May 24, 1858.] 
ASIATIC ARCHIPELAGO. 
309 
area of 630,000 miles, or six times tire extent of tire British 
Islands. The longest volcanic band in the world runs through 
the whole Archipelago, to the length of at least 3000 miles. This 
band (containing no fewer than 45 active volcanic mountains, the 
lowest of which is higher than Vesuvius, while the highest ex- 
ceeds Etna), is a distinct region from the non-volcanic portion, and 
is, by its fertility, distinguished from the crystalline and sedi- 
mentary portion. 
This non-volcanic portion of the Archipelago, by far the larger, 
has, however, its peculiar advantages ; for while the useful metals 
are wanting in the volcanic region, they abound in the other. 
This non-volcanic region contains the richest and the most ex- 
tensive tin field in the world ; for that ore is found, at intervals, 
over seventeen degrees of latitude ; and while its produce is as 
yet confined to the washing of the alluvium containing the ores, 
the yield of metal is already double that of Cornwall. Iron ores of 
excellent quality are found in Borneo, which island also contains 
mines of gold, which were considered comparatively rich until the 
discovery of those of California and Australia. Borneo further con- 
tains the richest mines of antimony at present known to us, and 
although discovered only thirty years ago, they now furnish the 
main supply of Europe. The same island furnishes coal, a mineral 
far more important (if it be the old coal ?) than any of the above, 
which is at present worked by English companies.* 
The vegetable products of the Archipelago immediately useful to 
man are probably more various than those of any other quarter of 
the globe. It produces the larger portion of the spiceries consumed 
by mankind, and its volcanic region is eminently adapted to the 
culture of corn and pulses, of the sugar-cane and coffee. The 
present yearly produce of the last article, although an exotic, is 
estimated not to fall short of 25,000 tons. 
In the department of zoology, I will only refer to its principal 
member, man. The inhabitants are of two distinct races, the Negro 
and the Malay, and each of these is divided into many sub-varieties, 
speaking as many different languages as the people occupying an 
equal extent of America. A curious and important fact, connected 
with the distribution of man over the Archipelago, is especially de- 
serving of notice. By far the most numerous, and also the most civi- 
lised portion of the inhabitants, is found in the volcanic and smaller 
region. The entire number of the inhabitants has been computed 
On the S. side, coal is also worked by the Dutch. 
