408 



THE BANK OF JAVA. 



as regards the paper and copper currency, was 

 said to be in great measure the act of the Govern- 

 ment. This was said, in the one case, to derive a 

 much greater profit from the copper coinage than from 

 that of silver, by keeping the real worth of a copper 

 doit below its nominal value. In the other case, 

 that of the bank paper, I was informed, that on the 

 institution of the bank of Java, the Government caused 

 all its officers to take shares in it, by making each 

 one give in his securities on entering office in those 

 bank-shares ; and that, on the bank becoming em- 

 barrassed, it had made its notes a legal tender, in 

 order that the shares might not be depreciated. At 

 all events, an act of Government passed, exonerating 

 the bank from all liability to cash its notes, and 

 disabling any one from demanding from the bank 

 payment in silver for the notes he held. How the 

 bank became embarrassed, I did not learn ; but, 

 independent of general commercial arrangements, it 

 seemed to have suffered losses by peculation, as one 

 of its managers of the branch in Sourabaya, wasat the 

 present time in gaol in consequence of defalcations 

 to a large amount. This person had built a hand- 

 some mansion on one side of the town. This house 

 was now occupied by a society called Concordia, — a 

 kind of club with billiard tables, magazines, and 

 reading room, and a department for eating and 

 drinking. Of this we were invited to be honorary 

 members. There was also a book club among the 

 English residents, where wc got a sight of several 

 new publications and periodicals. 



