Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-24

bic blessing, but we may note that
here las in Java, the Batayian govern
ment pursues its traditional policy,
which does not SO much tolerate as
distinctly countenance and further
the development Of the Mohamme-
dan religion.
1t is a mistake to suppose that
the Hollanders bleed these coun-
tries, although they undoubtedly
manage to extract from them great
profit. DR.. Schneider tells us how
this is done. Outside of labor on
the roads and attendance on the
Dutch officials no burden isimposed
on the subject Battas, except the
compulsory cultivation of coffee.
Every family is obliged to plant
each year 200 coffee bushes, and af-
terward sell their products to the
government at a fixed price. AL
though this price is low, namely SO
for ITO pounds, while an equal
weight in the Padang market com
mands about S23, yet the soil is so
admirably adapted to this crop that
the Battas have come to regard the
monopoly as a benefit This is
shown by the fact that in most dis
tricts more coffee trees are planted
than are required by law, SO that
the government is able to intrust
the management Of the industry to
the native communities. The ad-
yantages Of the Dutch regime must
be generally recognized, since emf
grafton from the Dutch confines
into the outliying Batta country
never occurs, whereas the reverse
movement Of population is con-
tinuous. OF late the civhizing in
fluence of the Hollanders has begun
to penetrate the interior, and treat
les Have been made with some of
the Independent Rajahs, by which
the latter bind themselves to forego
intestine wars, and submit their
differences to the European presi-
dent at Siboga. Since, however, in
Silindung and the district further
east the custom of village war still
Fingers, and instances Of cannibal.
ism are not infrequent, the amalga-
nation Of this region with The
colony must be considered more or
less illusory.
The Toba lake is not even nomi-
nally included within Dutch terri
tory, and this basin which seems to
be a perfect analogue of the Central
African Nyanzas, has been only
three times visited by Europeans
during the present century. The
well-known traveller, Van der Tunk,
is believed to have seen it, but the
natives remember nothing of his
visit. Later, in 1867, an armed
expedition was dispatched to the
lake from the east coast, but DIR.
Schrieber could learn nothing of its
route or its results, not even at
Batavia, where the government has
not abandoned its secretive policy.
The only information obtainable
respecting the Toba country was
furnished by three German mission
aries who recently made their way
to the lake and skirted its southern
shores. According to their state
ments no district in Bengal or in
the island of Java can be more
densely peopled. The villages were
counted by hundreds and a great
island in the middle Of the lake
literally swarmed with human be.
ings. The main feeders of this
basin, which apparently enter from
the west, they were unable to trace,
but they found its outlet at the
eastern end, in u considerable river
distinguished by \ waterfall some
hundred feet in hight, The fertil-
ity of this lake region is reported
to be extraordinary; and indeed
would seem to be attested by the
number of inhabitants.
The general inference which we
are led to draw from DR.. Schreiber's
researches, is that the Hollauders
have opened in Sumatra source OF
wealth not inferior in promise to
that which they have long possessed
in Java. What that means will be
appreciated by those who are aware
that the latter island is now known
to support a peaceful and industri-
GUS population Of not less than
80, 100000. Locking at the silent
but steady progress of the Dutch in
this quarter, we may noe eunreason-
ably expect that the close of the
century will see all the more impor-
tant and fruitful islands of the
Malay group incorporated in theil
East Indian empire.
-
Theatrical bivOrce seOnrRe.
4 Chicago Inter-0sean.l
Divorces are getting to be cpl