The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-13 00:00:00

SUMATRA.

The Gil:owing is the PrtoTEAT of Sir Tliosuct
STANIFORD RAFFIS.9, Lirutenaist-Govenior of Fort
Nlarlhorough, aKaisi.t the aggressions of the Dutch
in the Indian Seas :

PROTEST.

The honour and interests of the British Government ren-
dering it indispensable that a public and formal Pretest
thunild he made against lie proceedings of the Dutch Aistko-
titiee in the hlalayan Archipelago,
I do hereby, as the nearest British Authority, ...hmily
and publicly protest against the following proceedings of the
Idepresentatives of the Netherlands Government.
When the Agents of the British Government transferred
the government of Java to their Excellencies the Corneille*
itiuners of Ins Netherlands Majesty, they called upon the
Commissioners-General to NMI the engagements which the
British Government had contracted with the Native Prillet
during its admiiiistration of Java. The British Authorities
considered themselves bound and entitled to insist ein their
doing so, that haviug areepted the benefit of those Arts
which were favourable to them, they comb, not reject the
burden of those which they deemed otherwise. 11,10,11.
Dion was made in the tat agement. with the Native Princes,
for the contingency cf the Colony returning to Holland.
Holland, indeed, did not then exlet as a narmn, iod the
Aullito dies who administered Jars Nelda have been fully
warranted in resigning the whole enentry to the Native
Princes. The language which was in consiquence held out
to the Natives, was that of a Government competent to
make agreementS in pepetutty. Without sorb a hinging',
the British could never have done what erne dune fur the
Eastern Islands. Those leading mea..eie.., of which the
Nellie-Wide Government are now ileiiving all the benefit,
could never have been effected had nut the Natives retied on
the British Government being able to secure them in a per-
petuity of those rights ,hick they heel recognised.
The Commiasioners-Geueral of his Netherlands Majesty,
however, refusal to guarantee those Treaties, and the con-
sequence was a formal Protest on the part of the British
Authorities, who, on account of this and other measures of
the Nelberlande Government, were compelled to leave Bl•
tavin, under a declaration, that there was an evident distil.
clination to eiinci.-de any thing to the name and character of
the British Nation in the Eastern Seas; and that, jodginz
by the general policy crowed, there seemed rel., in to be-
lieve it to be tare nom of the Netherlands Government to
erase the recollection of the British Administr etion, and
studiously to prevent the Native Princes and Chiefs perceiv-
ing any influence of the British Government in the arratiget
mauls of that transfer.
Such were the early impression.' of the British Authori-
ties, and the subserment proceedings of the Netherlands
Government will show how far they are correct.
The British Government considered the Native Princes
as independent Sovereign., and treated with diem accord-
The Dutch refused to guainutee or respect our Trea-
ties, and would appear to have considered those faithful
Aldus' of the Hiiti>b uatime as unconditionally subjected to
their disorient.
If this he urijost with, regard to the settlements actually
iniciected to European control, what must be thought of it
with regard to those States which have risen into impoi [-
mice, and maiutained their connexion with Britain in oppo-
sition to the testiictive policy of the Dutch ? The Repre-
sentatives of his Netherlands Majesty would seem to aim
at an absolute despotism over the whole Archipelago, with a
view of excluding other European nations. The British
had encoeraged sentiments of freedom as far as was compa-
tible with trauquinity, and had led the seethes to rely upuu
them fur the continued enjoyment of them.
But whatever may be the areaugements or argntnents
of the Netherlands Government with regard to the Archi-
pelago generally, it is not necesemy to go beyond the con-
fines of Sumatra fur evidence of the system which they seem
determined to mimic, and alaitist which it is the main
object of this Paper to protest. The circumstances are as
follow :
Hi the 2d Article of the Convention of 1311, August,lSl4,
the British Government ceded the island of Banes to the
King of the Netherlands.
Th.s island, valuable on account of its tin mines, had,
in the year 1812, been previously ceded to Great Britain by
his Highness Sultan Najnimidin, of Palembang, on the ex-
press condition that all former contracts and agreements
should be annulled, site that the Saltan should be main.
rained allit supported in his dignity by the British Govern-
ment, without the further interference of the European
Government in the affairs of Palembang. So important
was this stipulation considered by the Sultan, that WI the
Ist August, 1813, it was an express Article of au explana-
tory Treaty, that the former clause which stipulated that
his Highness 'hernia do homage, or consider himself always
(ICpelliialli OD the Goverimient of) ava, was " 111311 and void,"
astetag unnecessary under existing circumstances.
When the British weie about to withdraw from Java, and
arrangements were made fur the transfer of Bailee, it was
necessary to withdraw the email British force which had pro.
visiuually remained at Palembang for the protection of the
Sultan. On that °rennin the Sultan appealed to the British
Government io the strongest ieflll4. The following extract
from one of his Highness's letters to the Hon. Mr. Findall,
may be suflicient for the present purpose
" 1 hasten to send back my Ambassadors to Batavia to
wait upon my friend the Lieutenaist.Guvernor, of whom I
earnestly entreat that lie will confirm and settle all the Sr.
tangements regarding me and she country of Palembang,
as heretofore existiog—and that those relations may minor
uointerrapted, notwithstanding the caiiiiihrolienent of the
Dutch Government on the island of Java. I cannot oat any
consideration separate myself bum the friendship existing
between she and the Butish Goverioneirt, sod I place my
eellanCe On the Braid) Government, that their protection
inuy nut he withdrawn, kc. kc. I canoed toiderstand any
other Power upon which I can place tuy elepoidence than
the Engle."' teoverameeit,"
In the same matitice as Ole Rousso Aoilhorities lead called
upon the Commiseioners General to guarantee the Treaties
with other Plisices, they called uteri' them to respect that
tvith the Sultan of Palembang i bra the Commtssionere re.

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