The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-04-08
Tigers DevOuring the People in Acheen.

We feel a deep interest in the fate of the
little state in the Island of Sumatra, that
has for nine years carried on a desperate
war TO the knife with the Dutch. The edi-
tor of this journal feels a personal interest
in the fate of Achin or Acheen and we
will quote from the Nthou of 1873 some OF
his observations and views in regard 10 tina
country, which will be of interest TO some OF
our readers ut this time
Let Us study Achin a little. This small
senli-cIvlllzed power Is well worthy our atten-
ton. 1t was the most important State of the
East II the sixteenth century. About the mid
die OF the seventeenth century, according TO
tarla Y SoUZa, the Sultan of Achin, Sekundar
Muda, made war on the Portuguese power in
Aslatlc waters with q fleet of five hundred yes
sells manned by sixty thousand men. Achin
took a large part in all the wars carried on be-
tween Java and Malacca, and in those that took
place between the Dutch and the Portuguese in
their struggles for supremacy in the Malay
Archipelago. As commerce went to Batavia in
Java and to Padang, BencoOlen, Palembang and
other ports OF Sunatra, the Importance of the
once dourlshing port of Achin declined, but the
Achlnese retained all Of their ancient warlike
character. They became commercially poor and
insignificant, bUt their pride continued as great
as ever, because they still maintained their in
dependence. They held the north of Sumatra as
the only stronghold of Malay power. For long
years the Dutch We're content with the rich
INC-b' Va P3hA u Liz fLOAQGCOS anu II II Iii
island Banca, and did little with Sumatra ex-
cept to try to keep her warlike people in check.
They maintained ~Palembang, Padang and Ben
coolen as military colonies in the south of Su-
matra, and carefully sought to advance their
power northward in Jambee, Indraghiri, Menang-
kabau, Siak and other States but were invaria-
bly, stopped by Achin. And Dutch influence was
only nominal III the States mentioned in the
north Of Sumatra, on account of the influence of
AchIn, which was brooding over a sullen and de-
termlned resolve to consolidate once more a
Malay power like that of the once famed Men
angkabau. \ hope of political restoration was
rlte among SumatranS when we, in our ardent
youth IN 1892, unfurled the American flag in the
heart of the great island, among its dangerous,
lntractable people. We had inherited, we NAV
say, the spirit of ambitious venture in MALAYSIA
IN following the footsteps of an uncle who was
for many years in the service of Princes of the
Archipelago. We enjoyed intimate relations with
many OF the chiefs of the island, and all their
talk breathed hostility to the power of Holland.
The &" Wolandl,' as the Dutchman was called,
was everywhere an object of hate. We won the
sympathy of the Malays. They were most i'm
p~resslble and enthusiastic and delighted to talk of
hopes OF the restoration of Malay prestige. Our
TREND, the Sultan of Jambee, brought war upon
his country, and the destruction of his capital on
account of the assertion of his hopes and of his
indignation at our Imprisonment, when we were
on the point OF becoming his guest. The Gov
eminent of Netherlands India at that time APP
parently crushed the power of Jambee, also that
-1Ao -A-I-A1 l. NINAeSA4O Dldllll III OIACI III
terror chiefs of Palembang and subsequently CO.
creed Slak because she permitted a British
company of Singapore to settle in Bancalis but,
Notwithstanding these discomitures, the Su-
matrans retiring TO inaccessible Businesses in the
interior of the island became more defiant than
before, and now with the old, celebrated historic
State of Achin III open warfare with the power of
Holland, all of the Malay States are ready to
make common cause with the conservator of
Malay independence and drive the Dutch from
Sumatra, which event would lead to their ex-
pulsion from the Archipelago.
The astute government at the Hague feels this,
and feels that If her power is dehed with impu-
nifty by any power in Malaysia, she draws near
to her ruin and therefore she cannot with safety
acquIesce IN any peace with Achin, or any other
Malay State may dictate. But perhaps the day
for the decline of Holland in the Archipelago has
really come, and she too must pass away like
Portugal. In that case, what civilized State is
to succeed Holland ? Because European domin-
ance must not utterly retire from this great Island
World. England is content with maintaining the
integrity OF her dominion ON the Asiatic CONT
nent, and will not return to her old seat at Java;
France has a purpose of rehabilitation that alb
serbs her whole soul Germany must need watch
France Russia will keep on her undertaking path
of Empire and America wants no islands, how
ever rich or rare; whilst her continental domain
has yet such illimitable fields, and such wondrous
for her settlement and exploitation.
Then if Holland is to decline, who shall main
tam European prestige, which for three centuries
anu Il llltI HAS IulGu IN the great East Indian
Archipelago?
We can only see one great power that must
rise up, and that is Cunfederated Australasia.
This great State of the future must embrace
Malaysia within the scope of her domain. She
Will then have a territory with the most varied
production in the world, and she will have all
the elements for the formation of a great Empire.
Whilst Southern Australia and New Zealand will
the European race in all its vigor the
islands of Papua, Borneo, Sumatra,
Java (AelghpS and others will Srnnlu frOnia |
wealth to an extent that will far surpass all the
of pOpuIous and continental India.
Malaysia will supply every extreme of utility and
luxury. Coal equal to the needs of the world |
iron and teak to fill the great ocean with ships of
or battle all material for art all
drugs for health or death and gold and dia-
monds, incense, perfumery, and plumes of birds
OF paradise to satisfy all the luxurious tastes of
The occasion for the speculation may not be
so near as we suppose, but it is coming. Holland
is declining in the East, and Australasia must
take her place and when that occurs the world
Will behold a great new power in the Southern
Hemisphere, and the Shepherd Kings of New
will found a marvellous Empire out of
the ruins of the AIalaysian sovereignty of old
However in 1882, our hope, or forecast is |
not confirmed, for Holland is conquering and
dominant, and Acheen utterly PROSTATE 4;
so terribly wOrsted that she has according
to official statement lost four-ffth8 Of her
by a0dr. And a late mail brings
the following short. yet terrible bit of news
which we quote fF2m the Straits Times OF
Singapore:
1.-The village of Kota in the southern
part of Acheen has been repeatedly at
tackled by tigers, of the population, 10
women and children, IS were carried
Oft and devoured by tigers" And the ex-
PLANTATION is given that all the men having
either been killed, or still engaged in hos
.tilities, there remained no defenders of the
This state of things was somewhat
illustrated in America, at the close of the
late war. In 1865, bears had become plenti-
full in the vicinity of Columbia, South
Carolina and r~acoons, foxes, opossums, and
squirrels had become so abundant, that for
a while the people of the ravaged lands of