The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

XXL] THE MOLUCCAS—TERNATE. 237All this glitter of barbaric gold was the produce of the spicetrade, of which the Sultans kept the monopoly, and by whichthey became wealthy. Ternate, with the small islands in a linesouth of it, as far as Batchian, constitute the ancient Moluccas,the native country of the clove, as well as the only part inwhich it was cultivated. Nutmegs and mace were procuredfrom the natives of New Guinea and the adjacent islands,where they grew wild ; and the profits on spice cargoes were soenormous, that the European traders were glad to give gold andjewels, and the finest manufactures of Europe or of India, inexchange. When the Dutch established their influence in theseseas, and relieved the native princes from their Portugueseoppressors, they saw that the easiest way to repay themselveswould be to get this spice trade into their own hands. For thispurpose they adopted the wise principle of concentrating theculture of these valuable products in those spots only of whichthey could have complete control. To do this effectually it wasnecessary 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 possessionsdestroyed. They gave up large though fluctuating revenues,but they gained in return a fixed subsidy, freedom from theconstant attacks and harsh oppressions of the Portuguese, anda continuance of their regal power and exclusive authorityover their own subjects, which is maintained in all the islandsexcept Ternate to this day.It is no doubt supposed by most Englishmen, who have beenaccustomed to look upon this act of the Dutch with vague horror,as something utterly unprincipled and barbarous, that the nativepopulation suffered grievously by this destruction of such valuableproperty. But it is certain that this was not the case. TheSultans kept this lucrative trade entirely in their own hands asa rigid monopoly, and they would take care not to give theirsubjects more than would amount to their usual wages, whilethey would surely exact as large a quantity of spice as theycould possibly obtain. Drake and other early voyagers alwaysseem to have purchased their spice-cargoes from the Sultans andEajahs, and not from the cultivators. Now the absorption of somuch labour in the cultivation of this one product must necessarilyhave raised the price of food and otiier necessaries ; andwhen it was abolished, more rice would be grown, more sagomade, more fish caught, and more tortoise-shell, rattan, gumdammer,and other valuable products of the seas and forestswould be obtained. I believe, therefore, that this abolition ofthe spice trade in the Moluccas was actually beneficial to theinhabitants, and that it was an act both wise in itself andmorally and politically justifiable.^In the selection of the places in which to carry on the cultiva-1 See ante, p. 222, and footnote.