The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-14
The spices OF the East.

company announcing certain tropical
tours which few Americans are likely
90 make brings 20 mind wildly the
extent and value Of the colonial pos
sessions that little Holland won 20 pluck
ily and has retained with tenacity. She
picked out the cream Of SPANS acquisi-
tons in Cathay for herself and has sue
ceeded in holding on. All the spice
islands that enticed the Portuguese 90
discover the passage around the Cape
81 Good Hope are hers from Sumatra
across Ia New Guinea, and recent his
tory has made the United States her
next door neighbor. II is surprising to
learn from the prospectus Of tho Kon-
inGlijke PaketvaArt Maatschappij how
easily and comfortably the traveller
who turns his back on Singapore may
journey by steamer among the little
islands OF the archipelago and by rail
on the big ones.
II was in the middle 81 their desperate
fight for existence against PHILIP ii.
that the United Provinces Sent their
ships out to despoll his new dominions.
The absorption OF Portugal had given
all the newly discovered lands, the
Indies East and West, to Spain and
PHILIP, and the Dutch mariners made
no distinction between Spaniard and
Portuguese in their attacks. They were
after trade and quick Betlrns rather
than conquest and settlement. and leav-
ing India to one side. sought the richer
islands, Ceyion. Sumatra. Java and the
MoIuccas. Where they established their
posts they stayed. Even when their
Tromps no longer swept the English
Channel with q broom at the masthead
and their De Wits and De Ruyters
were gone. 30 that they were forced 70
share with England. they stuck obsti-
nately 10 the soil under a foreign flag in
New Netherland and At the Cape.
There was some forcible REIMBURSEMENT
in the East too. but the Dutch managed
20 keep the islands and the practical
monopoly Of the spice trade for two cen
turtles and q half BankA and Billion
Welded their tin. Amboyna. Ternate and
the rest their cloves, Banda and Celebes
nutmegs and mace, Java cinnamon and
coffee and pepper. Sumatra pepper and
tobacco, the Sunda Islands sandalwood
and ebony. To I'LL the warehouses Of Am
sterdam and Rotterdam. There were
grosser cargoe@ too. jute. hemp. woods,
80 that the Dutch bankers grew rich and
could afford Ia speculate in tulips. When
Louis XIV. threatened and the bikes
were cut to keep him out for one de-
spairing moment the Dutch dreamed Of
abandoning Holland and migrating in q
body 20 Batavia and Java, from which
their wealth came.
In all those years they dealt with the
islands on strictly business principles.
There was little thought q CHRISTIAN
izing or ~ civilizin9 the natives: they
were trained TO work with small regard
for philanthropy. As rule the people
81 the archipelago are milder than those
Of India or the Malay peninsula. but
they have fought when oppressed and
have been put down with vigor. and often
with brutality In Borneo and Sumatra
especially the Dutch have had stiff fight
ing and protractsd little wars. They
have improved the islanda, however;
railroad runs the length Of Java now and
another is making il way through
Sumatra; better modes of cultivation
have been introduced and fairer methods
81 dealing with the natives
In proportion 10 their AREA, Java,
SumAtra, the Sundas, the Moluccas.
Dutch Borneo and New Guinea are the
richest possessions that any European
country owns. In value they are far
beyond the whole collection Of unap-
propriated lands that the Kaiser has
been able 10 gather in his belated effort
20 make Germany a colonial power.
They add TO his desire to convince the
Dutch that a. Teutonic race they
should form An integral part Of his Ger
man Weitmdch The Dutch. however.
are As tenacious n the British 81 what
they have acquired. and not least OF
their independ ence