situated in such places as the Straits of Macassar,
the northern coast of Borneo, and the
Country of spices. The Dutch already possess
establishments in the latter, and it is only necessary
to declare a free trade, establish a tolerably liberal
administration, and relieve the neighbouring
islands from the fetters which shackle their industry,
to insure their immediate advancement to
prosperity. The European establishments in Java,
with the distinguished fertility of that island above
all the other countries of the Archipelago, will
always insure to it a pre-eminence, and render it
the favourite and principal resort of the distant
trader of Europe.
The situation of the countries of the Indian
Archipelago is naturally so favourable to the settlement
of foreigners of all descriptions, that hardly
an establishment was ever formed by them that
did not flourish in a remarkable degree as long as
any share of prudence or good government was
maintained in it. The indigenous civilization of
the country, indeed, has not been formed on the
sea-coasts, or through the medium of commerce,
but wherever the improved agricultural nations of
the interior have been moved to emigrate, and
form commercial establishments on the coasts, these
have been sure to be attended with success. We
may quote for this the examples of ancient Malacca,
a colony of the Malays of the interior of Sumatra,
Palembang, a colony of the Javanese of the interior
of Java, with Banjarmassin, a colohy of the
same people.
The effects of the influence of Asiatic strangers,
more civilized than the natives, is exemplified
wherever the Arabs, the most enterprising of all
Asiatic people, have attained political influence.
The remarkablé prosperity of Bantam, Achin,
Macassar, and Pontianak, occur to us as signal
examples. To insure a large share of success in
such cases, it seems that no more was necessary than
the bare establishment of such a degree of regular
government, however arbitrary in itself, as would
insure a moderate share of security to person and
property.
If such prosperity accompanied the rude institutions
of Asiatic nations, what a degree of it might
not be looked for under the auspices of those of
Europe ? From the nature of the policy pursued
by the European nations, we are deprived, indeed,
of any flattering examples of it ; but the
partial success which has attended several European
establishments, amidst all the vices of
their administration, will be sufficient for our
purpose. Malacca, where the Portuguese traded
freely, and colonized without restriction, was probably,
during their dominion, though surrounded
by enemies and the almost perpetual scene of warfare
and anarchy, the most flourishing city which ever
existed in the Archipelago. Batavia, the only set