uble and expence in forcing our trade
with China, little aware that almost in the route to China we had an
opening for commerce, which, in a few years, judiciously managed, will
become by far the most lucrative of the two, and what perhaps is still
more important, may be the means of a most extended trade with China, as
we can drive the Chinese from the archipelago, and supply China from
them ourselves; but of that hereafter.

One cause, perhaps, which has prevented us from turning our attention in
this direction has been, an unwillingness to interfere with the Dutch,
who have been supposed to have been in possession of all the valuable
islands in the archipelago, and from long-standing to have a prior right
to this portion of the East; but, although the Dutch have not been idle,
and are gradually adding to their possessions, there is little chance of
our interfering with them, as there is room, and more, for the Dutch,
ourselves, and every other nation which may feel inclined to compete
with us. The possessions of the Dutch are but a mere strip in this
immense field; and, although it is true that they have settlements on
the Spice Islands, so named, yet we now know that every one of these
islands may be made spice islands, if the inhabitants are stimulated by
commerce to produce these articles of trade.

It was the settlement at Sincapore which first gave us a notion of the
trade which might be carried on with this archipelago. Every year large
fleets of prahus have come up to Sincapore laden with commodities for
barter, and have taken in exchange European goods to a certain extent;
but their chief object has been to obtain gunpowder and shot, to carry
on their piratical expeditions. In fact, they are traders when they can
only obtain what they want by exchange; but when they can obtain it by
force, they then change their character, and become pirates. But our
possession of Labuan has brought us about eight hundred miles nearer to
these people, and enables us to take more effectual steps towards the
suppression of piracy than we have hitherto done; for this we may lay
down as an axiom, that we never shall reap the advantages promised to us
by commerce in this archipelago till we have most effectually put an end
to the piracy which has existed in these quarters for centuries. Before
I go on, I cannot help here observing how much this country is indebted
to Mr. Brooke for his unwearied exertions in the cause of humanity,