the knowledge that they were sent, not only to barter, but
also to protect the well-disposed against violence and rapine, would
soon produce most beneficial effects, and would impose confidence.
Merchant vessels which entered the trade should be empowered, by letters
of marque, to put down piracy, and should be armed in a similar way.
Although there is little doubt but that in a short time vessels would
sail from Labuan with full cargoes for Europe, still it is more than
probable that the most important part of the trade, and which would
employ most vessels, would be the colonial trade, or rather, country
trade, to the several marts in the Indus and China. There are many
productions of the archipelago which are only valued in the East, such
as beche-de-mer, or trepang; edible birds' nests, &c. This trade we
might very soon monopolise to ourselves, and a most lucrative one it
would prove. The following are the articles to be found in more or less
quantities over the whole of the Indian archipelago:--Antimony, tin,
gold, diamonds, pearls, sapphires, ivory, gums, camphor, sago, pepper,
tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, skins, wax, honey, cocoa-nut oil,
coffee, rice, and coal, edible birds' nests and trepang; all the
varieties of spices, as cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, can be grown as soon
as there is a market for them; the cotton tree nourishes; and, although
not yet worked, it is proved that there is abundance of copper and lead.
An archipelago containing such rich productions, and which we may, with
some little trouble, receive in exchange for our manufactures, becomes a
national concern, and it is the paramount duty of the Government to take
every measure to facilitate the communication with it.

The expedition of Mr. Murray to the river Coti, on the south side of
Borneo, although, from imprudence, it ended not only unsuccessfully but
tragically, fully establishes that an opening for commerce is to be
established. In this expedition Mr. Murray, by his imprudence and
unguarded conduct, brought upon himself the attack of the natives, in
which he lost his own life, and the vessels with great difficulty
escaped. Since that failure, no English vessels have attempted to trade
to the south of Borneo; but we discovered that the Macassar boats paid
the coast an occasional visit, under Dutch colours, exchanging beads and
other trumpery for rich cargoes of ivory and skins. We also discovered
that commercial negotiations with this coun