250 TRAVELS IN 
their ships. They threw every obstacle in the way of its be- 
coming a tiourishing settlement ; allowed no trade whatsoever 
but what passed through the hands of their own servants, and 
made it dependent on the Governor-General of Batavia ; con- 
cluding, that the settlers would thus be made equally submis- 
sive to their orders from Europe, and from the seat of their 
influence and wealth in the East, It foresaw, perhaps, that a 
spirit of industry, if encouraged oh a mild and temperate cli- 
mate, and on a fertile soil, might one day produce a society 
impatient of the shackles it might wish to impose upon it. 
A decree was therefore passed, that in the country districts 
the farm-houses should not be erected at a nearer distance 
from each other than three miles ; with a view, probably, by 
preventing a ready intercourse, of counteracting more 
effectually any design they might be inclined to adopt for se- 
curing their independence. 
A colony, in such a state, on the decline of their commer- 
cial establishments in the East, became a burden and an ex- 
pence too heavy for them to bear; and little doubt was 
entertained of their willingness to dispose of it for a moderate 
sum of money, just before the French revolution and its de- \ 
structive consequences unsettled the affairs of all Europe. As 
it never produced any surplus revenue, but, on the contrary, 
was attended with considerable cxpence ; and, as they never 
applied it to any other use themselves, but that of refreshing 
their ships, which they could always do, in time of peace, just 
as well in the hands of any other power, it could not be sup- 
posed they would be averse to part with it ; and, accordingly, 
overtures to this effect were intended to be made by England 
about the time when the above unfortunate event took 
place. 
