The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-18

Information has been received at the Department
OF State, from the consulate Of the United States at
Demarara, British Guiana, that the legislature of
that colony has recently passed ordinance to au
thorize the raising, loan, of the of five hun
bred thousand pounds, for immigration purposes;
also, an ordinance to provide for the payment Of the
interest, and for the redemption of loan Of five
| hundred thousand pounds, to be raised for immi-
grafton purposes.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
From Communications Of Captain John PercpaI COM
| handing United States ship Constitution.
UsrrED STATES SHIP CONSTITUTION,
CoAsT or BoRNEo, March 81, l645.
SIR In compliance with your orders of the 18th
instant, proceeded with the boats under my charge
to the entrance Of the "Sambas" river, where found
| a small native village called "Ramon-kat," and a
guard-boat of the Dutch government. To the officer
in charge, reported the name and character of the
ship, and my wish to ascend the river to the town
of "Sambas;" to this no objection being offered we
| entered the main branch Of the "Sambas" river ut
| noon of the 18TH This river we found TO be trihe
over mile in width and preserving a uniformity,
not only in its dimensions, but in its soundings,
and the character of its borders. The latter are
formed by thick underground Of mangroves,
through which the water penetrates to some distance,
aordng no landing, except upon the thickly inter-
woven roots of this tree and those Of the yzer wood.
eve had occasion to cook two meals for the boats
crews upon these remarkable banks.
In consequence of the great disparity between the
ebh and flood tides, the former running eight hours,
and the latter but four and half we did not reach
the mouth of the south branch until midnight of the
18th. This branch of the "Sambasn is % or %
miles from the sea, and varies in width from 30 to
As yards, and its borders similar to those Of the
main stream, affording no foundation for towns or
villages.
Being detained at the entrance of this branch by
the ebb tide, despatched DR.. Reinhardt to village
situated on narrow stream few miles from our
anchorage; he was fortunate in obtaining few spe-
| cimens of plants. A small sampan which had ac-
companed from the guard boat, gave him better
opportunity to examine the banks of this shallow
| stream than one of our own boats could have done.
At daylight on the Goth, after night of ncessant
rain, we arrived at the town of "Sambas," twenty
miles from the main stream. called at once upon
| the governor, and made the report usual in such
| cases. With unlooked-for hospitality, he offered
me house and cooking establishment for the men,
and invited the officers to domesticate themselves in
his own house, this kindness his part was further
increased in the course Of the day, by accompanying
me to the Chinese and Malay towns and the frank
ness of his replies to all my inquiries. From the
| information which follows obtained from Governor
Baumgardt, felt satisfied that your order of the
18th did not require me to proceed higher up the
river.
This part Of Borneo, embracing the Sambas and
all Its branches, extending from 32' Of south lati-
tuuO " g ~ MUM, anu IIOu lUO~ " 70 lIU~
ST Of east longitude, comprising an area of &c, 304
| square miles, contains population of 5000 Ma
lays SO, 900 Dyaks and $4,000 Chinese, and is en-
tirely under the control of the Dutch government,
to whom it was coded in 1917, and has been held
| by it without interruption since that period.
Its commerce, though limited, is entirely unre-
striced, excepting the articles OF salt and gunpow-
der; these are monopoes Of the Dutch government,
and are contraband in vessels Of other nations.
There is also a small duty on tobacco, which is
brought from China and the island of java but,
with the exception of these articles all the Dutch
possessions in the island of Borneo are free to the
traders Of all nations. There is, however incon-
siderable port duty of one rupee per ton levied up
ON all vessels that ascend the river.
II is matter Of surprise that this large territory
affords no articles of commerce; completely mum
dated at high water, communication with the few
mountains observable from the coast is only to be
had by means of boats; and two OF these noun
tains afford to the Dutch government its only
of revenue, and to the inhabitants the only article
of trade. Il should except, however, cose-grain-
ed wood, called the "yzer," principally used by the
Chinese for furniture.)
| The trade of Sambas, consisting chiefly Of plain,
bleached unbleached, and printed cottons and cali
Goes, has been monopolized by the English for
many years; the Dutch do not even attempt to COM
pete with them. The natives pay in gold. This
metal is brought from the mountains before spoken
of, and becomes their only article Of commerce as
soon as it is freed from the earth in which it is
/ found, by the simple process of washing, and is
worth eight hundred rupees, three hundred and
twenty dollars, the pound II is to be regretted that
the demand, on the part of the natives for cotton
fabrics should be inconsderabe as the navigation
Of the river and the to it extremely simple
and uniform; and the character of the natives if
naturally doce, is rendered incapable of aggression
i by the close surveillance of the Dutch authorities
and vessels drawing IL or 10 feet may ascend with
| perfect ease and safety to the town of Sambas
i I trau hare ri af hcf the
governor offered to allow to copy; and, in closing
i my report, cannot avoid again referring to the
| kindness Of Governor Baumgardt, the frankness Of
| his communications his cordially expressed desire
that our commerce should again be renewed with
| this colony, and his regret that business, and the
preparations he is making leave for Batavia pre-
vented him from visiting you on board the Consti-
tuition.
l am, very respectfully,
Your obedent servant,
| (Signed) VIM. c. CHAPLIN,
! Lieutenant.
Capt. JOHN PERcIvAL,
Commanding U. s. ship Constitution.
/ UNITED STATES SHIP CONSTITUTIONS,
Coast of Borneo, April 8, l645.
| Sin: Pursuant to your instructions of the 7th
| instant, left the ship, with the boats under my
command, and proceeded to Mooarro point, which
reached at a. m. of the 9Th instant; thence tray
ersing the bay of Borneo, gained the entrance Of
the river Ia narrow stream which shall, together
with the bay, more carefully notice before concu
ding my report and passed on, without interruption
to the city of Borneo, arriving there at p. m. o
the same day. On our passage up the river, we en-
countered a large war proa OF twenty paddles
having on board an officer of the households or
his way Gas he informed me) to the ship; but, or
learning my object, he decided to 60 back with
me, although urged him to proceed, assuring him
of a kind reception on board.
il Near the entrance of the city, we were met by q
messenger from the Sultan, who was directed to
conduct us the palace and, entering the town,
two salutes were fired, in honor Of our arrival
Proceeding directly to the palace, was received
by the Sultan in spacious and airy apartment
filed with large concourse Of people Of rank; the