New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-10
DUTCH AGGRESSIoNS IN SUMATRI.

The defeat which the Dutch suffered in their
attack on Atcheen has not, it appears, been
decisive A few days ago we were informed
by telegraph that it was officially announced
by the Dutch Colonial Minister to the States
General that second expedition had
been fitted out, and that the re-
ports of negotiations for settle
ment on terms very favorable to the
Atcheenese were without foundation. There
can be no doubt that the first expedition was
undertaken without those precautions which
were demanded by reasonable prospect of
success. 1t may now be assumed that the
Government of the Netherlands has
profted by its first palpable blunder,
and that the military and naval
preparations which have just been
completed are on a scale corresponding with
the difficulties of the undertaking. The Dutch
are now likely to reduce the Atcheenese to
subsection, thus promoting the commercial
interests Of that region, and contributing to
the termination of an odious traffic in human
beings, while gratifying their own aspirations
for territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
The right of the Dutch to undertake the
chastisement Of the Atcheenese rests on no
well defined principles. The proceedings of
the Government of The Netherlands is very
much like q declaration that every half
civilized nation which may be guilty
of practices offensive to any civilized
power is ipso facto in state
of outlawry, and may be punished by the first
conner on the first available opportunity. The
theory is convenient one for purposes of ter
ritorial acquisition, and although the agrees
sors in this case base their case on treaties
and diplomatic arrangements, this theory enters
very largely, although almost unconsciously,
into their argument.
Nearly half O century ago the Dutch Sc
cured permanent foothold on the island of
Sumatra through an arrangement with the
British, by which the Dutch obtained
the cession of the British possessions
in that island in consideration of the
transfer to Great Britain of the possessions of
The Netherlands in India, Malacca &c. By
the treaty, which confirmed this arrangement,
the Dutch entered into indirect obligations to
respect the independence of the native princes,
especially in the northern part of the island.
This gave rise to the claim on the
mart of the Sultan of Atcheen, that
the authority of the native princes was guar
anteed by Great Britain. However, by an
other provision of the same treaty, the Dutch
engaged to watch over the security Of COM
merce and navigation. Under the pretext,
which this last article afforded, the
Dutch extended their authority, partly by
force and partly by commercial treaties
over the greater portion of the island. Owing
TO the superior strength of the Atcheenese
over the rest of the principaities, the country
Of the former was unmolested until about two
wears ago. The only advantage which
the Dutch could gain was derived
from treaty with Atcheen signed in
1852 in which freedom of trade was
reciprocally granted, and both States mutually
agreed to provisions for the suppression of
piracy and slave-hunting. The advantage
was merely nominal for, as the Dutch assert,
and as there is little reason TO doubt, the
Atcheenese took no steps to carry out these
provisions
From that time forward the waters in the
neighborhood of Sumatra became more and
more insecure, and when the treaty was signed,
in 1871, between The Netherlands and Great
Britain for the cessiOn TO the latter of the
Dutch colonies on the coast of Guinea, a
clause Was inserted WHICH repealed the