CHAP. XXI.] DESl RUCTION OF SPICE TM£S. 30 J» 



It IB no doubt supposed by most Englislimen, who liave 

 iD^en accustomed to look upon this aci of the Dutch with 

 vague horror, as something utterly unprincipled and bar- 

 barous, that the native population suHer^^d grievously by 

 this destruction of such valuable pi*opi>rty. But it is 

 certain that this was not the case. The Sultans kept this 

 lucrative trade entirely in their own hands as a rigid 

 monopoly, and they would take care not to give their snb- 

 ji'cts more than would amount to their usual wages, while 

 tliey would surely exact as large a quantity of spice as they 

 could possibly obtain, Drake and otlier early voyagei-s 

 always seem to have purchased their spice-cargoes fvom the 

 Sultans ami liajahs, and not iVoni the cultivators. Now 

 the absorption of so nuieh labour in the cultivation of tlii?? 

 one product nnist necessarily liave raised the ju-ice of food 

 and other necessaries; and when it was abolished, more 

 rice wouhl bo grown, more sago made, more fish cauglit, 

 and more tortoisc-shplL rattau, giun-fhunuier, and other 

 valuaVilc products of the seas and Uh; forests would be ob- 

 tained. I believe, therefore, that this aI>olition of the spiee 

 tmde in the ^loluccas was actually beneficial to the inha- 

 bitants, and that it was an act both wi^e in it-self aiitl 

 momliy and politically justifiable. 



In the selection of the jjlaces in which to carry on the 

 cultivation, the Dutch were not altogether fortunate or 

 wise. iJanda was chosen for nutmeg.>, and was eminently 

 Kuccessftd, since it coTitinues to this day to ]iroducc a large 

 supply of this spice, and to yield a considerable revenue. 

 Amboyna was fixed upon for establishing the clove culti- 

 vation ; but the soil and climate, although apparently very 

 similar to that of its native islands, is not favourable^ and 

 for .<?ome yeai^ the Government have actually been paying 

 to the cultivators a higher I'ate than they Of)uld purchase 

 cloves elsewhere, owing to a gi'cat fall in the price since the 

 rate of payment was fixed for a term of years by the Diiteli 

 Clovernnicnt, and which rate is still most honourably paid. 



In walking about the suburbs of Tcrnate, we find 

 everywhere the ruins of massive stone and brick build- 

 ings, gateways and arches, showing at once the sujierior 

 wealth of the ancient town and the destructive effccta of 



