The specific lists kept in the different hospitals were likewise lost. This is to be particularly lamented, because they would have shewn how many of the European deaths were inhabitants, military persons, strangers, or sailors or marines from the ships of the different nations in Batavia Roads, who all sent their sick men into the hospitals of Batavia, who, when dead, were comprehended in the number of European deaths. This circumstance explains the incorrectness which appears to exist in the two statements of the living and deceased Europeans.

The Table No. II. was discovered among the records of the Dutch government at Batavia, and in the absence of a more official document, may, perhaps, on that account, be entitled to some confidence.

TABLE, No. I.
List of the Population, Marriages, Baptisms, and Deaths, in the Town and Suburbs of Batavia, from 1700 to 1813, as far as the same could be ascertained from the Registers, &c. after the Conquest of Java in 1811.
POPULATION.MARRIAGES.BAPTISMS.DEATHS.
Within the Walls.In the Suburbs.Eu­ro­pe­ans.Half Casts and Other Chris­tians.Eu­ro­pe­ans' Children.Those of Half Casts and Other Chris­tians.Eu­ro­pe­ans, Half Casts, &c.Natives, Slaves, &c.
Eu­ro­pe­ans.Eu­ro­pe­ans & Natives.Eu­ro­pe­ans.Eu­ro­pe­ans & Natives.
17001,87520,07221532,47874134119565697975
17011,71519,08432148,9726512676341736815
17021,75519,68330945,45276120836161,0881,336
17031,83518,58053447,12372133190443856931
17041,89822,15047049,35174144964664421,148
17051,77119,752​—​—551331004416881,800
17061,92321,89941749,48379127844478411,839
17071,82621,63241147,02660116884716551,371
17081,76920,92240254,62849134876386511,481
17091,68120,60041255,58164138825758041,828
17101,71620,85036858,761411521086286841,313
17111,72321,51734157,843631541105557661,487
17121,65621,53844865,86560141110595/6841,278
17131,56619,00750369,11056154747[280]5991,022
17141,64419,75855366,092601507036081,085
17151,66322,24241164,657431597595671,074
17161,51618,94744660,236371296886061,207
17171,44318,96529059,831411475787161,322
1718​—​—​—​—​—​—663​—​—
17191,40919,41130868,082591546318571,869
17201,61021,15636167,792681485299771,685
17211,47720,52038767,04453804677721,210
172269511,25241767,33961132649193813
17231,60623,71636366,079431196109851,597
17241,56223,42834162,966341727819341,755
17251,61523,75233272,218601506379582,085
Within the Walls and immediate Suburbs.In the Vicinity and Environs.In the Reformed Churches, and since 1746, in the Lutheran Church.
17261,45222,81430476,89358118616994487
1727​—​—​—​—​—​—740​—​—
17281,53815,34328973,14150155648768590
17291,38920,67723281,97752135736754500
17301,33020,42920980,756451677638571,800
17311,43122,65824182,204451287838861,066
17321,44522,64621183,602551426251,003689
1733​—​—​—​—​—​—554​—​—
1734​—​—​—​—​—​—432​—​—
17351,33820,58722474,36765166561240667
1736​—​—​—​—48​—727​—​—
17371,31719,61226667,170481335721,966705
17381,35011,21221264,090491334482,002919
17391,28618,50227268,229511796581,068668
17401,42014,14126972,50647905181,317338
17411,38813,97728747,583521246701,278406
1742​—​—25956,882471186021,286547
17431,48114,60932155,023841196391,526682
1744​—​—​—​—​—​—673​—​—
17451,51714,92627867,254601175921,9651,062
17461,59713,85224268,785​—​—574​—​—
17471,52513,85424073,163​—​—670​—​—
1748​—​—​—​—​—​—627​—​—
17491,54114,05031877,008391157051,662556
17501,52014,27831380,597631055712,229569
17511,43913,87433678,2593884/5502,189502
17521,51314,59631175,152135[281]6001,858562
17531,65115,71032576,6111324571,7891,542
17541,57515,89135893,3751365531,729617
Within the Town and all the Suburbs.
17551,59916,46636995,9381464842,532630
17561,60415,92531096,7021434101,729547
17571,62916,356373103,4431374651,557561
17581,56016,855447106,1511284681,7811,082
17591,57216,942377111,273974371,451636
17601,63416,785410109,3931244501,4031,064
17611,49916,298305113,280​—3871,110980
1762​—​—​—​—​—471​—​—
17631,50716,282447113,0091124352,0011,134
1764​—16,008413117,2071312971,907585
1765​—​—​—​—​—357​—​—
1766​—​—​—​—​—356​—​—
1767​—​—​—​—​—306​—​—
17681,64215,256273108,507933291,933537
17691,27115,430389114,7501243691,869667
17701,18313,192328123,8691263022,8712,672
17711,10512,233300121,380932452,425622
17721,01112,743348112,3461083012,4372,256
17731,06113,473342107,500982842,029534
177493312,134367108,215972952,452866
17751,16513,512328125,6352143072,9973,007
1776​—​—276131,8951003033,0551,199
177789610,661279140,332982771,3942,031
17781,13712,206238135,5321042531,8042,131
1779​—​—302160,986822901,5241,717
178074713,651278129,9431132591,4181,435
1781​—​—​—​—​—272​—​—
17826649,517276127,039752607331,692
1783​—​—​—​—​—292​—​—
178469510,422336129,506812791,4391,669
1785​—​—​—​—​—243​—​—
1786​—​—​—​—​—238​—​—
17875749,910375133,151582301,9391,278
1788​—​—​—​—​—284​—​—
1789​—​—​—​—​—236​—​—
1790​—​—​—​—692202,3791,672
17913256,367450120,352482162,2281,590
17922548,121282119,297591711,9901,131
17932548,121282119,297481491,8051,030
1794​—​—​—​—​—215​—​—
1795​—​—​—​—921831,121953
1796​—​—​—​—67173​—​—
1797​—​—​—​—52210215930
1798​—​—​—​—68173280675
1799​—​—​—​—​—236​—​—
1800​—​—​—​—681691061,168
1801​—​—​—​—32169​—​—
1802​—​—​—​—​—207​—​—
1803​—​—​—​—581822632,356
1804​—​—37872,830​—190255​—
1805​—​—50073,72883164​—​—
1806​—​—​—​—50171​—​—
1807​—​—​—​—86186​—2,549
1808​—​—​—​—​—151​—​—
1809​—​—​—​—​—131​—​—
1810​—​—​—​—​—167​—​—
1811​—​—​—​—​—136​—​—
1812​—​—​—​—​—115​—​—
1813​—​—​—​—​—138​—​—

TABLE, No. II.
List of Deceased and Buried in the several Burial Places at Batavia, from the Year 1730, till the Month of August, 1752.
[Translated from a Document discovered among the Records of the Dutch Government at Batavia.]
Numb. deceased.
1730.
January3,862
February3,786
March3,928
April3,860
May3,862
June3,889
July4,268
August4,404
September4,597
October4,290
November3,965
December3,739
​48,450
1731.
January3,699
February3,705
March3,827
April3,833
May3,711
June3,788
July4,480
August4,527
September4,916
October4,512
November4,412
December4,430
​49,840
1732.
January4,359
February4,047
March4,046
April4,060
May4,066
June4,191
July4,515
August4,758
September5,314
October4,912
November4,344
December4,305
​52,917
1733.
January4,205
February4,261
March3,989
April3,948
May3,747
June3,840
July3,885
August3,805
September4,147
October4,148
November3,906
December3,864
​47,745
1734.
January3,830
February3,963
March3,914
April3,725
May3,711
June3,550
July3,772
August4,294
September5,303
October4,237
November4,025
December4,021
​48,145
1735.
January3,722
February3,775
March3,830
April3,757
May3,780
June3,968
July4,141
August4,041
September4,058
October4,050
November3,966
December3,962
​47,050
1736.
January4,110
February3,909
March3,815
April3,778
May3,760
June3,699
July4,063
August4,078
September4,260
October4,110
November3,841
December4,080
​47,503
1737.
January4,066
February4,093
March3,707
April3,561
May3,485
June3,358
July3,357
August3,400
September2,501
October4,054
November4,057
December4,061
​43,709
1738.
January3,784
February3,572
March3,570
April3,718
May3,717
June4,018
July4,045
August3,771
September4,110
October4,293
November4,030
December4,158
​46,786
1739.
January4,039
February4,017
March3,909
April3,759
May3,885
June3,985
July4,266
August4,273
September4,053
October4,139
November4,189
December4,084
​48,598
1740.
January3,851
February3,747
March3,758
April3,878
May4,090
June4,424
July4,536
August4,321
September4,538
October4,514
November4,224
December4,083
​49,964
1741.
January4,010
February3,842
March3,893
April3,824
May3,958
June4,057
July4,136
August3,764
September4,093
October3,888
November3,766
December3,712
​46,943
1742.
January2,849
February3,731
March3,780
April3,811
May2,185
June3,665
July3,915
August3,976
September3,546
October3,537
November3,646
December4,021
​42,662
1743.
January3,744
February3,659
March3,399
April3,407
May3,418
June4,448
July3,822
August3,937
September3,641
October3,798
November3,852
December4,011
​45,136
1744.
January4,114
February3,974
March3,682
April3,723
May3,790
June3,808
July3,847
August3,601
September5,904
October3,914
November4,140
December4,064
​47,661
1745.
January3,952
February3,765
March3,212
April3,230
May3,290
June3,327
July3,655
August3,736
September4,197
October3,632
November3,486
December3,526
​43,008
1746.
January3,479
February3,491
March3,459
April3,373
May3,435
June3,950
July4,750
August4,210
September4,110
October4,214
November4,483
December4,874
​47,828
1747.
January4,414
February4,389
March4,305
April4,159
May4,599
June4,978
July5,355
August4,946
September5,016
October3,028
November4,506
December4,603
​54,298
1748.
January4,459
February4,322
March4,796
April4,689
May4,603
June5,106
July4,469
August4,355
September5,034
October5,169
November5,140
December4,864
​57,006
1749.
January4,870
February4,452
March4,332
April4,505
May4,425
June4,589
July4,656
August4,174
September4,398
October4,684
November4,537
December4,893
​54,515
1750.
January4,546
February4,352
March4,417
April4,619
May5,227
June5,072
July5,277
August5,134
September4,872
October4,580
November4,526
December4,508
​57,130
1751.
January4,543
February4,128
March4,163
April4,170
May3,967
June4,967
July6,904
August5,566
September5,699
October5,344
November4,612
December4,533
​58,605
1752.
January3,923
February3,941
March4,272
April4,116
May4,466
June4,285
July4,359
August4,514
​33,876
During twenty-two years and eight months,
Grand Total1,119,375

The unhealthiness of the climate of Batavia is connected, in the minds of many, with the fabulous properties of the poison tree of Java, and many are so ignorant of the island as to consider the climate of Batavia as a fair example of that of Java in general. History attests that this city has been highly pernicious to the health both of Europeans and Natives, almost from its foundation, and recent experience concurs with the testimony of history. The mines of America, when they were first discovered, did not more strongly allure the Spaniards, nor urged them to sacrifice more relentlessly the lives of the unresisting natives to their burning thirst of gold, than the monopoly of Java and the Spice Islands led the Dutch Company, in the track of wealth, through danger, injustice and oppression. Though the unhealthiness of Batavia was at all times known and formidable, there were times when the mortality became extraordinary and alarming. Although not prone to any speculation, except that of merchants, or to any inquiry, except for a new market or a more lucrative channel of trade, the Company's Government in India was sometimes forced to institute inquiries into the cause of this insalubrity, and to speculate about the possibility and the means of removing it. Passing by other occasions, there exists on the records of the High Regency a reply to queries about the unhealthiness of Batavia, dated the 14th of October 1753. This paper states that between 1732 and 1738, the greatest number of casualties happened. It assigns, as a great cause of the insalubrity complained of, the situation of the town in a bay, confined on the west and east by projecting points of land, and inclosed in front by a cluster of small islands. The space between the town and the sea is chiefly mud, left by the retreating of the sea: a swamp surrounds the town. The mouths of the rivers are generally covered with underwood and a species of tree peculiar to swamps. The vegetation of these low grounds, it is added, cannot but retain impurities of the most noxious kind. The space which is formed at the mouths of the rivers Táng'ran and Ang'ki is an entire swamp, covered with shrubs which emit exhalations of an impure nature: these are interspersed with the burying grounds of the natives, and the effluvia of these places is felt at some distance. It was believed that the earthquake of 1699, by forcing mud from under the earth and blocking up the mouths of the rivers more than formerly, contributed to increase the previously existing unhealthiness. The lime kilns in the neighbourhood, the close plantations of trees that prevent a free circulation of air, the stagnation of the rivers from the bars of mud or sand which obstruct their out-course into the sea, the kind of water which the inhabitants are compelled to drink, the narrowness of their houses, and the dirt and filth accumulated in the numerous canals that intersect the town, have all their due share of pernicious efficiency assigned them in this report. The buildings, it is said, are admirably adapted to keep out the fresh air, and to retain that which is putrid or noxious. To remedy the evils felt, a new construction of houses is recommended, and a frequent pruning or entire extirpation of the trees.

The fever, which excited this inquiry, commenced in 1733 and lasted till 1738, and, during its continuance, two thousand of the Company's servants and free Christians annually died. In 1739 its violence abated; but it broke out again in 1744, and continued with little diminution or variation to the date of the report in 1753.

Without stopping to inquire whether it would be easier to remove disease from Batavia, or the inhabitants of Batavia from disease, I shall take the liberty of quoting an extract from a report on the climate of some parts of Java, drawn up by Mr. Robertson, the late Superintending Surgeon, which appears to me to afford a satisfactory account of the causes of the insalubrity of the capital. After giving a statement of the mortality that prevailed in an Indiaman, a part of the crew of which landed at Batavia, he thus proceeds.

"Such is the melancholy instance of the noxious climate of Batavia, which came within my own observation. That it was not epidemic is clearly evinced, from its not extending its influence to those who attended the sick, nor to the rest of the crew, all of whom escaped its attack and remained healthy. Among the Dutch who remain in the town, fevers are, I understand, very prevalent at all seasons, notwithstanding their being, in a manner, inured to the climate, and most of them have a sallow sickly appearance. It is not uncommon, in riding through the streets, to meet three or four funerals daily.