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wide, running for the first 150 metres between breakwaters, and 100 more between regular quays, giving about 17,500 square metres. The haven itself has an area of 53,000 square metres, the inner harbour 18,000. The capacity of the harbour is measured by the entrance, which has varied greatly. Its best performance has been the admission of a ship drawing 21 feet of water at half tide; but all the depths connected with Soerabaia may be said to alter daily. Eastward of the artificial harbour is the other branch of the Calimas. Native ships use this, but there is an exceedingly dangerous bar, sometimes with only a foot of water and a swift current which even boats find a difficulty in crossing. Beyond the narrows to the eastward similar conditions prevail to those already described in regard to the Westgat. The two channels, the old and the Trechter, are continually changing, and are growing shallower. The actual depth at the present moment is uncertain, but it is proposed to remove the cause of the deposit, the conflicting current of the Brantas and the Strait tides, by diverting this river in a similar manner to that proposed for the Solo, the proposed plans have not yet taken any definite shape. Soerabaia could not be dealt with from the sea without most careful examination of the channels at the time of action. The above remarks are only intended to indicate generally the situation and the direction in which changes will probably take place. Some Dutch writers maintain that no ship of the Dutch War Marine should draw more water than is obtainable in the Madura Strait. This would be at present not more than 15 feet probably. Vessels of greater draught cannot operate through the strait, but must act in two divisions separated by it.
The following are the principal public and private establishments of naval and military interest in Soerabaia: The two great Government establishments for the navy, the dockyard and the workshops; to which are to be added the military departments for construction of artillery carriages, &c., and the powder mills and pyrotechnic establishments; formerly the workshops were entirely in the town, separated by "an hour" from the dockyard. Proposals have been made to bring the two establish- ments together at the dockyard, but this appears to have been only partially carried out. In describing the existing plant, it is, therefore, not actually known at which establishment they are located. The united establishments possess steam cranes up to 50 tons, steam pontoons capable of carrying 100 tons for communicating between workshops and yard, six storehouses for timber and planks, mast and boat sheds. In the fitting shops fourteen lathes and nineteen other special machines; four smitheries, with numerous furnaces, single and double; smelting furnaces up to 15-ton casting, steam hammers, boiler houses, oven for bending iron plates, rolling machine, boring machine; and eight other special machines, lathes, &c., driven by special engine; steam saws, careening and other pontoons, building slips and docks, two great magazines for war material, barracks for workmen and sailors of fleet, and many minor magazines, dock-yard entirely fenced in; tramways, one wooden, one iron, over different parts of yard, &c.
Originally Soerabaia was contented to build wooden ships, and put together machinery and iron steamers; of late they have built entirely and engined steamers up to 300 horse-power paddle, and 100 horse-power screw. The capacity of Soerabaia may be said to be to execute repairs of all ordinary ironwork, except such as is required by the heaviest iron-clads, and the building and engineering of all but large ocean steamers; the workshops have also executed much miscellaneous work, and made machinery for mines, artesian wells, manufactories, &c.
The dock-yard employs 200 permanent staff, the workshops 50, not including workmen. In 1878, 40,000l. were spent in wages, and 45,0001. in materials; the workmen in 1878 numbered 1,800, all free labourers. The coal depôt at Soerabaia is constructed to hold 6,000 tons, as it is from thence coal is distributed to the out-stations, but it is proposed so to enlarge these that they can have cargoes of coal delivered direct from Europe, as the distribution from Soerabaia is attended with great expense.
It is proposed to remove the Batavia marine magazine to Soerabaia, but the expense has not yet been accepted or the details completed,
The floating docks have been mentioned elsewhere; the steam-dredging management is an important branch of the Soerabaia work; there is also a special official and staff charged with the care of Government forests of Parengan.
Soerabaia has seventeen official European pilots, the whole of the rest of the Dutch Indies only thirteen, some of whom are natives.
Among the private establishments at Soerabaia may be mentioned the Volharding, "which, as regards gear and instruments, rivals European factories," Nederlandsch Indische Industrie, Young and Gill, Steenvelt and Co., Deacon and Co., and the works of the Steam-packet Company, &c.
These dispose among them of a certain number of steam-cranes, steam-hammers, foundries, &c., for the manufacture of boilers, machinery, tools, &c.; there are also the workshops of the railway at Soerabaia, and several private waggon makers; it may be mentioned here that native copper foundries are said to be in existence at Grissee, and a machine factory at Pasorocan.
Fortifications and Defences.
Formerly the fort now called Erfprins, 1,400 yards from Menarie Island, a low formidable battery, mounting 100 pieces of ordnance besides heavy mortars, situated in the narrow winding channel by which alone large ships could enter, and also commanding the mouth of the Solo," was the leading feature of the western defence, but owing to the alteration of the channel it would appear that such ships as can get over the Zeebank can run past it at as much as 2 miles distance. Its present condition is not known, but it is doubtful whether even a portion of its former importance will be restored to it; it depends on the caprices of the tidal currents whether, after the proposed improve- ments the channel is scoured out near the Java or Madura shore, but in any case it appears probable that it will lie at the side and not, as formerly, in the centre of the channel.
On a piece of rising ground on the east side of the improved river branch is Fort Calimas, a circular fort, having a commanding sweep across the Strait of Madura. The old accounts mention less formidable batteries at the unimproved mouth; considerable sums have recently been spent on strand
Appendix No. 9.
NETHERLANDS.
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