MACAO—​NUISANCES—​SIR HENRY POTTINGER'S REGULATION DEFENDED—​ILLIBERAL POLICY OF THE PORTUGUESE, AND ITS RESULT—​BOAT-GIRLS—​BEGGARS—​PICTURESQUE SCENERY

216 CHAPTER XVI.
CHINA. ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION OF HONG KONG—​THE OPIUM TRADE—​IMPORTANCE OF THE STATION IN THE EVENT OF A FRESH WAR—​CHUSAN—​HOW TO RAISE A REVENUE—​CAUSES OF ALLEGED INSALUBRITY—​RAPID PROGRESS OF THE SETTLEMENT—​PICTURESQUE SCENERY—​MARKETS—​SANATORY HINTS 237 CHAPTER XVII.
CHINA. FIRST VIEW OF CANTON—​DESCRIPTION OF THE EUROPEAN QUARTER—​HOSTILE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE—​COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS OF CANTON—​AMOY—​FOO CHOW—​NINGPO—​SHANG-HAE—​MR. MEDHURST—​RESULTS OF THE TREATY WITH CHINA 266 CHAPTER XVIII. NECESSITY OF APPOINTING BRITISH CONSULS IN THE SPANISH AND DUTCH COLONIES—​NEW SETTLEMENT ON THE WESTERN COAST OF BORNEO—​IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF COAL ON THE NORTH-WEST COAST—​CONCLUDING REMARKS 287 —— APPENDIX I. PLAN FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE CHINA MAILS (i. e. THEIR CONVEYANCE FROM SUEZ viâ CEYLON TO HONG KONG direct) 303 APPENDIX II. MEMORANDUM ON BORNEO, AND MR. BROOK'S SETTLEMENT
ON THAT ISLAND 305

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TRADE AND TRAVEL
IN THE
FAR EAST.

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CHAPTER I.
JAVA.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BATAVIA—​NARROW POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT—​DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD—​ROADS AND POSTING SYSTEM—​STATE OF SOCIETY—​CLIMATE AND SEASONS—​TROPICAL FRUITS.

Early in the year 1823, I left England, quite a youngster, full of life and spirits, bound for that so-called grave of Europeans, Batavia. Of my passage out, I shall say nothing more, than that it lasted exactly five months, and was, in point of wind and weather, similar to nine-tenths of the voyages made to the same region.

Well do I remember the 5th of October 1823, the day on which I first set foot on the lovely and magnificent island of Java. How bright were then my prospects, surrounded as I was with a circle of anxious friends, who were not only able, but willing also, to lend me a helping hand, and who now, alas! are, to a man, gone from me and all to whom they were dear. I was then prepared—I might say determined—to be pleased with every thing and every body. At this distance of time, I can scarcely remember what struck me most forcibly on landing; but I have a vivid recollection of being perfectly delighted with the drive, in a light airy carriage drawn by two spirited little Java poneys, from the wharf to the house of the friend with whom I was to take up my abode. The pluck with which those two little animals rattled us along quite astonished me; and the novel appearance of every thing that met the eye, so bewildered and delighted me, that I scarcely knew how to think, speak, or act.

What a joyous place was Batavia in those days, with every body thriving, and the whole town alive and bustling with an active set of merchants from all parts of the world! The Dutch Government, at that time, pursued a more liberal system than they have of late adopted; and, instead of monopolizing the produce of the Island, sold it by public auction regularly every month. This plan naturally attracted purchasers from England, the Continent of Europe, and the United States of America, who brought with them good Spanish dollars to pay for what they purchased; so that silver money was as plentiful in Netherlands India, in those days, as copper doits have since become. The enlightened individual who now governs Java[1] and its dependencies, is, I have good reason to think, opposed to the monopolizing system pursued by his Government: his hands, however, are tied, and he can only remonstrate, while the merchants can but pray that his remonstrances may be duly weighed by his superiors. Java exports one million peculs[2] of coffee per annum, one million peculs of rice, and one million peculs of sugar; besides vast quantities of tin, pepper, hides, indigo, &c. Were its trade thrown open to fair competition, as formerly, it is as certain that His Majesty the King of the Netherlands would be a gainer, as that his adopting the more liberal system would give satisfaction to every mercantile man connected in any way with his East-Indian possessions. The experience of the last three years ought to have taught His Majesty this lesson; and we may hope he will take warning from the miserable result of his private speculations during that period.

Batavia is not the unhealthy place it has been usually deemed. The city itself is certainly bad enough; but no European sleeps a single night in it out of a twelvemonth.

From four to five o'clock every evening, the road leading from the town to the suburbs is thronged with vehicles of all descriptions, conveying the merchants from their counting-houses to their country or suburban residences, where they remain till nine o'clock the next morning. These country residences are delightfully situated to the south of Batavia, properly so called, extending inland over many square miles of