The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-16
The Sultan's Minister Sketches
the Country.
PROBABILITIES OF THE WAR.
Chances for the Dutch
Conquest Of Acheen.
Impenetrable Jungles and Marshes Alive with
Alligators-A Mohammedan Chief Defy
ing q Christian Power-He Will
Fight It Out il 1t Takes
His Last Man.


interest in this country. Cable advices have
already informed the readers OF the HERALD that
the Dutch forces have sustained serious losses, and
retired from Acheenese territory to Padang, a
Dutch trading settlement on the west coast OF
Sumatra, In the Menankabau country. The Minister
OF the Colonies OF the Dutch government informed
the Chamber OF Deputies at the Hague, the
22d inst, that their losses seven officers and
thirty-eight killed. and thirty-hve officers and
1888 men wounded. There are indications OF pro-
longed and bloody war, which win probably lay
waste one OF the falrest portions OF the earth.
The Sultan or Acheen is one of the boldest and
bravest soverelgns OF the East, and this war will
probably be "a war to the knifc.n HERALD re-
porter discovered yesterday gentleman of this
city who knows the Sultan intimately, having been
his Chief Counsellor fact,
PRIME MINISTER or ACuEEN,
at time when that State was much more power
iul than it is now. Captain Celso Cesare Moreno
was the service OF the present Sultan from 1859
10 1862 and already at that time Sultan Sri had
determined to expel the Dutch from Sumatra, "if
it Should take his last and the last drop in his
body.n Captain Moreno gave the reporter some
valuable information in regard to the country, the
people their manners and customs, the Sultan and
the commander OF the Acheenese army and other
subjects of interest.
REPoRTER-Will you be kind enough Captain, to
give me a description of Sumatra as you saw it in
your travels2
Captain MoRENo-I think Sumatra, in the group
of the Malay Islands, is much more important and
ricner than Cuba in the Antilles. Holland has
three stations on the west coast; but the interior
Is dependent on native rajahs. The principal
rajah resides IN Acheen Siri Sultan, Aladdin Sar-
uar ManshOor Scander Shaa. The rajahs OF Delhi
and Siak, IN the eastern part Of the island, are
ht.. Fr,
per- gold dust, copper ore, sulphur camphor, in the
north; nutmegs, cloves and mace, in the Dutch
province Of Bencooen; and coral benzoln, gutta
percha and tin, in Palembang and Menankabau
The vegetation in some parts OF the country is per-
iectly magnificent, and you might truly call 1t
THE GARDEN OF ASIA.
Nutmeg trees, mangosteen, cocoa, pepper, cloves,
durian-in all my travels Asia have never
encountered such splendid panoramas OF trees.
From what have seen am also firmly convinced
OF the existence of gold and other mines in
Sumatra
REpoRrER-Could you describe Acheen and the
Acheenese9
Captain MoRENo-well, Acheen is a fortified
town near the northwestern extremity Of Sumatra,
on the River Acheen, near the sea. 1t was built
bv Turkish officers who were sent there by Sultan
Maknoud. Of Turkey. The State, after which the
capital is named, has a population OF from three
hundred and fifty to four hundred thousand in
habitants. or course the Sultan has no regular
army. The soldiers OF Acheen are mostly Sdibuys,
from the coast ofthe Red Sea. especially from Alden.
They probably do not number one thousand men.
They are generally used as body-guard Of the
sultan, and are AL armed with muskets. In times
OF war they are the recruiting Officers for the ma
tives, the Mafays.
REroRrER-Has the Sultan funds sufficient to
carry on prolonged war;
MORENo-He is man OF immense wealth. His
ancestors had, centuries ago. large trade with the
southern coast of India and left him magnificent
fortune The form OF government 10 absolute and
inexpensive and his riches have accumulated from
year to year until he has become
ONE OF THE wEALTnIEsr sULrANs
of the East.
REPoRTER-what is the mode Of warfare OF the
Malays9
MoRENo-They always take advantage OF the
marshy condition of the soil and OF the impene-
trable forests which conceal their operations from
the enemy. They carry on sort Of guerilla war.
Every man in the country is armeu with kreest,
or knife with q serpentine blade, the handle made
OF gold and mounted with precious stones, a sword
and peculiar kind Of gun loaded with grape shot.
REPoRTER-Will the Dutch troops not suffer from
the climatef
Captain MORENo-Yes, the sun will undoubtedly
be the greatest, the most dangerous enemy OF the
Dutch troops. There will be vast swamps to cross
before they can reach Acheen. The Acheenese are
. fine race Of men-bold and brave. They all be-
Meve that each was born with his destiny, and this
consciousness makes them Drawer still. And then
they will be aided by the sickness in the ranks OF
the enemy.
REPoRTER-what sort OF man is the RaJah Siri,
the Sultan OF Acheen2
Nopx n n
about five feet six inches tall, very white for
Aalay-he has Arabic blood in his veins-with an
Intelligent face, a prominent nose for man be-
longing to q nation or nat-noses, and wears OF
course,
A RING IN HIS NOSE
as well as In his ears. These rings sparkle with
precious rubies. Around the neck he wears gor-
geous necklace. He believes in polygamy, OF
course and has several hundred wives uocosely-
I never counted them, for think it would be
rather aificult to count them. He has frequently
converscd with me about his lofty position among
the princes Of the East He thinks he is the great
est sovereign OF the world. The Queen of England
and the Emperor OF Germany, he thinks, are
nothing as compared to him. He says his
country Is the tomb of Adam and Eve, and that he
was enjoined by the prophet Mohammed to be the
guardian Of this tomb. He has two sons; the
elder, Toncoo Abdraman, Is a very intelligent young
man for q Malay very brave and the most bitter
enemy OF the Dutch, but the younger, Toncoo Alb
dAllah. Is . regular lazy Malay in the worst sense
OF the word.
RRPoRTER-who are the chief commanders OF the
Acheenesef
Captain MoRENo-When I was there they were
Aahomct Ali, OF Muscat seike Abdallah, OF Alden;
Seke All, OF Madras, Malabar; Sharvardar sultan,
of Karical Seike Abou Baker. OF Delhi, India;
Patan Miteen, OF Lucknow. All these had held CON-
missions in the British service in India Zubah-
dars, the highest rank to which a native can
aspire In the British service. They have large
numbers Of
CANNON OF GREAT SIZE
and pure metal.
REPoRrER-what are the principal articles Of the