, 1873-06-12
A DISTINGUISHED VISITOR.
Baron Van Vllet, Of Java, In Chicago.
Inspecting Our Schools. Manufao-
tories, Etc.
The Island Of Java-.-1ts Products and
Commerce..

Chicago bae rs visitor, distinguished citizon
Of Batavia, In tho Island OF Java, He ia tray
cling In this country inspecting our SCHOOL Bys~
tom, examining our manufactures, and studying
our institutions generally, to SEQ wl,nt cnn bo
Bafeiy aud wisely tranBferrod to lis island-home
in tte far-oT pacfo Ocban. As might DO OK
pcctcd, Baron Van Vlst is Holland gentleman,
but he Inns made Ills homo In Java for 90 many
ycars TINT ho is perfectly familiar With its gov
ernment, social and religious condition, and with
the commerce anarosourcea Of the tB]nnd. Az tho
commercial rotations Of our city, nB soon as wc
oau free ourselves from tho nhaok1os Of tho
tariff, and the flag Of our country can again
adorn every harbor in ovory aoa, must soon en-
bruce tho ports Of overy nation, our readers will
he intorestcd to loarn something OF the Island
OF Java.
THE rBLAND
lies 1ittlo cast Of south from Sumatra, botWeen
hvo aud eight dogroea Of Bouth 1ntttudo. It
contains nearly 10000 square. mios, being
diversified by high mountains, some Of them
rising to d height Of 10000 feet, and broad for
tilo valloya. All tropical products aro raiaed In
tho groatost abundance. The Island is come G4o
miles long from cast to woat, and varieB in width
from S. to 1876 miles. Tho nntivo popuia-
tion is of Malay origin, and number IL. .o00, 900,
tropics, industrious and submissive. There aro
about 250,000 Dutch Inhabitants. OF those,
25o00 live in tho City Of Batavia. It is tho cap
it'll not only Of JAVA but OF al tho Dutch pos, @
Inhabitants. Tho city has schools, churches,
theatres, newspapers, and most Il not MI tho
appliances Of our modorn civilization, Bomo at
the natiyea purauo differont branohea OF manu-
facturo; but agriculture engages tho attention
OF = large majority Of tho people. Thoy pro-
duce rico, coffee cotton, indigo nutmogst epieea,
ten, coooa-nuts and othor tropical f1uitH. Tho
imports and exports Of tho islnnd aEo constantly
increasing. In 1868 tho exports wore. In value,
$3.50, ,108 501 imports, 9t1 $50, ,971.
GOVERNMENT,
Batavia was founded by the Dutch In 1913,
and with tho exception Of d abort intoryal, whom
manned under tho Government Of tho Hague
over aimee. That powor regulates the affairs OF
tho Island. The doverner simply carries into
execution tho lawH made at the Haguo BY Con-
fio education and matters Of religion ono for
public works; ono Of tho interior; ono OF
finance. and ono OF war and tho navy. The
different heads OF these departments aro re-
nothing to do with the High Council Of tho In
dies. fhey moot four times each month on buai-
neas concerning their respective departments,
under the proniloncy Of tho Govornor-G General.
IT'S SUBDIVISIONS AND OFFICIALS.
java iB divided into twenty-five Provinces or
atatoa, aud in each thero is . Governor. Each
Province is divided into districts, oyor which M
Adiutant- General prestdes.
Next in rank toa Governor is native Ohief,
whose relation to tho Governor ia that Of !
younger to an eldor brother. He iB subordinate
md cannot do anything without the approval Of
the Governor.
Tho nativo Chiefs have under them assistant
regents exercising authority over diatriots, and
under them arc tho Mayors and Magistrates Of
tho villages.
In Java thoro arc 81, 600 villages.
federation Of all religious, and OF tho presence
Of Foreigners from al nations is fully main-
tained.
There arc several active volcanoes In Java.
From ono OF thom it is said stream Of
nnlphuric acid flows, which, Of courae., destroys
In tho ocean where 1t emptios If they como with
In Its influence, The crater Of an extinct vol
cano is found in ono Of tho provinces, into which
oarbonic and other deadly gases sottle, max
that enters it. It is called Guovo Upas. but no
troe liEo the Pohon Upae, known to fable, ia
found anywhoro, AL tho animals known to the
torzid zone are found on tho island, but it Ia 80
tlick1y sottlod that little II any danger ie felt
from tllom.
THE PRODUCTIONS
OF this island are those which enter largely into
consumption among moro northern nations. Our
Of commerce, virtually forbias our people to
build and own ships, md honce they cannot bo
expected to trado moro than ls absolutely neceB-
cary Oh their own account with Java and other
tropical countriea. 80 long as that oppressive,
eenseleas prohibition lasts. When once our
enterprising people in Maino and elsewhere can
nford to engago IN ship-builalng, and lines arc
established from tho Atlantic, and especially
from San Francisco, to atl tho ports Of Asia and
the Islands Of tho ocoa1, our merchants may ro-
ceive their choice coffocs, apices etc., etc., d.
rect from Batavia. Bpocd tho day.
Baron Van Vliet has travelled extensively
through tho South and tho Eastern statea, and
will visit Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Califor-
mia on his way home. He marvels greatly at
the rebuilding Of our oity, and Expresses him
Golf highly pleased with hfs visit among us.