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total tonnage of 2,000,000; and 7,985, of which 1882 were steamers, outgoing ships, of a total tonnage Appendix No. 9. of 1,800,000.
The principal exports are sugar, coffee, rice, indigo, tobacco, and tin. In 1879 England imported into Java 1,120,8267. worth of cotton goods.
There were, by the latest statistics, in Java, 2,800,000 buffaloes, 1,921,111 cattle, and 632,000 horses, but cattle disease has recently been very severe. No Returns are given of the other islands.
Communications.
Java is intersected in all directions by good gravel roads, which are usually fit for vehicles. A great post road runs from Anjer, in the extreme west of the island, to Batavia, thence through the centre of West Java to Cheribon, and then along the north coast to the other extremity of the Island at Banjoewangi. Another great post road runs from Soerabaia, through middle Java to Tjilatjap, on the south coast. Both of these roads have many offshoots.
There are about 500 miles of railways in Java, viz., from Batavia to Buitenzorg, the seat of government, thence on to Soekoboema, in the Preangar Regencies; from Samarang nearly across the island to Djokjokarta; from Soerabaia to Malang, with a branch to Pasoeroean; and from a point in that line, Sidhardjo, to Kertosomo and Madioen towards Soerakarta, with a branch line to Kediri.
The importance of these railways consists in their uniting the three principal coast towus with the mountain sanitaria, where large numbers of the troops are stationed.
The central line brings the hill stations into nearer connection with the important fortified harbour of Tjilatjap.
The line from Madioen to Soerakarta, which will join Samarang by rail to Soerabaia, is progressing, and the following lines are proposed or projected
From a point in the Buitenzorg-Batavia line to Tanjong, Priok, and Tjitjalenga, in the Bandong
Plateau.
From Djokjokarta to Poerworedjo.
From Djokjokarta viâ Magelang to Willem.
From Cheribon to a point in the projected Tanjong-Priok line.
It is ultimately hoped to join Tjilatjap with both the eastern and western systems.
Java is connected by telegraph with the India-European system, and a cable from Anjer connects Java with Sumatra. Most of the principal places are connected by land telegraph.
Java is in connection with its dependencies by means of the Indian Netherlands Company's steamers, subsidized by the Government.
There is connection weekly along the northern Java coast, at less frequent periods with the south-coast, Sumatra, and other islands, mostly fortnightly or once a-month; but to some of the smaller islands only bi-monthly, and to New Guinea only four times in the year.' *
General Description.
The Indian Archipelago is volcanic and subject to earthquakes, which has an important bearing on permanent fortifications. In Sumatra and Java the mountain range runs generally close to the west coast, and there is a rapid descent into deep water, and the coast, generally rocky and surf beaten, cor- responds to this condition. The east coast, on the contrary, has been formed by alluvial deposit from the rivers, and is generally shallow a long way out from shore. In Borneo the mountain chains diverge from a central ridge, and the whole coast is more or less of alluvium, created by the rivers, which descend between the chains. The most important result of this shelving character of the coast is the narrowing of the passage between Borneo and Billiton for vessels of deep draught.
Speaking more particularly of Java a Dutch writer thus describes the general character of the country, as affecting naval and military operations :--
"On the north coast the coast throughout is marshy, and affords no opportunities for landing at random. It is in most cases, in consequence, necessary to enter and ascend the rivers, which fact gives extreme facility for opposing a landing.
At some points a sandy beach is to be found, as, for instance, here and there, at and between Rembang and Tobban, and we also think at Cheribon, &c. On the whole, however, these places do not admit of troops being drawn up in any considerable numbers. The whole island is watered and inter- sected by an immense number of rivers, streams, brooks, and rivulets, so much so that one seldom finds level ground to any extent, on which a large mass of cavalry could execute a charge, or where large numbers of troops could be drawn up in unbroken order, and continuous line. Valleys, mountains, hills and eminences are spread all over the land, some of considerable, others of inconsiderable, mag- nitude. The country is chequered with numerous villages, scattered about at random, and surrounded by a broad cordon of bamboos, mingled with cocoa-nut palms, which furnish the requisite material for the erection of houses. Many of the villages are of large size, and all lie in gardens, full of all sorts of fruit trees, each homestead separated from the next by a hedge. The numerous streets in a village are bordered with bamboos, just the same as the village itself. Paths and roads lead from village to village, and render communication easy, forming a network over the whole land, and over hills and valleys as well there are multiplied paths for their inhabitants, as well as communications from one side to the other; numerous woods lie here and there, many of them of the extent of a province, some intersected or surrounded by hills and mountains, and traversed by paths, others virgin forests, hitherto the dwelling-place of wild animals, and well nigh impenetrable.
"Between the villages lie extensive rice-fields, each surrounded by a dyke, 1 to 11⁄2 feet wide, which
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The "Regerings Almanak voor Ned. Indie" contain detail of all the ports touched at and postal list, with distances of all the principal land roads.
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NETHERLANDS.
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