarding ' private lands.' We 

 regret that this interesting subject is beyond the scope which we have 

 prescribed to ourselves. It is too extensive to be treated of in a note. 

 Let us be satisfied with saying that the Court of Justice of Batavia (Boer's 

 case, 5th June, 1878, Indisch Weekblad van het Regt, No. 784) admits as 

 an extenuating circumstance the fact that the Ordinance is incomplete 

 and bad, and that this has greatly contributed to the commission of acts 

 of violence. See the splendid reports of M. van Dissel on the private 

 lands of the East of Java, printed by the Society of Industry and Agri- 

 culture, Batavia, 1878." 



t " For instance, the present regency of Probolingo in the beginning of 

 the century." 



\ " Sukabumi, for instance." 



§ " At the time of the passing of the Regulation for the Government of 

 Netherlands India, article 77 of which commences as follows : — ' No one 

 ' may be dispossessed of his property, except, in the public interest, in the 

 ' manner laid down by a general legislative act, and in consideration of 

 ' preliminary indemnification.' " 



