Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrai9101882roya).pdf/325



The following notices of the various Settlements and the Native States now comprehended in the Colony's administration, are chiefly taken from official sources. The Settlements are treated in the order of their seniority.

Malacca is situated on the western coast of the Peninsula between Singapore and Penang, about 110 miles from the former and 240 from the latter, and consists of a strip of territory about 42 miles in length, and from 8 to 25 miles in breadth, containing an area of 659 square miles.

The principal town, called Malacca, is in 2° 10' North lat. and 102° 14' East long. The local Government is administered by a Resident Councillor.

Malacca is one of the oldest European possessions in the East, having been taken from its Malay Sultan,, by the Portuguese under in 1511, to punish an attack upon his Lieutenant,, in 1500. It was held by them till 1641, when the Dutch, after several fruitless attempts, succeeded, with the help of the Achinese, in driving them out. The place remained under Dutch government till 25th August, 1795, when it was taken military possession of by the English. It was governed by them on the Dutch system of monopoly till 1813; and it was still held by the English, after that system was abolished, till 1818; at which date it was restored to the Dutch, in accordance with the Treaty of Vienna. It finally came into our hands under the Treaty with Holland of March, 1821, in exchange for our Company's Settlement at Bencoolen, and other places on the West coast of Sumatra. By that Treaty it was also arranged that the Dutch should not again meddle with affairs, or have any settlement on the Malay Peninsula, the British Government agreeing, at the same time, to leave Sumatra to the Dutch, saving only Achin in the North, of which the independence was protected until the Treaty of 1872.