NETHERLANDS-INDIA
1315
Diamonds are found in Borneo; gold in Sumatra, Celebes and Borneo; silver in Sumatra, Celebes and Borneo; copper in Java, Celebes and Borneo; iron in Celebes, Sumatra, Borneo and Java; tin of excellent quality and in large quantities in Bangka, Belitoeng and Singkep, and in small quantities in Sumatra and some other islands; lead in Sumatra and Borneo; zinc in small quantities in Java and Sumatra; coal Borneo, Sumatra, and Java; manganese in Java; jodium in Java; saltpetre in Java; marble in Java and in Sumatra. Salt of excellent quality is produced in. Madoera and also in the other islands by evaporation of the sea water. Kerosene oil is produced in abundance in Java, Sumatra and Borneo, and gives enormous profits.
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The possession of the soil by the natives is strongly protected by law. As a general rule the ground cannot be sold to foreigners, not even to Dutchmen, nor to their descendants who are born in India. The Government is authorized to dispose of un- cultivated grounds and grant parts of them for a certain period to foreigners (erfpacht.)
REVENUE AND FINANCE
The revenue of the colony is derived from different taxes, viz., import and export duties, excise, ground taxes, capitation tax as an equivalent for abolished Statute Labour of natives, personal tax, income tax, corporation profits tax, slaughter tax, icences, succession duties, stamp duties, duty on public sales, transfer and assignment luty, monopolies (opium, salt, pawn-shops), mines (tin, coal and gold), forests railways, mining, and agricultural concessions.
The salt required for the Government monopoly is made in Madoera, where the people are obliged to deliver it into the Government godowns at a fixed rate per kojang. By gradually extending the sphere of prohibitory measures, the use of opium is leclining, together with the profits the Government derived from the régie system.
The pawnshop-monopoly, also, is gradually being expanded all over the archipelago, much to the benefit of the lower classes.
The tin mines of Bangka are exclusively worked by Government; the management of the exploitation, the melting of the ore, and the transport of the tin to the godowns being in the hands of Chinese inining corporations (kongsi's) or of private contractors nd their labourers, while some of the valleys are worked in "regie." For the most mportant districts a caloric electric power-plant has been erected. Two private com- panies hold concessions for tin mines, one in Belitoeng and the other in Singkep; the irst has been converted into a new company wherein Government joined for the arger share of the capital.
The monetary system of Netherlands-India consists of gold coins of the value of en and five guilders, silver coins of two guilders and a half, of one guilder, and of half a guilder (these coins are the same as those in the Netherlands); besides silver coinsof f.050, £0.25, and f.0·10, bearing Malay and Javanese inscriptions; nickel coins of f.005, and copper coins of f.0025 (23 cent), f.001 (one cent), and f.0005 (cent). Moreover, the Government issues currency notes of f.2.50 and f.1. The issue of bank-notes is a mono- poly of the Java Bank. Since the beginning of the world-war the gold standard has been practically suspended. In May, 1925, the gold standard has been restored by a declaration of the Government and the Java Bank.
ARMY AND NAVY
The Army of Netherlands-India numbers 1,177 officers, 32,387 non-commissioned officers and men-all volunteers; and 25,000 militia. It is separate from and inde- pendent of the Netherlands Army. The Commander-in-Chief and all the Generals are appointed by the Queen. Besides the Army there are different armed troops
viz.:-
a. The Legion of the Native Prince Mangkoe Nagară, consisting of infantry numbering about 950 men. In case of war this Legion is at the command of the Government.
b. The Barisan, being native infantry of Madoera, about 1,655 men, de- signed to maintain peace in the island and to participate in campaigns in case of
war.
c. Volunteer-corps.
d.-Police soldiers, numbering 6,000 men.