1744
January .. 4,114
February . 0 4
March . . . 3,682
April . . . . %7?3 .
May g#90. . .
June .. jc^SOS. .
July . . . ^«1847 ■ ■
August - .i J&JSQ1
September 5,904
October. .. 3,91.4
November 4,140
December 4,064
. 47,661
1745
January.3 ,9 5 2
February. 3,765
March . , . , i(
April... -.3,230..,
May . . . ; . 3,290 . ..
June. .. ..3,327 . .
July ...... 3,655 ...
August. . . 3,736.
September 4,197
October.. 3,63%
November 3,486
Decembef 3,526 ■
— — 43,008
1746 ----------------
January ..,'3,479 *
February ._ 3,491
March . : . 3,459
A p t i L 3,373
May . . . . v j p f r . .
June . . . . 3,§50 ;. 1
July . . . . . 4,750,
August ,.,4,210.-
September 4,11#
October.' .A,214
November 4,483 ’
December 4,874 .
1747
January. .'4,414
February . 4,389
March . . . 4,3Q5. .
April . .. . 4,159 .
May . . . . . . 4*599. . .
June v..J: 14,978. .
July . . . .. #,355 .
August i .4,946.
September 5,016'
October Js; 3,028
November4,506
December 4?,603
• —— 54,298
1748
January.. 4,459
February . 4,322
March ..'. 4,796 . .
April . . . . 4,689. ..
May . . . 4,603 ~
June . . «ri 5,106. .
J u ly ........4,469 .
August ..4,355.
September 5,034
October ,'.5^69. 1
N ovember.5’,140
December. 4,864
____ i e i®
1749
J a n u a r y 4,870
February .4,452
March ...4,332.
April1. . . . 4,30.5 .
May . . . . . 4,426. . .
June. . . i . 4,589
July’, . . .r.4,656. .
August .:. 4,174
September 4,398-
October. • 4,684
November 4,537
December 4,893 •
------- 54,515
1750
January .'« 4,546 ..
February^ 4,352
March . i1. 4,417 .-sr\
April . . . .4,019 . .
M ay........ 5,227 .
June . . . . 5,072 .
..July . ..,5 ,2 7 7 ..
August ..'5,134 j
September 4,872
October 4,580
November 4,526
December 4,508
, .57,130
! January V.'4,543 ’
February . 4,128;- -■
‘ March .. s 4,163 '.
: April. . . . : 4,170 . .!
May ...1*3,967 . .
June .. ..4,967 .
July . . . t:r6,904 .
August. > .5,566 i f
j September 5,699'
; October 5,344
November 4,612
December $pS3gj
-------- 5&605
,^7-521-
January.. 3,923
i February'8%,94f-r T
March . J-.i 4,272 .
A p iil >. .J i 4,4]6‘.
May . .. .'. 4,466 . .
; June ...-. 4,285 ■ .
J u ly ........'4,859 . .
August . . . 4,514
<33,876
During twenty* ■ ■
two years and
eight months, : ———
Grain A Total.-,- 1,119,3|^
• The unhealthiness óf the'climate of Batavia is' connected, in the. minds of many,
with the fabulous properties of the poison tree of Java, and many are so ignorant
of the islapd as to . consider the climate of Batavia as a fair example: of that of
Java, in general. • History attests, that this- city has been highly pernicious to
the health, both of Europeans and Natives, almost from its foundation, and recent
expérience concurs with the testimony of history. The -inines of America, when
they were first discovered; did not möre strongly allure the Spaniards, nor urged
them to saçriftce more relentlessly the lives of the unresisting natives to their burning
thirst
thirst of ‘gold; 'than the monopoly--ofi- Java and the Spice. Islands led the Dutch
Company, in the track of wealth, .through danger, injustice, and oppression. Though
the'ünllealthineSs op Batavia-was at all times- known and .formidable, there were times
When the mortality became-'.extraordinary and 'alarming.. Although ■ not prone to
any speculation,, except that of merchants, -•'ôr'to any- inquiry, except- for a new market ■
or a more-lucrative channel of trade, the • Comp’any’s3-Goveminent- in • India was
sometimes forced'to institute inquiries intcf the eaUSéJof this insalubrity, and- t'd
speculate about-the possibility air’d -the means’ of removing it. Passing by other
-^cassions, there exists on the records-; of -„‘the High'Regency a reply, to queries
about the rinireaîlhiqess ôf Batavia, dated'the 14th of KtTctdlW l7a3W Thus papef
states, that bfetwfeeii 1732''and-l738 !the greatest number-Of 'casualties 1 happened.
It assigns’’as a great cause-“Of the insalubrity complained, or,lethei situation of thé
town- in a' bay-,: «ôMné’d; idh ' the west and east- by -.projecting- pfoibitstof land, and
ificlosed in front- by a-cluster of' small islands. The-space between - the town and
the sea is chiefly miid,-left by the-retreating of therséa» a swamp-surrounds thé
town. • The mouths of thé rivers are gêóéfhlly coveted with underwood- and a
sp'ecies 'of- tree -peculiar to swamps. The vegetatiofiteo’f these*low grounds,' it is
added, cannot'1 but retain impurities - of. the most noxious kind. - The' space which ft
formed at thq 'ihoüths of tho rivers' Tang’r.an and Ang’ki is an entire swamp, - covered
•with shrubs- \vhicn "emit -exhalations of an impure nature: these are interspersed
with the b’ufrying grounds of the natives, and the effluvia of these places is felt' at
Some distance. It was-'believed' that the earthquake of 4699,- by-forcing' thud froni
under thé earth' and blocking up the mouths of the rivers more than formerly}
Coiftribirte’d to infereacë ’the previously existing -uehealthiness: The lime • kilns in
the- neighbourhood, ' the close plantations- of - trees -that -prévènt a free circulation
of air, the stagnation of the rivers from the bars-of mud oV'sand which obstruct
their'butedörsë'into- the sea, the kind of Water which-the -inhabitants are compelled
to drifik, the -narrowness of their houses, and- the -dirt and filth accumulated- in
the numerou’s <$iials''’thaf intersect Jhdf:toWit,- have'all their raùê share of pernicious
efficiency assigned them in this report. The buildings,-'vit? is esaid, fare admirably
adapted to keep out’ the fresh-'aie-‘and to retain that fwhich is putrid térirnoxious:
T&'ffeibedy the evils felt, a new cohstfuctiOn-of houses is-recommended, and a frequent
pruning or entire éxtirpation of the-trees.- - ■'■'
The fever whiCh excited this inqùiry comtnericéd in '1733'and lasted till- 173% and
during jtS cbhtihuance 'tvto thousand'of the Gbtifpany’s-servants and free Ghristians
Snnuà'lly died. ‘In -1739 its violence* aiiatéd'; but it broke out again - in 1744; .and
. con tinued with little' diminution orv'ariatiön to the date of the'report in 1-753. - 1
Ê Without stopping to inquire -whether it would be easier to remove disease from
Batavia, Or the inhabitants1' of -Batavia -from -disease, I shall take thé liberty of
quoting an extrket fróm a report on thé climate of some 'parts of Java, drawn Up ' by-
Mr. Robertson; rthè' làte' Superintending- Surgeon,' which appeals -to. me- to afford â
satisfactory account of' the causes of the insalubrity of the capital. After giving
a' statement •
APPENDIX.
~a T