Directory_and_Chronicle_1929 — Page 1378

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NETHERLANDS-INDIA

SITUATION, AREA AND POPULATION

The Dutch possessions in Asia are situated in the Indian Archipelago, between 6° N. and 11° S. latitude and 95° 40′ and about 141° E. longitude. They comprise Sumatra with adjacent islands, the archipelago of Bintang or Riau, the archipelago of Lingga, the Karimon, Tambelan, Anambas, and Natoena islands, the Islands Bangka and Belitoeng, Java and Madoera, the southern and eastern part of Borneo, Celebes, and all the other islands eastward of Borneo and Java to 141° E. longitude, with the exception of the eastern part of Timor (Timor-Deli). Java and Madoera extend over 2,388.4 and the other islands together over 32,397.5 geographical square miles.

With regard to the legal position, the population is divided into Europeans, with those who are considered equal to them (half-castes, Armenians, Japanese), and natives, with those who are considered equal to them (Chinese, Klings, Arabs, etc.). On the 31st December, 1926, the total number of Europeans was 204,404. In 1920 there were 154,099 Dutchmen, 3,412 Germans, 580 Belgians, 1,687 British, 404 Frenchmen and 349 Swiss. The number of Chinese, Arabs and other foreign Asiatics at 31st December, 1926, was 992,303, of whom 497,877 were in Java and Madoera. The natives numbered 36,234,565 in Java and Madoera, and the total number of natives on all the other islands together was calculated at 14,450,590.

A great part of the Europeans are employed in, or retired from, the Government service; next in number are the planters, traders and industrials. The Arabs, Chinese, and other Orientals are almost all tradesmen, but it must be mentioned that some Chinese are in possession of, or are employed on, plantations in Java, and that upwards of 29,000 Chinese are working as labourers on the tobacco estates on the East Coast of Sumatra, and that thousands of Chinese labourers are employed under European superintendence in the exploitation of the tin mines of Bangka and Billiton. The natives cultivate the soil; in the larger places they also are mechanics, but the practice of the handicrafts is for the greater part in the hands of Chinese.

HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT

When the Dutch in the last years of the sixteenth century established themselves in the Archipelago they found the Portuguese there. In order to be strong against other European rivals, the Dutch East Indian Company was established in 1602 by charter of the States General of the United Netherlands, granting a monopoly for the trade in all the countries east of the Cape of Good Hope to the Straits of Magellan, and the right to make treaties with Indian princes, to make war, build fortifications, and give commissions to civil and military officers, etc. The East Indian Company was nearly independent and disposed of large capital. The first proceedings were commercial, but soon the Company extended its power and conquered territory in Java and the Moluccos. The first "loge" was established at Bantam, then at Jakatra, where the Governor-General, J. P. Coen, made a fortress, which he called Batavia (1619) After a long period of great prosperity the Company fell into decay, the difficulties increased under a heavy burden of debts, and in 1800 the States General cancelled the charter and took the administration of the possessions into their own hands. At the same time the British, during the war with France and the Netherlands, conquered the greater part of the Dutch colonies. In 1802, by the treaty of peace concluded at Amiens, the colonies, with the exception of Ceylon, were restored to the Batavian Republic, as the Netherlands were then called, but during the war with England that was soon afterwards declared the Dutch again lost all their possessions. After the fall of Napoleon, in 1816, the greater part of the colonies were restored to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and by the London treaty of 17th March, 1824, Malacca and the establishments on the continent of India were exchanged for Benkoelen.

Netherlands-India is now governed in the name of the Queen of the Netherlands by a Governor-General, who is obliged to ask in some cases the advice of the Council of India, consisting of a Vice-President and four members, assisted by a secretary.

Headquarters,

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