Morden's History of the Present State of all Nations. 



By Me. Salmon. 

 London MDCCXLIV. 

 The Present State of Siam, p. 64. 



The town of Malacca which gives name to the Peninsula 

 was taken from the Portuguese by the Dutch. October, 1640. 

 When it was in possession of the Crown of Portugal it was a 

 place of great trade, and frequented more than any other town in 

 India, except Goa, here being the rendezvous of their shipping 

 from China, Japan, the Spice Islands, etc. 



They built the castle and fortified the town with a wall, and 

 it had five parochial Churches, a College of Jesuits, and was a 

 Bishop's see, but the Dutch have let all the Churches run to ruin, 

 except one ; and the trade is removed to Batavia : it is now only in- 

 habited by two or three hundred families of Dutch, Moors, Portu- 

 guese and Chinese, with some Malays who live in the suburbs, and 

 has a garrison of two or three hundred soldiers. This place is 

 naturally very strong, and by its situation commands the Streights 

 of Malacca: The Dutch, who are masters of it, overawe all the 

 little princes on those Coasts, and compel them to deal with them 

 on f heir own terms ; they look upon themselves to be lords of that 

 part of the world, and almost exclude all other Europeans from 

 any share of the trade. 



15. Sincapura is situate in the first degree of North latitude, 

 and gives its name to the Eastern part of the Streights of Malacca. 



,16. Johr which lies to the Eastward of Sincapora in about 

 one degree 30 m. This town, and the province it gives its name to, 

 have thrown off their allegianne to the King of Sdam; but the 

 Dutch are in a position to give laws to them when they please, and 

 it is only because they do not think it worth their while that they 

 have not a garrison there. 



P. 71. The principal trade of the English in this country is 

 driven at the port of Malacca, in the possession of the Dutch : hither 

 the English send two or three country ships yearly from the Coast 

 of Coromandel and the Bay of Bengal, with Callicoes, slight silks, 

 opium, etc., and make profitable returns in canes, rattans, benjamin, 

 long pepper, sugar, sugarcandy, sapan wood, and sometimes gold 

 may be had at a reasonable rate ; but this is -a trade prohibited by 

 the Dutch, and carried on by connivance of the Governor, council 

 and fiscal. 



* % * * % 



Mr. Lockyer has given us the following account of their 

 weights and prices goods bore there in the year 1704. 



R. A. Soc, No. 82, 1920. 



