Star.
London, England, 1820-08-23 00:00:00

EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO.—No.

.If the honour and immediate interests of Britain
appear to concur in the maintenance of our engage-
ments with the Native Princes of the Eastern Islands,
our remote interests are not less concerned. In the
event of a war with the Netherlands, the advantage
which we might derive from the attachment of the
natives of these islands, would be of very great
moment; and how much easier is it to maintain -that
attachment than it was to acquire it? Or than it
would be to regain it when once justly forfeited, as
it would be by the abandonment of their rights
and interests.

Of little use, however, would be the recognition,
on the part of the Dutch, of our engagements with
the natives, unless we were at hand to watch over
the fulfilment of them ; and hence the necessity of
our occupying a port in the Eastern Archipelago,
the best adapted for communication with the Native
Princes—for a general knowledge of what is going II
on..at sea and on shore throughout the Archipelago
—for the resort of the independent trade and the
trade with our allies—for the protection of our com-
merce and all our interests—and, more especially,
for an entrepot for our merchandize ; an object from
which, we earnestly hope, our Government will.
never suffer itself to be driven by any manoeuvre of
Dutch diplomacy.
Bencoolen and Prince of Wales Island are far too
remote from the scene to answer any of these put.
poses. The former is on the Western Coast of Su-
matra, out of the reach of the native trade of the
Archipelago ; and, independent of this disadvantage,
I from the nature of the coast and the occasional vio-
lence of the sea and surf, not to be approached by
the native craft without great danger of loss. The
latter is.situated considerably to the Northwaid of
Malacca, and, though to be approached with safety
by native vessels, is so distant from the principal
native ports of the Archipelago that, under the un-
certainty of the passage up the Straits,-but few
native vessels are induced to go there ;• for the small
portion of the trade it has hitherto enjoyed it was
chiefly indebted to the temporary possession of Ma-
lacca, where heavy duties were imposed in order to
force the trade up.
In consequence of the remoteness of these stations
nothing can be learned there of the proceedingi '
the Archipelago, without messengers travelling over
it for the purpose of collecting information ; it would
take, even in the favourable season of the year, three
weeks or a month for information to reach either of
these settlements from the principal ports of the
Archipelago, and in the opposite season full as
many months.

Of the Insufficiency of Prince of Wales Island,
even to maintain its present commerce with the
islands, the following Memorial fre.m the Merchants
resident there affords an alarming testimony, viz.
" Prince of Wales Island, 25th April, 1816.
" SIR—We take the liberty of addressing you, to request that
you will be pleased to state to tke Honourable the Governor in
Council, that we have observed with great regret and apprehen.
sion that, by the late Treaty between Great Britain and the
King of the Netherlands, not only Java and the Molucca Islands,
but all the late Dutch possessions on the west coast of Sumatra,
with the towns of Malacca and•Pera, on the Malay peninsula,
and Rhin, in the Straits of Malacca, are likely to be restored to
them. Should such be the intention and understanding of the
Treaty, we have no doubt that the consequences will be most
injurious to the commercial interests of the British Nation, both
as affecting the Honourable the East India Company, and
vidual Merchants in India, by tending generally to cramp our
Indian trade, and by the restraint, interference, and annoyance,
Native Traders wishing to resort to our Ports will be subject to.
We presume, therefore, to bring this view of the subject to the
consideration of the Honourable the Governor in Council, in
the hopes that Government may still, jf possible, endeavour to
make such arrangements with the Dutch Government as stay
secure the continued possession of these places, excepting Java
and the Molucca Islands, to the English, or at least the non-
occupation of them by-the Dutch.
" But it is particularly to Malacca and its dependencies that
we are desirous of calling the attention of Government. If the
Dutch arc allowed to get again possession of there, they will no
doubt adopt the same system they pursued in 1793, of prohibit..
ing all prows, junks, and other native vessels, from passing the
town of Malacca to trade at this island, which compelled the
owners of these prows and vessels either to desist from trading
with us, or, in order to evade such arbitrary injunction, to sell
them here, and seek protection by sailing them under the
British flag.

" We conceive that Malacca, commercially, and auuredly
politically, since its port has been destroyed., is of no importance
to the Dutch ; and this consideration has rendered us :fore
anxious to request the attention of Government to this subject,
as we should hope that the Dutch, if it is even intended to re-
store it them, might easily be induced to relinquish the posses-
sion of it. The revenues eau never pay the expense of keeping
it, while their possession of it and interference with llhio, rera,
and Salangore, closoly adjoining to us, and considered by them
dependencies of it, would be subjecting the two nations to end-
less differences and disputes, and be destructive to that peace
and friendship which both Governments must be most desirous
of preserving. In confirmation of the little importance the
Dutch attached to Malacca, we may here remark, that though
it was agreed to be restored to them by the Peace of 1301, yet
they never took possession of it; and in this point of view it
may probably be considered that it is not now ceded to them by,
the late Treaty,. they not being actually in possession of it in
180, or indeed of lihio, or any of their possessions, or Sumatra.

The Dutch having the Straits of Sunda free for their trade, car-
net have any real use for Malacca, .while to Great Fritain fug
and free possession of the Straits of Malacca, we resin:lN:ly 'it&
to state, must be an object of the first importance !or the trae
carrying on of her India and China Trade. We forth !r respect*.
fully beg to add, that a friendly intercourse and c ,rreaponderce
having existed between the English Government to,ii the several
Rajahs. and Sultans of Pera, balangore, lihio, ;Ind
many in the island of Banca, for the last twenty years, and F.rg-
li,ls Merchants, both here and at other Presidencies, having
formed mercantile connections with the people of these !rider:7 -
dent States; in our humble opinion the Interest of Great Ptifrin
will be greatly sacrificed by ceding to the Dutch . more than
Java and its Islands, and the Moluccas with their ; and
we beg to observe, that, by ceding these oily, the Straits of
Sunda, the Java Seas, and Straits of Macassar, would ferns the
boundaries betimen the two States in India, whi'h, being no
distinctly marked, and placing the possessions of each country
so remote from the other, would remove all Calls, or iikelihocd
of dispute or difference."
(Signed by all the European and Native kerchcnts of
Prince of Waies Island.)
" W. A. CMUSLEY, Esq. Secretary to Government, &c."
Of the views of the Dutch in regaining Malacca,
the following extracts liom one of their Reports itt
1793, affords ample evidence In the re-establish.!
ing of Malacca," says the writer, " we must not
merely inquire what is to be done for the benefit of
Malacca, but, at the same time, what we can do to
the prejudice of Prince of \Vales Island r And even
should the Dutch (of which we have no idea) adopt a
more liberal policy than formerly characterized their
Government in the East, it is evident, from the ad-
vantageous situation of Malacca, that they have only
to make it a ftee port fur a few years, to destroy the
trade of Prince of Wales Island altogether. Malacca
is the ancient seat of a great portion of the Eastern
commerce; it has been considered as the golden
Chersoriesus of the ancients. It is most convenieatly
situated as an entrepcit be:.ween Eastern and Western
'Asia. No delay is occasioned in ships touching there;
they anchor in one tide, and, after communicating
with the shore, are at liberty to proceed on their
voyage during the next, without farther detention.
This is not the case with Prince of Wales Island ; to
touch at the principal port occasions always a dell:y
of son:e days, and not unfiequi..ntly of a wixl: or
more. Some of the more liberal of the Dutch, in
considering the policy best to be pursued at XL-
lacca, so as to clestitiy Prince of Wales Island, have
already reported, that the simple and natural answer
to the question is--4t Give to the trader, be he a citi-
zen or a foreigner, under equitable regulations and
moderate duties, all possible free Join in navrgatiw
and trade."

But why was the Island of Banca ever given up
to the Dutch.? Shodld We ever regain possession, it
is to be hoped that it will never more he parted with.
Till its late surrender, it had been exclusively Bri-
tish ; the Dutch flag had never been hoisted there.—
The population had accumulated under the British
alone, to the amount of at least ten thousand souls.
The tin mines, the mnA i'Lnd productive itt
the world, afforded a large surplus revenue. Con-
siderable sums had been expended init. It possesses
a noble harbour, good road'stead, and lies in the direct
passage between the Straits of Sunda and Malacca.
During the three last years of the British Govern-
ment in Banca, the Revenues and Expellees
follows; atvin:l4 rustsr.s. CLEAR rionz
Iu 1914.
1815 . 7 . '700,738 • 507,71;9 401,5511

1816 (During which
the Island was trans- 676,340 401,0:0
(erred to the Dutch

275,289

Rupees 1,935,504 999,106 936,195
Giving an average profit exceeding 300,000 i upees
per annum ; or, during three years, of A.:1(A),,00.
In the years above quoted, the disbursement, were
higher, than would generally be necessary, owing to
the infant state of the Establishment; and the .in
was spld at a price much below what it would gehe-
rally fetch, particularly in the year 1816, when it
was an object to dispose of it at any rate, be:ore the •
actual transfer.

The export of tin during the British Government
(in Banca, was not pushed beyond 2000 tons in the
year ; but there is nothing to prevent that quantity
being doubled, by an a tig n,entation of labourers, ‘k ho
are Chines; and are to be procured with the gterel
facility. The mines have, in no instance, been yet
dug below four fathoms deep ; and the Island abounds
with indications of the ore in parts where no mines
have yet been commenced. The tin *s delivered by
voluntary contract, by the miners, at six dollars the
pecul, or about £22 the ton. The whole expense of
the civil and military establishments dces not exceed
two dollars per pecul more on the quantity usually de-
livered ; and the balance between this and the telling
price of 20 dollars the pecul, is clear profit, that is to
say, between £3O per ton and £75 ; which, on 20C:0
tons, is £90,000: and this amount might, at any
rate, be calculated upon, were Banca to become per-
manently English, without increasing the quantity cf
tin now actually t.ent into the mallet.
The importance of our possessing this Island, as
connected with the tin mines of England, deserves
serious consideration. It is about a century since tl e
mines of Banca were discovered. From that period
the produce of tin has been gradually increasing, lat-
terly to the alinost entire supercession. in the Chiha
• market of the English tin. Were Dance in our pos-
session, we should have it in our powerto controul
the export so as to afford encouragement to the sale
of our own tin ; but in the bands of our rivals, sao
may increase the export aintost ad übitute, the liana
tin will not only be made to supersede the English
tin in China, but also in Europe ; for it is impossible
that we can compete on the Continent with au article
which is actually furnished by the miners of Bauca
at less than one third of what our miners could afford
to deliver it.

Monday se'nnight, at Farley. the L.uly of the Rev. T. Hew%
cote, of a daughter.
June t::8, at Kingeon, Upper Canada, the Lady of Lientenar4-
Colonel Comics )I•Gcigor, 7oth Regiment of a son.