expediency of a marine establishment in the eastern part of our Indian possessions. He fixed on New Harbour, in the river Hoogly, as the fittest place of structure: but whatever use commerce might be able to make of that site, it sens ill adapted for belligerent vessels. If this island, which is well situate to collect the produce of the Indian archipelago, be wholly exempted from the jurisdiction of the company, and not comprehended within the withering ban of its charter, it will speedily become another Ormuz for traffic, wealth, and population. This advantage attends a new settlement in the east, that labour is cheap, and the supply of a population familiar with the arts of luxurious life is easy; so that, in the course of a single generation, all the parts of a flourishing and polished society can be put together, and a city can rise like an exhalation. There is perhaps no episode in our history more truly honourable to the general character of our people and our protection than the fortunes of Pulo Penang. In August 1786 there were tombs on the island, but no man: it had been a haunt of pirates and banditti, whom the king of Queddah had thought it necessary utterly to extirpate. The empty wilderness was purchased of this sovereign for a perpetual rent of six thousand dollars. In five years time George-town was so much of a sea-port, and the resort of prows so considerable that the king of Queddah complained his continental custom-houses no longer yielded any revenue, and armed to attack the new settlement, The inva sion was repelled; but an additional quitrent was granted to the king of Queddah; and the most entire cordiality was restored. In the year 1800, that is in the short space of fourteen years, the population consisted of ten thousand three hundred and twenty-three were land-owners, and and ten persons, of whom seven hundred one thousand two hundred and twentytwo were slaves. The country is already pierced by roads bordered with alleys of young spice-trees: to pensile bridges of bamboo have succeeded in five places bold arches of brick and mortar. The cajan huts of the first settlers are giving place Aqueducts and hospitals, custom-houses to durable houses and rectangular streets. and jails, are already towering into conspicuity. Vessels of eight hundred tons have been built and launched by the inhabitants, pepper-vines and beetle-nut trees The revenue amounts to eighty thousand afford important objects of exportation. dollars, and the annual arrival of ships to two hundred and fifty, bearing fifty thousand tons. How swift a growth of prosperity. the merchant's desk. The real lamp of Aladdin is that on white, olive or black, who people the atAll the genies, mosphere of earth, it puts in motion at the antipodes. It builds palaces in the wilderness and cities in the forest; and collects every splendor and every refineservient toil. Kings of the east are slaves ment of luxury, from the fingers of subof the lamp: the winds blow, and the seas roll, only to work the behest of its master. ART. V. A Short Account of the Settlement, Produce, and Commerce of Prince of Wales Island, in the Straits of Malacca. By SIR GEORGE LEITH, Bart. Major 17th Foot, and late Lieutenant Governor. 8vo. pp. 94. THIS island is unwisely named. There is another Prince of Wales Island off the coast of New Holland. It may be very loyal to have George-towns and Princeof-Wales islands all the world over; but it occasions confusion and mistake in the memory, and will, in due time, occasion very troublesome miscarriages at the post-office. How inconvenient to the antient world were its Selucias and Alexandrias, The island here described was formerly called Pulo Pinang, or Penang, and is sitaate in the straits of Malacca, opposite the Queddah shore, on the Malay peninsula. It abounds with ship-timber and masts of all dimensions. It enjoys a cli mate and a soil applicable to the most habited by new settlers of all descriptions, precious cultivations of the east. It is inEuropeans, Chinese, Chooliahs, Burmahs, Pursees, Malays, and Buggesses, a people from Borneo and Celebes, hitherto confounded with the Malays, but differing from them in language. Of the com merce these particulars are given: "COMMERCE, "The principal, if not the only view in forming this settlement, appears to have been for commercial purposes; and there certainly the acquiring a port in the Straits of Malacca, is not in any part of India a place so well adapted to this end as Prince of Wales Island; at the same time it undoubtedly en joys great advantages as a naval port.Hitherto the productions of the island have constituted but a small portion of the extensive commerce which has flourished here for some years; but although this portion has, as yet, been inconsiderable, there is the most satisfactory and pleasing evidence that it is daily increasing. The numerous, extensive, and highly cultivated plantations of pepper, and beetle-nut, which are every where rising into view, will, in a short time, afford large cargoes of those articles, without the trouble and expence of importation. It is computed that there will be upwards of fifteen thousand peculs of pepper produced on the island this year; (1803-4), and that, in the course of three or four years more, the plantations will yield more than twenty thousand peculs. Coffee also promises to become a valuable commodity; this berry has been imported from different quarters, and they all thrive very well, and produce fine flavoured coffee. The sugar cane grows with uncommon luxuriance; but as the price of labour is very high, the expence attending the making of sugar, will prevent a very extensive cultivation of the cane. "The spice plantations, in which there are many thousand clove and nutmeg trees, are so flourishing, that the island may reasonably hope, in a few years, to be able to furnish a valuable cargo of cloves, nutmegs, and mace; with their essential oils, and also the so much esteemed Kyapoctee oil. "However the productions of the island may increase in various articles, the principal source of wealth must arise from its being considered as the best and greatest port of exchange in India. Ships and vessels come here from every quarter, and can exchange the commodities they bring, for those which are required as a return cargo. This affords the merchant the very important advantage of a quick return of his capital. "As there is not a custom house on the island, it is not possible to form an accurate idea of the extent of the general imports and exports. In the year 1801-2, an import duty of two per cent. ad valorem, was laid on tin, pepper, and beetle-nut; from the return given in by the renter of this duty, it appeared that the following quantities of these articles were imported, viz. China Peculs. Catties. Amt. of the Duty. sist chiefly of Hummums, Gurrahs, Bafties, Cossas, Tanjabs, Mamoodies, Chintzs, Kurwahs, Taffatees, and Bandanoes. "Coast of Coromandel.-Salt, tobacco, Punjum cloths, kaal-blue cloths, handkerchiefs, coir rope, and yarns; chintzs; and a small quantity of fine goods. Bombay and Malabar Coast.-Cotton, salt, a few piece goods, red wood, sandal wood, shark fins, fish mote, putchuck, myrrh, Surat piece goods, oil, &c. "W. Coast Sumatra.-Pepper, benjamin, camphire, gold dust. "Acheen and Pedier.-Gold dust; beetlenut, white and red, cut and chickney; pepper, rice, and Acheen cloths. "Diamond Point.-Rattans, sago, brim stone, and gold dust. "East Coast.-Tin, pepper, Java arrack, sugar, oil, rice, tobacco, &c. "Junk Ceylon.-Tin, birds nests, beache de mer, sepuh, and elephants teeth. Tringano.-Pepper, and gold worked cloths. EXPORTS. "Sumatra. E. and W. Coasts.-All the various piece goods from Bengal, the coast, and Bombay; cotton, opium, iron and tobacco. 66 "Junk Ceylon.-Piece goods, and opium. Tringano, Java, Borneo, Celebes, and Moluccas.-Iron, steel, opium, Bengal piece goods, blue cloth; Europe coarse red, blue, and green cloths, and coarse cutlery. "China.-Opium, cottons, rattans, beetlenut, pepper, birds nests, sandal wood, shark fins, Sumatra camphire, tin, beache de mer, cutch, and sepuh. "Bengal Coast and Bombay.-Pepper, tin, beetle-nut, cut and chickney; rattans, canphire, gold dust, &c. "In addition to the quantity of pepper at present annually exported from this port, almost any number of tons could be procured for the London market, should it ever be deemed advisable to send it home on ac count of the honourable company, and we may safely venture to assert, that the pepper will be of as fine a quality as any ever pro cured; and the pepper produced on the island is considered cleaner than that of the surrounding countries: and in general, in equal measures, it is heavier. "In the year 1802, a thousand tons of pepper of 20 cwt. were sent from the island to Europe, without having the smallest effect on the surrounding markets. That, and in ded a much larger quantity, could easily be procured, without any risk of raising the price, viz. 501. sterl. per ton of 20 cwt. 66 Innumerable indeed are the advantages which would accrue to this settlement, were the exportation of pepper produced on the island, direct to the London market on the honourable company's ships, once established; nor would these advantages be confined to the settlement alone, as considerable bene fit, it is confidently presumed would also arise to the honourable company from this branch of commerce. The experiment at least appears worth the trial; all the expences attending it, will be apparent at one view, and even if the flattering expectations which are now entertained should not be fully realized, still there is no prospect of risk, or loss, attending the measure. To the pepper, the product of the island, many other articles might be added, if required, as rhubarb, gallingal root, turmeric, cochineal, &c. &c. "One of the most convincing proofs which can be adduced of the flourishing state of the commerce of this rising settlement, will be found in the following table, shewing the number of ships, with their tonnage, which have entered into and cleared out from this port, within the last four years, and as a considerable portion of the trade of the island is carried on by prows, an account of them is also subjoined. Amer. Portug. Danes 37 8,299 Asiatic 36 5,432 168 39,371 111 31,097 1800 English Amer. Portug. Danes 31 51 8,025 193 44,907 To the general reader this account will be more amusing and more instructive than the description published by sir Home Popham; but those who are called on to determine whether directions shall be given in London to forbid the sea to encroach on the north face of the fort and esplanade, by the construction of vast stone moles and piers-whether directions shall be given in London for founding huge docks and naval arsenals→→→→ in short, whether all the profits of this well-situate and rapidly rising establish265 53,828 ment shall be given away to the placemongers and projectors of jobs-will do well to read all the accounts. That of captain Macalister passes for the less ac curate and precise. 160 38,880 142 44,356 ART. VI. Narrative of a Voyage to Brasil; terminating in the Seizure of a British Vessel, and the Imprisonment of the Author and the Ship's Crew, by the Portughese. With General Sketches of the Country, its Natural Productions, Colonial Inhabitants, &c. and a Description of the City and Provinces of St. Salvadore and Porto Seguro, To which are added, a correct Table of the Latitude and Longitude of the Ports on the Coast of Brasil, Table of Exchange, &c. By THOMAS LINDLEY, 8vo. pp. 298. EARLY in 1802, Mr. Lindley sailed Helena and a market,' this is his phrase; from the Cape of Good Hope for St. and the original destination of the brig is. not otherwise explained. After leaving St. Helena, a severe squall considerably damaged the vessel, and obliged him to bear away for Brasil. He repaired at Bahia, or St. Salvadore, and from thence intended to steer for Rio Janeiro, where hé expected a ready sale of his cargo to the Spaniards trading from the River Plata. But a storm sprung up just as he had cleared the bay, and obliged him to put into Porto Seguro, which port, however, he did not reach without the loss of the rudder. While he was detained for repairs here, the civil governor, or judge of the province, proposed to barter Brasil wood with him for goods. The proposal appeared so advantageous,' says Mr. Lindley, that I could have no hesitation, except from an uncertainty whether this wood was allowed to be exported; but as the offer came from the governor himself, I considered any prohibition that might exist as merely nominal; and every doubt being thus dispelled, I agreed to the exchange. The plain English of which is, that he knew he was engaging in a contraband trade, but thought he could do it securely. Gasper, one of the governor's sons, transacted the bargain, and his brother Antonio was to get the wood ready; but the business was not kept secret, and in about a weeks' time both father and son said it must be given up, regretting the mutual disappointment, and telling Mr. Lindley that he might procure the wood he wanted by another channel, and should meet with no hindrance or opposition on their part. Another adventurer was soon found, but wood is a clumsy article to smuggle; the errand of the English ship was pretty well understood, and Gaspar requested the captain, in the strongest terms, to decline the business altogether, saying, that he had secret reasons of the most forcible kind for his advice. In consequence he set sail to proceed on his destination; the repairs had been so badly made, that he was obliged once more to come to anchor in the river of Carevellos, near at hand; and before the carpenters here had completed their work, the brig was seized by the Portugueze government, and the crew conducted back to Porto Seguro. An inhabitant of that place, to revenge an old quarrel upon the governor, had laid an information against him for smuggling with Mr. Lindley. Mr. and Mrs. Lindley were taken to the common prison: they were led into an upper room, in the floor of which a trap door was opened, down which they descended by a ladder into a dungeon. Three corners of this wretched place were filled with heaps of dirt, rubbish, orange-peel, and the refuse of other vegetables, rotting together; the fourth with filth of a more disgusting kind, for four of his sailors had been confined there for eight days, and were just removed to the next dungeon to make room for him and his wife. In this place they remained a fortnight, burning a fire during the day, notwithstanding the exceeding heat of the weather, as the only means of amending the bad air. At length Mr. Lindley was examined; he denied that any Brasil wood had ever been brought on board the brig; but was perfectly explicit respecting his intention to have purchased some,' had he not discovered in time the strictness with which that article was prohibited; that is, he betrayed the whole transaction with the governor and his sons. After this examination, in consequence of his entreaties, they were removed to an upper apartment. There had been found, in his writingdesk, a paper containing a small quantity of grain gold, intermixed with gold-coloured sand, which had been brought to him by an inhabitant of Porto Seguro as a sample. When closely questioned concerning this, he made no secret of whence he had obtained the article, but declared he knew neither the name nor residence of the person from whom he had received it, though he believed that he was from a distant settlement. They took him a days' ride into the country to point out the man, whom he was predetermined not to recognize if he met him. The stream, however, from whence the sample had been collected was found, a guard set over it in the queen's name, and a farther sample taken to be assayed at Bahia. The sailors had been ill supplied with food. On Mr. Lindley's remonstrances this was remedied. His situation was not much ameliorated; he was called to visit the sick, and obtained permission to take the air with his wife. Still there was much to complain of. "Their impudence is unbounded, even to insult; while I can only resent it by reproach or unavailing complaint. The captain, Mor, who has superior apartments in the prison, takes the liberty of running into mine without Lindley and myself, confined to a small room, excuse; not considering the situation of Mrs. and who do not at all hours chuse such visitors: besides constantly using my liquor for himself and friends, notwithstanding he knows I purchase it on the spot, and have no support allowed me. The judge ordinary, or magistrate of the town, daily visits the prison, and uses the same freedom: this morning he presented us with a basket of eggs, begged a silk handkerchief in return, and, whilst talking on the subject, reached a clothes-brush from the wall, and, sans ceremonie, brushed his hat in our faces. Each poor meal we make, we are necessitated in the first instance to secure our door from intrusion: and a thousand other ineannesses we daily endure. "The very dress of the men (particularly in the morning) is shocking to a person of the commonest delicacy. They promenade the prison in a thin pair of callico drawers that scarce reach the knee, with the shirt loose over them, and no stockings or hat: if cool or rainy weather, they sometimes have the addition of a cloak or bed-gown loosely wrapt round them. In short, maugre every exertion of patience, our situation is miserable; and most gladly shall I hail the happy day of our arrival in a land of decency." After ten weeks confinement they were removed to Bahia, and again put in a dungeon; a long arched vault, with a plankwork on one side to sleep on-the old estrado. The captain of the fort executed his orders with due fidelity in placing them there; but advised Mr. Lindley to write to the governor of Bahia, supplied him implements for the memorial, and dispatched it. On the morrow the commandant of the sea, as he is here called, came himself with an order for their re lease from the dungeon, and that they should have an apartment, and the liberty of the fort. Both the commandant and the captain of the fort seem to have done every thing which men of honour and of feeling could do, consistently with their duty, to alleviate his confinement. He was shortly afterwards confronted with Gaspar and Antonio, who steadily denied the whole transaction, which he, on his part, as consistently confessed. Assassinations, Mr. Lindley remarks, are not common in Bahia; and it is a proof this, that he walked the streets of the city in safety six months after he had betrayed this family. His ship and cargo were now valued infinitely below their real worth. The cargo had been pillaged, and much damaged; but he was obliged to sign a paper, attesting that the whole was in the same condition as when first seized. The crew meantime were allowed eight-pence a day each; they were in want of clothes, for their chests, as well as Mr. Lindley's trunks, had been plundered. He was now informed that he could not be sent to Liben till orders came from thence, in reply to the dispatches sent concerning him; but the governor would permit hin the liberty of the city, if he would petition for it on the plea of illness, and procure certificates to that effect. This Mr. Lindley thinks proper to call a mean and paltry subterfuge from the great and mighty governor of a country! though he availed himself of the humane offer. The return he makes is to publish the fact, and print, at full length, the names of surgeon and physician who attested, on oath, that he was dangerously ill, without having seen him. The next Englishman who is detected in smuggling at Brasil will be left to rot in a dungeon. He waited till August in expectation of being sent to Lisbon, then with his wife, mate, and servant, made his escape in a vessel bound for Porto. "After the usual voyage, I arrived at Oporto on the 2d of November, and found vessels from Bahia that had sailed subsequent to ours: in consequence, I expected that information had been received of our escape, but my fears were groundless. I applied inand was apprehensive of some embarrassment; stantly to the acting consul, Mr. War, who pointed out the necessity of my proceeding immediately to Lisbon. In four days I reached that city, and waited on lord R. S. Fitzgerald, our residentiary minister, who received me with the most soothing and polite attention, and entered into the merits of the affair Gambier, the consul-general, his lordship had without losing a moment. Jointly with Mr. the goodness to assure me it should be forcibly represented to the Portugueze government, that a satisfactory recompence might be ob tained for this unjust outrage on British subjects, and the sufferings that had been so wantonly inflicted on myself and wife. "His lordship honoured me with an introductory letter to lord Hawkesbury, which on referred to the secretary of state's office, my arrival in England I presented, and was where I attended at various times till the middle of June last, when I received the unpleasant intelligence (as well by advice from lord Robert Fitzgerald), that the Portugueze government had finally resolved, that no restitution or recompence whatever should be made in the affair; thus leaving me no further prospect or hope of redress, for the injuries I have in so many respects sustained-in my feelings, my health, my time, and my property!" No other termination of the affair was to be expected. Mr. Lindley was engaged in a contraband traffic, no matter whether with the chief magistrate of Porto Seguro or not, and no matter whether he knew it to be contraband or not; ignorance of the |