The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-16 00:00:00

JAVA.

Extract of a letter, dated Batavia, April 11, 1826 :
" Java is at this moment in a most deplorable state ; its
commerce is entirely ruined, and the finances are annihi-
lated ; the Government is, in fact, bankrupt. To make
the state of affairs intelligible to you, I shall go back a
little—say to the period of the arrival of our Commissione-
r the Viscount de Gezhigrie:4. Before that period,
lowing to the heavy duties which had driven away all
commerce, and the fall in the price of coffee, the revenues
of the Government had decreased most alarmingly. These
two causes acted doubly upon each other, and might be
stated both as the cause and the effect. The high duties
upon British goods put a stop to the importations, which, of
course, took out of the market so much of the funds des-
tined to purchase coffee, which, partly from this cause,
and from the great fall in Europe, fell in price accordingly.
In consequence of the great fall in the price of coffee, the
means of the growers were diminished, and they could not
purchase, to the same extent as formerly, British goods or
other merchandise. To aggravate the want of revenue, the
Javanese war broke out (for which the Dutch have only
themselves to blame), which has already occasioned an im-
mense expense. In spite of all these troubles, the old
Government, at the head of which was the Baron Van der
Capetian, still preserved an appearance of faith with the
public creditor. Bad as the Baron was, and it is he who
is to be looked upon as the original source of all our trou-
bles and misfortunes, his successor, the Viscount, is
infinitely worse. One of the Viscount's first measures was
to alter the state of the currency, which, regarded in itself,
was a good one; and it could make no difference to any
one into how many dolts (a small copper coin) he divided
the rupee, so long as he gave one silver rupee for a paper
one. As soon as the one and five rupee paper notes were
exchanged for silver rupees, the latter immediately rose to
a premium of six per cent., and soon finally disappeared
from circulation. The only medium of circulation now is
the promissory notes of 100 rupees each, and upwards, bear-
ing an interest of nine per cent. per annum. The next
measure of the Commissioner was, to issue a proclama-
tion, reducing the interest upon the promissory notes to
six per cent. from the Ist of April. This would have
been all very well, if the holders of the promissory notes,
who should refuse to accept a reduced interest, had been
paid off as they are in England. I look upon this measure
as an undisguised breach of faith. At Samarang, the
Government issued a species of copper money called
Bunks, or Bengals—pieces of copper of the size of
your finger, and worth about two slivers nominally,
but its real value not equal to one stiver. There was a
very large profit on the issue of this copper money, which
went into the pockets of the Government. The Chinese
(ever alive to their interest) were tempted by the large
profit, and immediately threw into the market a great
quantity of bunks. In process of time these bunks
formed the only medium of circulation at Samarang, and I
do not believe the Government themselves knew the differ-
ence between the false and the real bunks: at all events,
both were received alike in payment at their treasury. But
lo and behold! out comes a proclamation, calling in all the
bunks, not according to the rate at which they hail been
issued, and at which they bad circulated, but according
to a certain given weight. The result was, that the hold-
ers of the bunks lost considerably—some at the rate of 20
per cent., and others at 40 per cent., or even more. Can
you believe a modern European Government guilty of such
baseness, and living upon and deriving a profit from the
distresses of the people? In consequence of the calling in
of the one and five rupee notes here, which amounted to
about three millions of rupees, and the silver having al-
most immediately disappeared, the only medium of circu-
lation left at Batavia is the promissory note of 100 rupees
and upwards, which, however suitable for large payments,
will not do to pay labourers and servants, or to purchase
the necessaries of life. In consequence of the disappear-
ance of silver, every one has been anxious to get copper
dolts in exchange: now, by the new regulation, 100 dons
go to a rupee instead of 120, as before; and the Govern-
ment have most magnanimously and humanely stepped
forward to declare that they are ready to oblige any one
with copper dolts, at the rate of 100 to a rupee, in
exchange for, the paper notes of 10 rupees and upwards.
By this the Government gain clearly twenty per cent.
at the expense of the community; and even before, when
120 dolts went to a rupee, they got a profit. Thus
the paper money is fast vanishing, and, as I said,
we have nothing left but the promissory notes,
which the merchants are glad to exchange for dolts,
at a discount of 5 per cens,, Here is a pretty state of
things ; where it will enti I cannot say. Besides all this,
the Government are indebted to a great many individuals
in large sums of money for hire of ships, sales of goods,
and loans of money made to them in the time of their
trouble and distress, when they had nothing in their chest.
And how do they testify their gratitude? The Commis-
sioner has issued a proclamation, offering the creditors,
in lieu of their claims, an equal amount to be invested for
them in the Syndicate fund of Holland. Ile says it is to
be optional, but it is pretty well understood that they who
do not caruply will have to whistle for their money, or, at
least, remain out of it for a long time. With regard to
the war here I have no particular news to communicate;
but it appears very plain that the Dutch will not he able to
put down the insurgent@ until they receive reinforcements
from Holland. Upon the subject of the militia it gives me
great pleasure to inform you, that all the British subjects
here have at length become unanimous. We have to-day
sent in a remonstrance to the Commissioner, but hardly
expect lie will listen to it. Nevertheless, it will be a satis-
faction to reflect that we have done our duty as British
subjects, and have not submitted to arbitrary measures
until forced."

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.
This Evening, WEDNESDAY, August id, will be performed the new
Grand Serlo-Comic Opera of
THE ORACLE t or, THE JNTERRUPTED SACRIFICE.
The principal Characters by Mews. J. Bland, Perkins, J. 0. Atkin', H.
Phillip', Saplo, and Thorne ; Misses Paton, Hamilton, and Goward.
After which the new Melo-Drama of
THE I.AST ocEitnILLA.
The principal Characters by Messrs. Pearmen, Thorne, Bennett, Archer,
Clifford, Salter, and Cooper ; Misses Hamilton, Coward, and Gray.