THE TELEGRAPH IN JAVA AXT) SUMATRA. 



65 



Banyuwangi, on the Strait of Bali. It passes near 

 Bantam and Batana, and thence along the low lauds 

 near the north coast to Chen])on and Samai-ang, 

 thence south of Mount Japara and so eastward. This, 

 I was informed^ was made ]>y Marshal Daendals, who 

 governed Java under the French rule in 1809. There 

 is also a militaiy road from Samarang to Surakarta 

 and Jokyokarta, where the two native princes now 

 reside. Java also enjoys a very complete system of 

 telegraphic commnnication. On the 2Sd of October, 

 1850, the first line, between Batavia (Weltevreden) 

 and Buiteny.org, was finished. Immediately after, it 

 was so rapidly extended that, in 1859, 1,6Y0 English 

 miles were completed. A telegraphic cable was also 

 laid in that year fi^om Bata\'ia up the Straits of Banca 

 and Khio to Singapore ; but, unfortunately, it was 

 broken in a short time, probably by the anchor of 

 some vessel in those shallow straits. After it had 

 been repaired it was immediately broken a second 

 time, and in 1861 the enterprise was given up, but 

 now they are laying another cable across the Strait 

 of Sunda, &om Augir to the district of Lampong ; 

 thence it will extend np the west coast to Bencoolen 

 and Padang, and, passii^ across the Padang plateau, 

 through Fort de l^ock and Pay a Kombo, come to the 

 Strait of Malacca, and be laid directly across to Singa- 

 pore. 



These Javanese ponies go well on a level or down- 

 hill, but when the road becomes steep they frequent- 

 ly stop altogether. In the hilly parts of Java, there- 

 fore, the natives are obliged to fasten their buffaloes 

 to your carriage, and you must patiently wait for 



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