“It seems to us, that this refusal to accede to a most reasonable and wise measure, was dictated more by infatuation than by any other visible cause. Probably the directors imagine this island contains an _El Dorado_, somewhere in its unknown parts, from which they or their successors in governing will derive, at some future time, incalculable wealth, arising from hidden mines of gold or tin. We wish them success in this prospect; but we can assure them, notwithstanding, they will find hereafter that the best and most valuable treasure is to be obtained by allowing the island to be freely cultivated, under a liberal system of encouragement to those who are inclined to commence agricultural pursuits. If such were adopted, population would soon increase _in reality_, and with it, private wealth and public revenue; the latter derived, both from an extended cultivation of land, held under very moderate rents, and from an extension of the revenue-farms, which must naturally rise in value with an increase of population. “The daily and common articles of food, for which we are at present indebted to the neighbouring states and islands, by becoming naturalized, would be much cheaper than at present. To the shipping this would prove a very great advantage, as, at some seasons, the charge for supplying ships is enormous; at all times, indeed, it is much higher than at most other ports in India. The plantations of cloves, nutmegs, pepper, coffee, sugar, and rice, which could then be raised throughout the island with advantage, would moreover render it a far greater acquisition to the British government than it is at present. “We have hitherto treated this important subject on grounds of justice to the settlement itself, and advantage to the government. We shall now argue by analogy. Our neighbours at Rhio, profiting by the unwise and illiberal system adopted here with regard to lands, have rendered the island of _Bintang_ (which we believe is double the size of Singapore) a very valuable and fertile possession. We have been given to understand that no less than sixty thousand peculs of pepper are annually raised on that island; nearly the whole of which is under cultivation by Chinese. Besides these productions, raw dammer, wood oil, bark, and timber, are obtained. The gambir is mostly exported to Java, and the pepper to this port. From these articles the Rhio government derive a moderate revenue by means of farms. “Here is an example set by a neighbouring settlement, generally considered inferior to this, which is well worthy of imitation; and if our worthy rulers would only forego their anti-colonization, and anti-improvement notions, even before the present rapid strides of a reforming age compel them to do so, they would do well to cause this island to rival, or rather excel, _Bintang_ in its productions.”[69] CHAPTER X.