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 ages the Spice Islands had figured in the world's history as a region of surpassing natural wealth. They had contributed to the dead Empires of Africa and of Asia the peculiar products which were necessary adjuncts of their civilization. They had ministered to the luxuries of Rome in her palmiest days, and later, as Raffles has aptly pointed out, through their influence on the commerce of the Italian States, had "communicated the first electric spark which awoke to life the energies and the literature of Europe." Portugal, too, had derived not a little of the wealth, which brought her for a period to the front rank of European nations, from these beautiful islets, while the Dutch, even in the short period of their connexion with the region, had drawn immense sums from the highly profitable trade which they had established in their staple products. These circumstances sufficiently account for the dogged resolution with which the exclusive policy was pursued from the very first moment that the English competition in the region became serious.

Of the two races, as the reader knows, the English were the first to exploit the Spice Islands. Sir Francis Drake visited them on the occasion of his famous voyage round the world in 1579, and established relations which, if they had been followed up, would have changed the whole situation. But nothing further was done for many years, and meanwhile the Dutch had made the best use of their opportunities. Instead of sending out a few ships at irregular intervals, they directed to the Eastern Seas a constant succession of well-equipped fleets which penetrated to every part of the Archipelago to the great enhancement of Dutch influence.

Quite early in their Eastern career they came into violent