Mss Eur Mack Private 35

1, pp. i, 1-20: Minutes of the Committee on the State & Amelioration of Java 1812-13. (p. 1) Minutes of a Committee appointed to enquire into the State of Java &c. &c. Original. The Committee consisted of Lieut.-Col. Colin Mackenzie (President), F. J. Rotlienbuhler, Johannes Knops and P. H. Lawick van Pabst. The minutes here given refer to meetings held from 8 February to 12 August 1812 at various places in Java. The signatures of the members attending are attached to the several entries. In some cases the minutes are entered in Dutch as well as in English. The other documents in this volume are virtually an Appendix to the minutes.

2. pp. 39-44: Batavia, 21. January 1812. Copy. Letter from Lieut(t) Gov(r) T. S. Raffles to the above-named persons, appointing them to be a Committee to examine and report on the state of Java, particularly with reference to its revenue system and rand tenure. Raffles' leading idea was to replace (not at one stroke but gradually) the old trading monopoly and system of exacting the delivery of produce at fixed prices by a system of freedom in trade and agriculture, subject only to such regular taxes as were necessary to meet the cost of administration. As a preliminary step he required precise information of the actual condition of things prevailing in all the districts of Java subject to the direct rule of Government, and he here sets out 37 questions, partly on matters of fact, partly, on points whereon he asks the opinion of the Committee as to the desirability of measures which had occurred to him. Identical with 14. 16 (a) (iii) supra.

3, p. 45: Buitenzorg, 17 February 1812. Copy. Letter from Raffles to the Committee suggesting the adoption of some fixed uniform rule to regulate the separate investigations of the members in different parts of Java, and inviting a discussion by the Committee on the general question of the possibility of changing the existing system.

4, pp. 47-54: Model of Heads or Points of Enquiry recommended to the Members of the Committee proceeding to the different Districts of Java,-& to the several Civil Authorities, Residents, Land-Drosts, Drosts &c. Feb(y) 15th 1812. Copy. A number of questions divided into the following groups :- A. 16 arts. [On native chiefs]. B. Of Land: 31 arts. C. Of the Inhabitants Trade & Commerce: 9 arts. D. Bazars [=markets]: 7 arts. E. Of the Coffee Culture & its Delivery &c.: 11 arts. F. Woods: 6 arts. G. Contingents [i.e., of produce, &c., compulsorily deliverable]: 8 arts. H. Improvements: 5 arts. These questions form the basis for many of the memoirs of Javanese districts contained in this collection.

5, pp. 55-6: Minute by the President of the 9(th) February. 1812-submitted & read in the Committee, 9(th) March 1812. Suggestions for the procedure of the Committee, which were adopted by them. In English with a Dutch translation in half margin. Original, with signatures attached.

6, p. 57: Passarouang [=Pasuruan]: 9 March 1812. Memorandum by the President for the Members proceeding to Soorabaya [=Surabaya]. Copy. Questions as to certain lands in and about Surabaya and Samarang which had been sold and others which it was proposed to sell, the persons affected by the sales, &c.

7, p. 58: Soorabaya [=Surabaya], 11 March 1812. Copy. Letter from W. H. Davy, Assis(t) Dep(y) Com(r) to P. A. Goldbach, Col. Barbier and Mr. Moor requesting them to furnish Mr. Van Pabst with information as to the lands sold or to be sold near Surabaya, &c.

8, pp. 59-62: The questions contained in 6 supra with answers thereto. Copy.

9, p. 64: Soorabaya [=Surabaya], 20 December 1811. Copy. Letter from the two Native Regents of Surabaya to Col. S. Gibbs, Deputy-Commissioner there, with regard to lands sold by the Dutch administration to private individuals and the hardship thereby caused to the Regents and other natives; also adverting to the emigration resulting from the establishment of coffee cultivation; applying for moneys due; and forwarding 10 infra.

10, p. 65: Sourabaya [=Surabaya], 20 December 1811. Memorandum of Negories [=negeri]. Rice Fields &c belonging to those Lands which have been sold by the late Dutch Government to Individuals. Copy. By the signatories of 9 supra. Gives the names of the purchasers, number of Negories, houses, contingents formerly payable, area, &c.

11, pp. 67-8: Extract jrom the Decrees of His Excellency the Marshal & Governor General-Sourabaya [=Surabaya] the 61(th) of [July] 1810. Orders the sale of certain lands near Surabaya and Sĕmarang. Translated from the Dutch:- the original is printed in Van der Chijs, Nederlandsch-Indisch Plakaatboek, 1602-1811, (1897), 168 Dee], pp. 256-7.

12, pp. 68-70: Extract of a Letter wrote by the Landdrost P. A. Goldbach to His excellency the Governor General J: W: Janssens, as also the disposition of the Governor annexed to it dated the 7th of [month blank] 1811. The letter is on the subject of the sale of lands at Surabaya, criticizing the mode of sale adopted and making suggestions, which in the annexed note Janssens approves.

13, pp. 71-4: Advice given in by the Members of the Commission on the 20(th) March 1812. Copy. The Committee professes to be unable to advise as to the question of selling land to individuals until Government has first decided in principle in favour of a system of free trade and cultivation. It also points out that provision would in the meantime have to be made for the case of the contingents and services imposed on the Regents and ultimately lands would have to be allotted to them for their support. Likewise conditions of sale, reserve prices, the demarcation of towns and surrounding districts, &c., would be necessary preliminary steps, and further local enquiries would have to be made first.

14, pp. 75-8: 26 July 1793. Engagement of Pandjie-Notto-Coessomo [=Panji Nata Kusuma] on his appointment as First Regent of Sourabaya [=Surabaya] to be loyal to the Dutch Company, deliver the amounts of produce and do all the other services therein stipulated. 11 arts. Copy. Translated from the Dutch.

15, p. 79: Batavia, 23 October 1764. Appointment of Mas-Wierosaroyo [=Wirasaraya] to be Second Regent of Sourabaya [=Surabaya], he being at the time a minor, with indorsement dated Samarang [=Sĕmarang], 15 January 1770, of his having taken the oath. Copy. Translated from the Dutch.

16, p. 80: Batavia, 30 May 1793. Appointment of Pepatty-Notto-Cosoema [=Pĕpatih Nata Kusuma, see 14 supra] to be First Regent of Sourabaya [=Surabaya] with indorsement dated 26 July 1793 of his having taken the oath. Copy. Translated from the Dutch.

17, p. 81: Sourabaya [=Surabaya], 1 July 1809. Patent by Gov(r) Gen(l) Daendels apparently conferring the title of Kyai-Adi-Patti [=Kyahi Adipati] on the Second Regent appointed by 15 supra. Copy. Translated from the Dutch.

18, pp. 83-95: Letters read in Committee on the, 12th Augu8t 1812. Comprising copies of ten letters sent to Mackenzie and the Committee between 27 April and 19 June. 1812 and a petition addressed to Lieu(t).-Gov(r) Raffles 16 June 1812. These are signed by various Dutchmen and Javanese and are mainly applications for land, of no great permanent importance. The writers of these are: R. Meyer, Joh. Fred(k) Neymar, S. J. Bouberg, Maas Ingabey Raxo-Diwirio [=Mas Ngabehi Raksadiwirya ?], Mart. Halewyn and H. van Ligten. In the letter numbered 6 (pp. 85-90), dated Sourabaya [=Surabaya], 30 May 1812, F. J. Rothenbuhler discusses what should be the future land policy of Government in Java, with a tendency to recommend the sale of available lands preferably to Europeans (but as little as may be to Chinese, against whom the writer urges many objections): he is at some pains to account for their successful management in the districts of Oeloedjami, Besoeki, and Panaroekan [=Ulujami, Besuki, Panarukan]. He proposes to set aside the Native Regents, giving them lands (but for life only, renewable at the discretion of Government) as compensation. He also refers to the progress of his work of local enquiry as a member of the Committee and disclaims any acquaintance with the circumstances of Bantam. In the letter numbered 7 (p. 84), dated Samarang [=Sĕmarang], 8 June 1812. [Pt Ht] Van Lawick van Pabst also disclaims such local knowledge.

19, pp. 97-8: Lassum [=Lasĕm], 21 August 1812. Copy. Letter from J. Knops to Mackenzie reporting the progress of his local enquiries as a member of the Committee and indicating his future movements.

20, pp. 115-38: Samarang [=Sĕmarang], 11 August 1812. Commission for the Affairs of Java-Report of the President. Copy. Addressed by Mackenzie to Lieut(t) Gov(r) Raffles, to inform him of the progress of the work up to that date. Besides referring to matters personal to its author, this interim report touches on the recent history of the possessions of the Dutch in the East, the decay of the Dutch East India Company, the partial reforms introduced subsequently, the difficulties of the enquiry then being conducted, the method of investigation adopted, the heads of enquiry drawn up for the guidance of the members (see 4 supra), Mackenzie's various journeys of inspection in Eastern and Central Java, and his visit to Madura, the question of the sale of Sourabaya [=Surabaya] lands, the agenda of several meetings of the Committee, the nature of the evidence collected up to date, &c. Mackenzie notes with regret that very few of the Dutch officials had an adequate knowledge of Javanese. They conducted the enquiries in Malay, which was not the language of the people. He recommends that the study of the Javanese language should be encouraged by Government and that concurrently a "few select young persons" should be educated in English. He expresses admiration of the beauty of the country and the fertility of the soil, and discusses the system of land tenure more or less historically but with a necessarily imperfect knowledge of the circumstances.

21, pp, 143-86: Letter Book [of the] Commission; Copies of 28 letters mostly addressed by the Committee or by Mackenzie to various persons from 9 February 1812 to 16 July 1813. The addressees include the Lieut Govr, the Secretary to Government, the Civil Commissioners at Sĕmarang and Surabaya, the members of the Committee absent on their duties for the time being, &c. One letter (No. 11) is an application for land addressed to the Committee by a Chinaman at Sĕmarang (24 Apr. 1812) and forwarded by Mackenzie to Government. The bulk of the correspondence refers to the mode of procedure and work of the Committee, their clerical staff, the expenses incurred, and other matters of routine, Nos. 10 and 17 deal with the proposed land sales ; No. 26 with the preparation for Mackenzie's return to India.

22, pp. 187-92: Batavia, 15 July 1813. List of Papers illustrative of the Proceedings & Progress of the Commission instituted by Order of Government of the 21st January 1812 for the Affairs & State of Java down to the 15(th) July 1813. Original signed by Mackenzie. The list contains 72 items (an item often comprising several documents) divided under the following sub-heads :- A. Minutes & Correspondence. B. Reports & Memoirs. (a) Under the Former Government. (b) Under the British Government. C. Memoirs & Answers in reply to the Statistic Queries circulated in November & December 1812. D. Memoirs & Answers in reply to the Statistic Heads of Information circulated by the Commission in February 1812. E. Statistic Tables of Population &c. F. Papers connected with the Emperor's & Sultan's Territories. G. Accounts & Statements.

23, pp. 193-6: 15 July 1813. List of Papers transmitted by the different Members of the Commission for inquiring into the Affairs of Java. Enumerates 6 from F. J. Rothenbuhler, with a. letter, 10 from J. Knops; 54 and a further parcel of 18 from P. H. Lawick van Pabst, on a number of districts and special subjects. Apparently an original list, but unsigned.