The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-03
70 n sssss. az the Sultan ~
ys.hs~sy OF A.ssSseaa o ..ssC -. ~.
HaSsy~s Archipelago.
TO TIE RDrrc~ m

~ " sttboD al ene Dustan 81 vS.A
y..l.s.y Of America. o -.'.sS- :. ~.
na,sy~. ArcAspsisss.
10 TIE A0n.> or TIE HmALn
NEw YoRK. March Is, 1858.
sne oe'nrcnement o. the Sultan OF Lngga, |
ABLY po'enSate OF the In ian Archipelago, OF
which som parscv were published in your jour
sA'a few days APO, is an event deserving of some
attention from he American public and being pos
ssss'd OF Special information bearing upon this
matter, o'sire to present. through your columns,
setter hDIwledge Of the event to the country.
IAngga proper is aa island-srea s4a 'quare
1diss-lying OF the n ,rhesst coast Of sumatra; Is
wsssed by the equa ior, aud about half way BE-
tween Banca and Sin sapore It lies directly in the
vsy Of our commup' cation with China and Japan
Dy the way Of the Ape of Good Hope. The island
= mountainous; il highest peak, well known to
ns'gstors, Alta ms an elevation of S755 feet
~ The alluvie ] detritus Of the mountains
gam nn'" nne quality, equal TO that Of
nAnca' mas seen found recently, and IL Ia
manifest That with the same application Of labor as
'ne aIter nch island, the ore will be produced as
beautifully. ~. ,slana forms link IN the chain of
sAn deposits or mart nj The yrea, Malay Tin 1ield
ss~'ch'ng Eom Tavoy, in the Malay peninsula, to
"e s'sud of Billion. Its zoology and vegetable
p10oncn ms are equai in variety and richness with
NOSE OF She adjacent beautiful tropical isSnds; but
seAng Slvbited by race of Malay sea rovers, the
Pr"du iyeness OF the island has not been developed
byps .,,,h,e labor. The honest trader has avoided
~ sstts and it might have continued " be re-
Gar Nd ss ID has been for ages-s worthless haunt Of
VI i5sjous or "sea gypsies' Of the Archipelago
y NC not for its supposed possession OF an abln-
mce of tin
Since the treaty of 1874 between Great Britain
nd Holland, by which the former Power restored To
Ae latter all her possessions ia the Archipelago,
md stipulated at the same time to exclude British
snterprise frum al points the Malayan seas south
81 the latitude of Singapore, the Dutch have as
1umed superiority every native state IN these
.s,.s. THIS pretension lies dorman, until some for
.syn enterprise and especially of late, American en-
-serpree, threatens To disturb the unwise monopoly
Mat has hndered much the developsment Of this
sreat group of islands. Thus the State OF Jambee
n Sumatra was not openly claimed depeC-
dency of Netherlands India till 1852, when an
American schooner proceeding to visit its CAPT
NAl Thirty years previous 10 that period not
ahgie Dutch representative. civil or military, had
Get foot within the Jambee territory. Pretensions
70 the northwest peninsula OF Papua, formed by
tGeelvink and Mcclure bays were recently revived
by Holland, when il rumored that an American
Australian company contemplated the colonization
f that rich soil, although the Dutch bad abandoned
it's coasts since 1928, unwilling 10 contend with Pa
pnan savagery and piracy. BY the last mail from
Singapore learn that the settlement OF Mr. Wilson
the island of Bancalis In the Straits Of Malacca
established like that Of Rajah Brook in Serawak,
has teen broken mp By Dutch troops, though till
this event Dutch soldier bad never set foo, on the
Island And Of the same time We learn
from the Javsasche Courdnt that the
6nitan of Lingga has been deposed, and
10 his stead: INC and this act Of dehronsuent
% 0 lawful sovereign has taken place because he
lad rendered himself obnoxious TO his SUBJECTS
having. according 10 the official renort-sn extract
81 which you have published--comnlitted the high
crime against Mshommedan Law of marrying one
Of his fathers concubiDes. Bu as this person was 8
child Of nine years of age at that fathers death aud
has been a recognized Sultana of Lingga without
question, for years, II must be evident that the
Dutch and their friends in lingga must, AZ in the
ease OF Henry VIII In his divorce Of Cstharine of
Anagon have some other motive for this act Of vio
knoe 10 the LinggnBese prince than his alleged sate
Ct incest, which [ think can explain.
The dethroned- Sultan, though o genuine Malay
wns a man of European views and tastes. He fire.
qnently visited Singapore, In his English built plea
sure yacht he joined Masonic lodge at singa
pore, mingled freely with European residents and
showed great desire 70 meet and converse with in
selhgent English and American merchants aud ship
saptans lie took great interest in listening TO &C,
counts u the great Western continent. He wanted
Americans 70 visit the island.
Last summer company was organized IN this
sfy for the purposes OF trade and mining IN the
IDdnn Archipelago; and one Of the objects In view
tn test the to bsds OF Island pat VI the dt-
minioDs Of the Sultan Of Linggs. The Du,eh,
Through their friends at Washington, became APP
prised of this contemplated American competition
with their lazy and extorlionate production Of
Banca tin and the result Il the dethronement OF q
prince disposed 70 open his territory 50 the enter
prise of the world. and the establishment Of one
who will prevent the competition Of Lingga with
Banca tin.
This assumption Of sovereignty over the whole
Archipelago is utterly unwarTanted. u iuvesti.
sated nv the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
the last Congress and ably reiuted in their rPort
No. s07. first session. In discussing the subject this
enlightened American position is taken, that il Is
"incumbent upon the government 70 declare the
principles by which the claim OF Holland 70 oXclu
sive enjoyment OF the Archipelagan trade u 10 be
tested; and In making that declaration ~ adhere 70
the opinions that have always formed the las OF en-
hghteBed nations upon that subject; 10 disallow
claims 81 that nature, unless acquiesced IN by the
people affected by them, or practically maintained
This subject has not received that attention from
che government which IL deserves. The great com
mercal field Of the Indian Archipelago has not yet
been embraced in the foreign policy OF any cabinet
st Washington, though 70 highly estimated by our
mercantile community. And this does not result
from want o. having attention called 90 the subject.
will not speak Of my efforts Ia this respect;
but wish 10 mention the name az q gentlemen Who
deserves well Of his coantry for his jealous and en-.
IighteDed efforts O. awaken attention 70 the i'm
pOrtaDcs of establishing advantageous relations
with the few remaining Independent Oriental States
not yet hampered with the spirit OF eSclnsiveism es
fAbhshed by European Powers. Mr.. Aaron n. Pal
mer old merchant Of this city, now resident IN
Washington, drcN up several vouminous memoirs on
abe present state productive resources and oaps-
bilities for commerce Of the Indian Archipelago
hsam, COrpa. MsnchuTia. japan and other Asiatic
Ststes-which he addressed from time 10 time 10
several Secretaries Of state; aud which. although not
derived from original observation, crniucn,ly
valuable and am well assured. very much aided
che government in the comparatively little attention
that has been paid n Oriental Diplomacy. And
cannot refrain from mentioning, though Irrelevant
% the purport OF this Communication, that 10 Mr..
Palmer belongs The honor Of originating the Ameri
can Japan expedition, carried cut b. Commodore
Perry. Mr.. Palmers plan for opening this empire
20 American trade, fret laid before Mr. Inge rsol
Chairman Of House Committee on Foreign Affair."
An March 1915, published In your journal in lsas,
and which saw copied into Dutch journals in Java,
and wa The subject Of much comment by Dutch
ofhcals when In Batavia In ls52 IL Substantially the
plan carried opi by Commodore Perry and was 50
recognized by Mr.. Clayton In remarks made Ia the