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6. Bangkas Betoeng Redoubt; disclassed.
(The last two have not been identified on the map.)
7. Palimanang, is on the main road from Cheribon to Batavia, about 10 miles from Cheribon, between which and it is a garrison of 80 regulars.
8. Indramajoe Redoubt, coast fort; disclassed.
In the Second Military Division, in the List of 1860, we find:---
9. Oenarang Redoubt; disclassed.
Between Samarang and Willem I.
10. Bodjolali Fort.
Between Willem I and Soerakarta.
11. Soerakarta Fort.
Garrison:-
Infantry: 1st field battalion (one-fourth), native legion, 403 men, Schutterij, 102 men, Cavalry: 5th field squadron (one-third), native legion, 25 men.
Artillery 7th company, fortress (one-fourth).
12. Klatten Fort.
Garrison:-
The European punishment detachment.
13. Djokjokarta Fort.
Garrison:-
Infantry: 18th field battalion (one-half), native legion, 677 men, Schutterij, 83 men. Cavalry: 5th field squadron (one-third), native legion, 72 men.
Artillery 7th company, fortress (one-fourth), native legion, 67 men.
14. Sentolo; disclassed.
This old fort is on the direct but minor road to Poerworedjo; the main road goes round by
Magelang.
15. Magelang; disclassed as a fort; a camp. Garrison, &c., already stated.
16. Poerworedjo Block-house; disclassed as fort, but still a camp. Garrison already stated. The above forts, 9 to 16, were mostly designed to keep in check internal enemies, and some of them date back to the English occupation, but the retention, in some form or other, of all of them but Oenarang and Sentolo is evidence of the importance still attached to the great central system and its roads.
The camps at Magelang and Poerworedjo have been already discussed; the forts at Djokjokarta, Klatten, and Soerakarta, as well as the disused fort of Sentolo, bar the road to an enemy landed at Tjilatjap, who has reached Poerworedjo and wishes to avoid advancing by Magelang. The inducement to follow the more circuitous route is increased now by the fact that it is the line followed by the railway.
These forts may also be considered in their bearing on the road to Ngawi, and as affording support to an army facing towards Patjitan, to oppose the advance of an army moving from that bay on Soerakarta and Willem I, and also as being the nearest forts of the central system lying on the enemy's flank, and threatening his landing-place should he elect to move north and north-east on Ngawi, either to cut the railway, or pass on viâ Madioen to Sderabai; indeed, the harbour is so unsafe, the roads so indifferent, and the country so intersected by streams, that a landing at Patjitan must be looked ou as exceedingly dangerous.
Bodjolali has been put down as having no regular garrison. It must not, however, be forgotten that there are 2,000 troops, Pradjoerits, with European non-commissioned officers, in fifty-seven detachments, not shown in the detailed garrisons of Java.
17. Wonosobo Redoubt; and
18. Banjoemas Block-house, both disclassed; were at one time fourth-class forts. Their importance consisted in their being situated on an alternative road from Tjilatjap, leading through a rich district, to Wonosobo, but as the roads beyond, which lead into the main road between Magelang and Salatiga at Sedjang are only cross roads, this line can only be considered subsidiary.
19. Banting Matti Battery, Tjilatjap; disclassed.
20. Patjitan Block-house, coast; disclassed,
21. Tagal Fort, coast fort; disclassed. 22. Joana Fort, coast fort; disclassed.
23. Japara Fort, coast fort; disclassed.
24. Madioen Block-house, disclassed, 67 metres above the sea, is the first post that would be met with by an enemy landed at Petjitan, distant 70 miles. The bridge across the Madioen River at this point is treated, in works on the defence of Java, as of considerable importance. It was thought that the proposed short cut in the road from Ngawi to Tjaroean would lessen the weight of Madioen, but now that the railway is to pass through it, opened this year (1882), the railway bridge, like the road bridge (the present condition of which is not known), must be a considerable one; and although, as above stated, Patjitan would prove a precarious base, the distance from Patjitan is not very great, and circumstances might render it advisable to make a dash at Madioen, and attack the communication by rail between Ngawi and other central places and Soerabaia. Madioen has no regular garrison at present.
In the Third Military Division the List of 1860 gives :-
25. Kediri Block-house, disclassed, 64 metres above the sea. It is not considered to be in the area of serious operations. Although a railway runs to it, it is a branch line, and the possession, therefore, of Kediri would not interrupt the main line. It is said, also, that the bend in the main road passing through Kediri is now avoided by newer and more direct roads. Moreover, the shore of the Kediri county is unfavourable for landing, and the interior unproductive. There is, however, at the town of Kediri one of the finest bridges in Java, spanning the River Brantas. Kediri has at present no garrison of regulars.
6 S
[1108]
Appendix No. 9.
NETHERLANDS.
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