Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Saturday 25 November 1905, page 8

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J.THE FUTURE OF MALAYSIA. dogged spiriti While Holland has since

--_
r lost lo Great Britain some of ita finest
coloni.il possessions, Ceylon and the
The great 'oceanic Empire belonging to as

Netherlands, "almost touching the Cape, it has retained this rich and exten-
the
northerrTcoast of itíe Commonwealth, ia be- sive dominión of the Eastern sea?, the
future it
ginning to acquire a new lmportance-ra the importance of which would be
difficult to magnify unduly.
international world, and, to excite-interest
in regard,.to its'probable future. There The remarkable Archipelago of Malaysia
lies between Indian Ocean
is a feeling .'existing, both in Holland and the and the
Pacific, spread out in shape like an
in Europe, generally, that a perjod
~

imper- elongated ellipse, and stretching from

has been, reached in which
political and economic develop- east to 'west about 3,500 miles by
tan* .

relation to about 1,400 from north to south. This im-

ments-may/be expected in

rich and marvellous of tie mense oceanic area is'dotted with multitu-
that part
dinous island'3 of all sizes and shapes, front
tropical world. Malaysia is bound also

within very short time to become

a an ob- the little green sped« barely to be dis-
cerned up to those of continental magni-
ject of deep attention to Australian states-
'of tude, as those of Borneo and New Guinea/
men and people on account the commer-
These islands are as rich, fertile, and beauti-
cial intercourse springing up with the
ful as any that cari' be found in any part
various Australian ports, the proximity of
of the world. In fact, there is no tropical
the island dominion to our continent, .and
realm to be compared with this in its
especially the transfer made-by the British
administration of varied wealth and' attractiveness. Visions
Government of the
of beauty are everywhere. There are
mag-
Briti-h 2iew Guinea to the Commonwealth.
nificent mountains, rising as they do in
As Australians we cannot possibly be m
New Guinea and Sumatra to the height of
differeni'to the fate of this great neighbor-
16,000 ft.; splendid rivers-, some of them
bj], the force of events,
ing Empire," which,
in,to, uo^speçt«»d te navigable vfor long distances; vast virgin
¿nag be x&puUy brought forests of the most valuable timber; inex-
haustible coalfields and mineral resources
lotions with us. Few nations have had
awaiting development; plantations supply-
such a magnificent heritage, acquired by so
ing the world with some of the choicest
small an effort on their part, as the Hol-
products coveted by man; and lands and
landers have in the East Indies. Three cen-
absolutely
seas
teeming with every variety
turies ago the Dutch East India Company life.
of animal In this wonderful region the
laid the foundations of opul-mre and
Dutch interests outweigh those of all other
dominion m Malajsia before Holland had
nations.
1
Great Britain, Germany, and
of its inde-
won the acknowledgment own
Portugal have possessions there of more or>
pendence. Following the navigators and
less importance, and Singapore, which is
traders of Spain and Portugal into those
now being strongly fortified as a naval and
distant seas, they established a flourishing
military strategic position," competes with
port and depot at Batavia, the commerce
Batavia as the centre of Malaysia. But the
of which soon enriched the mother country interests of the Dutch vastly-preponderate,
and became the wonder and envy of
and their Empire)is composed of islands
Europe. /So important did the new colony
very favorably related to each other and
rapidly become that on the invasion ot last'
convenient for a naval Power. At the
Holland by Louis XIV. m 1672 it was de-
census their subjects were reported as
in
num-;
termined case of defeat to cut the this, pro-'
berbXg 36,000,000, but estimate is
dykes, inundate the country/ abandon the
cities,
bably considerably below the mark, judging
and transport the wealth and popu- from those parts where the population couhl
lation of the nation to Netherlands India!
be accurately ascertained,' The chief traders'
The its citizens
burning of Moscow by own
officials,
and planters, Government the
is the only parallel history shows to this
larger part of the colonial army and 'navy,1

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4983647

Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Saturday 25 November 1905, page 8 (2)

larger part of the colonial army and 'navy,1

tion to attribute to Japan designs upon the
missionaries, and teachers, are of European, ultimately
Dutch possessions, destiny may
origin ; while the great bulk of the popula-
prove stronger than the best human will.
tion is Arabs-,
composed of Malays, Papuans, '

of such
The mere existence at their doors
Chinese, and members of other Eastern,
' " " "*v __*
an inviting and unutilised realm may be
races. \
\ _

too much for Japanese

even self-restraint.
The, situation in« regard.., jo ¡
theJ\DnicÄi
Some authorities regard it as quite possible
Government of the East has become acute
that the Chinese, who for centuries have
through the heavy expenditure required by
been settled in large numbers in the Archi-
the long continuance of the'Achineèe war
pelago, and constitute its principal trading
m Sumatra. For more than twenty years
and financial class, may ultimately, acquire
this war has been dragging on, marked by
the mastery. In Borneo and some other
recurring massacres at intervals, but with-
parts they have formed self-governing re-

out anv decisive result. It has only

__
publics, and are the evident power. Un-
been because of the singular econo-
easy feelings have "been excited in Holland
mic prosperity of Holland that the
by recent developments, and the tendency,
Government has been able to bear the finan-
which is said to be shared by Dr. Kuyper,
cial strain. -There has been a heavy annual for pro-
the Premier, Í9 to look to Germany
deficit this account in the colonial
on tection. if federated
The Netherlands with
budget for many years. Now that fresh
the German Empire would at once obtain
taxation "has to be proposed by the Govern-
security for their colonial possession» and
ment there is an
outcry from the Dutch capital and workers for their development.
people for a cessation of hostilities. Then
It is too early to predictwith confidence that
it is becoming apparent than
more ever; this will prove the accepted solution of the
in this age of great commercial enterprise question, but it has many recommendations
and national industrial undertakings, that
for both countries, and in the altered con-
it is quite impossible for a small country
dition of the Far East it might possibly be
such as Holland is to'develop adequately
a not unwelcome element in the future
the immense resources of its island
balance of power.
Emmre. In some (of the largest and
most important portions nothing is

done or can be done for gene-

rations. Java exhibits, indeed, a wonder-
ful prosperity, and has proved á veritable
gold mine for the Netherlands. But the
greater part of Malaysia demands an

energy, an expenditure, an heroic spirit of

adventure, and a surplus population to draw

upon, which Holland cannot supply. The

work is one that might task a Power like

Germany. Must the illimitable resource«

of this magnificent region remain un-

utilised, with no prospect of being turned

to account for the world's good? And es-

pecially when great" nations are seeking

outlets for-their energy? Attention, how-

ever,
is more particularly being concentrated
on Malaysia at this moment on( account of
the marvellous rise of Japan to, Imperial
rank, and the importance that country is
known to attach to this rich archipelago.
Its value and defencelessness have not es-

notice, and while there is disposi-

caped no

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