This Chief Is Pensioned By The Dutch
Government, But Retains The Sovereignty Over The Native
Population Of The Island, And Of The Northern Part Of Gilolo.
The
sultans of Ternate and Tidore were once celebrated through the
East for their power and regal magnificence.
When Drake visited
Ternate in 1579, the Portuguese had been driven out of the
island, although they still had a settlement at Tidore. He gives
a glowing account of the Sultan: "The King had a very rich canopy
with embossings of gold borne over him, and was guarded with
twelve lances. From the waist to the ground was all cloth of
gold, and that very rich; in the attire of his head were finely
wreathed in, diverse rings of plaited gold, of an inch or more in
breadth, which made a fair and princely show, somewhat resembling
a crown in form; about his neck he had a chain of perfect gold,
the links very great and one fold double; on his left hand was a
diamond, an emerald, a ruby, and a turky; on his right hand in
one ring a big and perfect turky, and in another ring many
diamonds of a smaller size."
All this glitter of barbaric gold was the produce of the spice
trade, of which the Sultans kept the monopoly, and by which they
became wealthy. Ternate, with the small islands in a line south
of it, as far as Batchian, constitute the ancient Moluccas, the
native country of the clove, as well as the only part in which it
was cultivated. Nutmegs and mace were procured from the natives
of New Guinea and the adjacent islands, where they grew wild; and
the profits on spice cargoes were so enormous, that the European
traders were glad to give gold and jewels, and the finest
manufactures of Europe or of India, in exchange. When the Dutch
established their influence in these seas, and relieved the
native princes from their Portuguese oppressors, they saw that
the easiest way to repay themselves would be to get this spice
trade into their own hands. For this purpose they adopted the
wise principle of concentrating the culture of these valuable
products in those spots only of which they could have complete
control. To do this effectually it was necessary to abolish the
culture and trade in all other places, which they succeeded in
doing by treaty with the native rulers. These agreed to have all
the spice trees in their possessions destroyed. They gave up
large though fluctuating revenues, but they gained in return a
fixed subsidy, freedom from the constant attacks and harsh
oppressions of the Portuguese, and a continuance of their regal
power and exclusive authority over their own subjects, which is
maintained in all the islands except Ternate to this day.
It is no doubt supposed by most Englishmen, who have been
accustomed to look upon this act of the Dutch with vague horror,
as something utterly unprincipled and barbarous, that the native
population suffered grievously by this destruction of such
valuable property. But it is certain that this was not the case.
The Sultans kept this lucrative trade entirely in their own hands
as a rigid monopoly, and they would take care not to give, their
subjects more than would amount to their usual wages, while: they
would surely exact as large a quantity of spice as they could
possibly obtain. Drake and other early voyagers always seem to
have purchased their spice-cargoes from the Sultans and Rajahs,
and not from the cultivators. Now the absorption of so much
labour in the cultivation of this one product must necessarily
have raised the price of food and other necessaries; and when it
was abolished, more rice would be grown, more sago made, more
fish caught, and more tortoise-shell, rattan, gum-dammer, and
other valuable products of the seas and the forests would be
obtained. I believe, therefore, that this abolition of the spice
trade in the Moluccas was actually beneficial to the inhabitants,
and that it was an act both wise in itself and morally and
politically justifiable.
In the selection of the places in which to carry on the
cultivation, the Dutch were not altogether fortunate or wise.
Banda was chosen for nutmegs, and was eminently successful, since
ü; continues to this day to produce a large supply of this spice,
and to yield a considerable revenue. Amboyna was fixed upon for
establishing the clove cultivation; but the soil and climate,
although apparently very similar to that of its native islands,
is not favourable, and for some years the Government have
actually been paying to the cultivators a higher rate than they
could purchase cloves elsewhere, owing to a great fall in the
price since the rate of payment was fixed for a term of years by
the Dutch Government, and which rate is still most honourably
paid.
In walking about the suburbs of Ternate, we find everywhere the
ruins of massive stone and brick buildings, gateways and arches,
showing at once the superior wealth of the ancient town and the
destructive effects of earthquakes. It was during my second stay
in the town, after my return from New Guinea, that I first felt
an earthquake. It was a very slight one, scarcely more than has
been felt in this country, but occurring in a place that lad been
many times destroyed by them it was rather more exciting. I had
just awoke at gun-fire (5 A.M.), when suddenly the thatch began
to rustle and shake as if an army of cats were galloping over it,
and immediately afterwards my bed shook too, so that for an
instant I imagined myself back in New Guinea, in my fragile
house, which shook when an old cock went to roost on the ridge;
but remembering that I was now on a solid earthen floor, I said
to myself, "Why, it's an earthquake," and lay still in the
pleasing expectation of another shock; but none came, and this
was the only earthquake I ever felt in Ternate.
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