USTRALIAN COAL MONOPOLY--TORRES'
STRAITS THE BEST PASSAGE FOR STEAMERS--BOTANY
BAY--PASSAGE FROM SYDNEY TO BATAVIA 195

CHAPTER XV.

CHINA.

DESCRIPTION OF MACAO--ITS MONGREL POPULATION--
FREQUENCY OF ROBBERIES--PIRACIES--COMPRADORE
SYSTEM--PAPUAN SLAVE-TRADE--MARKET OF MACAO--
NUISANCES--SIR HENRY POTTINGER'S REGULATION
DEFENDED--ILLIBERAL POLICY OF THE PORTUGUESE,
AND ITS RESULT--BOAT-GIRLS--BEGGARS--PICTURESQUE
SCENERY 216

CHAPTER XVI.

CHINA.

ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION OF HONG KONG--THE OPIUM
TRADE--IMPORTANCE OF THE STATION IN THE EVENT OF
A FRESH WAR--CHUSAN--HOW TO RAISE A REVENUE--
CAUSES OF ALLEGED INSALUBRITY--RAPID PROGRESS
OF THE SETTLEMENT--PICTURESQUE SCENERY--
MARKETS--SANATORY HINTS 237

CHAPTER XVII.

CHINA.

FIRST VIEW OF CANTON--DESCRIPTION OF THE EUROPEAN
QUARTER--HOSTILE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE--COMMERCIAL
PROSPECTS OF CANTON--AMOY--FOO CHOW--NINGPO--
SHANG-HAE--MR. MEDHURST--RESULTS OF THE TREATY
WITH CHINA 266

CHAPTER XVIII.

NECESSITY OF APPOINTING BRITISH CONSULS IN THE
SPANISH AND DUTCH COLONIES--NEW SETTLEMENT ON
THE WESTERN COAST OF BORNEO--IMPORTANT DISCOVERY
OF COAL ON THE NORTH-WEST COAST--CONCLUDING
REMARKS 287

APPENDIX I.

PLAN FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE CHINA MAILS
(_i. e._ THEIR CONVEYANCE FROM _SUEZ via CEYLON_
TO _HONG KONG direct_) 303

APPENDIX II.

MEMORANDUM ON BORNEO, AND MR. BROOK'S SETTLEMENT
ON THAT ISLAND 305

TRADE AND TRAVEL IN THE FAR EAST.

CHAPTER I.

JAVA.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BATAVIA--NARROW POLICY OF
THE GOVERNMENT--DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN AND
NEIGHBOURHOOD--ROADS AND POSTING SYSTEM--STATE OF
SOCIETY--CLIMATE AND SEASONS--TROPICAL FRUITS.

Early in the year 1823, I left England, quite a youngster, full of life
and spirits, bound for that so-called grave of Europeans, Batavia. Of my
passage out, I shall say nothing more, than that it lasted exactly five
months, and was, in point of wind and weather, similar to nine-tenths of
the voyages made to the same region.

Well do I remember the 5th of October 1823, the day on which I first set
foot on the lovely and magnificen