The History of Java, v. 1-2 - Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles

It is admitted that the Bengal government might provide for this additional demand, by disposing of the copper brought from Japan in the Calcutta market; but this, it is stated, would prove a considerable check to the consumption of one of the most valuable articles of export from Great Britain, and therefore it has been inferred, that the final result of the trade with Japan would, in all probability, be the exchange of our woollens for copper, which we have already in abundance, instead of bartering them for teas, which, in the present state of Great Britain, will be always required.

But this argument seems evidently to have been grounded on a supposition that copper must always form the principal, if not only, article of commerce with Japan. An inference by no means borne out by the history of the Dutch trade; in the course of which, it is expressly stated by the Baron Van Imhoff, who appears to have given the subject the most mature and deliberate consideration, and to have been aided by much local information, that the Japanese would willingly pay a sum of money to be excused from the delivery of any copper at all.

But admitting that a connection between Great Britain and Japan might not be attended with all the commercial profits which might be expected from a consideration of the productions of the two countries, would it not, in a political point of view, be of the most essential importance to her interests in China, which are acknowledged by all to be so important? Might we not expect from the Chinese a more respectful and correct conduct than has been customary with them, if they knew that we were in some measure independent of our connection with them? and is it not important, that in case of our actual exclusion from China, there should still be a channel open for our obtaining commodities, with which we are at present supplied by that country?

Voyage to Japan (in the year 1804-5) in Account Current Contra.
Dr.							Cr.
							Amount Sale at Japan of the following Articles.—
			Rix-Dollars.		Rix-Dollars.					Rix-Dollars.		Rix-Dollars.
N.B. A considerable part of the profit above stated, ought properly to be credited to the Mint, the whole of the copper received from Japan being stamped into lumps, and introduced into the currency of Java at a rate above its intrinsic value.
1,500,000	lbs. of	Sugar, second sort, calculated at its selling price of 8⅓ each pikul, amounting to	100,000	—			1,500,000	lbs. of	Sugar, at 7 tahils the 120⅞ lbs. (each tahil being equal to 40 Stivers) amounting to	72,388	40
		Charges of one per cent	1,000	—
					101,000	—
37,500	lbs. of	Tin			7,200	—	37,500	do.	Tin, at 25 tahils each pikul of 120⅞ lbs.	6,463	14
4,000	do.	Cotton Thread, at 55 R. Drs. per pikul			1,760	—	4,000	do.	Cotton Thread, 25 do.	689	20
30,000	do.	Black Pepper. 10⅔ do.			3,200	—	30,000	do.	Black Pepper, 15 do.	3,102	18
30,000	do.	Cloves 60 Stivers per pikul			37,500	—	30,000	do.	Cloves 150 do.	31,023	36
2,987	do.	Seed Cloves 60 do.			3,733	36	2,987	do.	Seed Cloves, 40 do.	823	34
30,000	do.	Lead. 20 Stivers per pikul			4,800	—	30,000	do.	Lead 10 do.	2,068	12
100,000	do.	Sappan Wood 6 do.			4,800	—	100,000	do.	Sapan Wood, 5.5 do.	3,791	38
2,000	Pieces	Patna Chintz 50 Stivers per corgie			5,000	—	2,000	Pieces	Patna Chintz, 2 tahils each piece	3,333	16
1,651½	do.	Cloths in sorts 6 do.			9,909	—	1,651½	do.	Cloths in sorts	4,689	19
40	do.	of Woollens of sorts			5,149	26	40	do.	of Woollens of sorts, 90 tahils	3,000	—
82	do.	Long ells of sorts.			3,278	15	82	do. of	Long Ells of sorts, 30 do.	2,050	—
110	do.	Perpetuans			2,958	42	110	do.	Perpetuans 25 do.	2,291	32
5,137	do.	Camlets			7,773	12	5,137	do.	Camlets 4 do.	5,965	—
3,500	do.	Ducatoons			5,833	16	3,500	do.	Ducatoons 2 5.2.5. do.	7,364	28
		The Presents are calculated at			8,000	—			The Presents are calculated at	8,000	—
R. Drs.					211,896	3	R. Drs.			157,045	19
									The surplus of the Trade calculated	3,333	16
									Making together			160,378	35
Add the following Charges incurred on account of the above-mentioned merchandize, viz.							Where from must be deducted:
Amount of Coolies and Prow-hire attending the purchase of articles, calculated at two per cent. on the whole amount, being R. Drs. 38,868 ＝ Sp. D.			777	18			The Amount of Expenses and Disbursements at Japan in one year, for the Establishment, &c. and also the loss on the weight of the Sugar			51,285	32
For bringing and lodging the same in the stores, one per cent			388	33			The Amount of Money and Merchandizes required for making the journey to the Court of Jeddo			16,666	32
Custom Duties, &c. at 7½ per cent			2,915	8								67,952	16
Amount of Charges					4,081	11	Remaining to be employed for the purchase of Copper and Camphor					92,426	19
Total of the Cargo with the Charges					215,977	14	Particulars as follows:
Yearly allowance to the Resident at Japan, consisting of 700 pikuls Copper, to be paid by Government, at 25 R. Drs. each			17,500	—			8,475	pieces of	Copper, at tahils 12.3.5. each	87,221	32
							200	do.	Camphor, do. 21 do.	3,500	—
							4,000	chests for	Copper, do. 2.8.1.5.5 do.	1,146	32
Freight of Ships employed, 1,216 tons, at 98 Sp. D. each			145,920	—			200	bales for	Camphor	180	—
Freight of Ships employed, 1,216 tons, at 98 Sp. D. each			145,920	—			2,525	planks for	Dunnage, at tahils 18 each 100	378	3
					163,420	—	Amount as above to			92,426	19
							The above Copper, and that delivered by the Resident being stamped into lumps, amount to			933,369	38
							Deduct Charges of the Mint			71,000	—
Total Expense on Account of the Adventure					379,397	14	Remain			862,369	38
To balance in favour of the Voyage					507,147	24	The Amount of 200 pikuls Camphor, to be sold at 36 Stivers per pound			24,175	—
Total			R. Drs.		886,544	38	Total			R. Drs.		886,544	38

Voyage to Japan (in the Year 1806) in Account Current Contra.
Dr.							Cr.
							JAPAN.
					Rix Dollars.							Rix Dollars.
To 1,269,679	lbs. of	Sugar at 6½ Sp.D. per pikul			63,483	60	By sold 1,269,679	lbs. of	Sugar, at 7 tahils per 120¼ pieces	45,907	32
25,000	do.	Tin 18 do.			3,600	—	2,500	do.	Tin 25 do.	3,226	32
102,000	do.	Sapan Wood, 4½. do.			3,672	—	102,000	do.	Sapan Wood, 5.5. tahils per lb.	2,897	46
12,000	do.	Cloves, first sort, 2 Rop.per lb.			11,250	—	12,000	do.	Cloves, first sort, 150 do.	9,297	32
5,087	do.	do. second do. 2 do.			4,769	4	5,087	do.	do. second do. 40 do.	1,051	2
10,000	do.	Pepper 11⅓ Sp.D. per pikul			906	48	10,000	do.	Pepper 15 do.	774	41
100	do.	Nutmegs 1⅞ per lb.			187	32	100	do.	Nutmegs 100 do.	51	40
6,000	do.	Cotton Thread 41¼ per pikul			1,980	—	6,000	do.	Cotton Thread 25 do.	774	50
6,082	Ells of	Woollens			26,777	46	6,082	Ells of	Woollens, 7 per 2⅞ per pikul	9,255	—
2,842	do.	Kerseymeres			7,548	28	2,842	do.	Kerseymeres, 4.8. do.	2,960	—
778	do.	Plush			2,064	24	778	do.	Plush 6 do.	920	—
59	do.	Fustians			963	48	59	Pieces of	Fustians, 3.2. per piece	118	—
35	do.	Roselets			519	48	35	do.	Roselets of 2033¾ Ells. 1.6. per 2⅞	677	32
5	do.	Durants			76	48	5	do.	Durants, 190¾ 1.2. do.	47	18
20	do.	Carpets, English			44	24	20	do.	Carpets, English do.	20	—
1,812	do.	Kerseys.			2,691	28	90	do.	Kerseys, at 18 tahils per pikul	1,012	32
61	do.	Morin.			996	24	6	do.	Morin, 1.9.6 do.	76	—
4,900	do.	Chintz, Bengal			10,048	24	4,900	do.	Chintz, Bengal, 2. do.	6,125	—
590	do.	do. Guzzerat			523	30	590	do.	do. Guzzerat, 1.4.	553	8
179	do.	Cabayahs, Malabar			389	18	179	do.	Cabayahs, Malabar, 1.9.4.	223	48
220	do.	Palempores			462	50	220	do.	Palempores 4.4.	618	40
20	do.	Salempores			84	4	20	do.	Salempores	40	—
814	do.	Fish Skins			540	10	814	do.	Fish Skins, 200 tahils	125	—
96	lbs. of	Saffron			2,459	8	96	lbs. of	Saffron	2,731	22
122	do.	Quicksilver			205	12	122	do.	Quicksilver, 100 tahils per 720⅞ lb.	62	32
1,200	do.	Spanish Liquorice			680	10	1,200	do.	Spanish Liquorice, 832 lb.	600	35
15,181	do.	Catchu			2,705	61	15,181	do.	Catchu 30 do.	2,351	56
2,143	do.	Elephants' teeth			3,577	44	2,143	do.	Elephants' Teeth, 230 do.	2,545	40
3,500	do.	Ducatoons			4,593	48	3,500	Pieces of	Ducatoons, 8,836 tahils	5,522	32
		Presents			2,082	24			Presents from the Emperor	2,812	32
		House Expenses			2,525	—			Cash borrowed from the Imperial Treasury to complete the Cargo	5,428	—
					161,008	62						108,797	62
CHARGES AT BATAVIA.							BATAVIA.
To Godown, Prow and Cooley hire.			2,846	—
Customs, House Duties.			2,846	—
Freight of two Ships employed, at the rate of 100 Spanish Dollars per ton			99,532	32
To Charges, viz		JAPAN.			105,224	32
Presents to the Emperor			3,800	—
Expenses conveying the same to the Roompot			7,000	—
Presents to the inferior Officers of the Court			4,800	—
Annual Salary of the Company's Servants			1,345	—
Annual Table Expenses for do.			3,750	—
Expense landing and storing Cargo			3,036	—
Loss on the weighable Articles of the Cargo, at five per cent			2,045	—
Commission on Cargo, 5 per cent.			7,143	—
Annual Rent of the Island occupied by the Company's Servants			3,462	—
Annual Salary of the Japanese to guard the said Island			1,480	—
Presents to the inferior Officers, to procure permission of a further exportation of Copper, 5,000 pikuls being allowed only annually			716	—
Petty Charges			148	30
					39,625	30
To 700 pikuls of Copper, at 18¾ Sp.D. per pikul of 120⅞ lbs			13,125	—			Amount Sales Copper
7,820 pikuls of Copper, 12.3.5. tahils per do.			60,360	40			8,238¹⁰⁵⁄₁₂₅	Pikuls,	say 50 Drs. per pikul or 125 lb.			411,942	—
640 do. Camphor, at 18.4. tahils per do.			7,360	—			Amount Sales		Camphor, at 40 Stivers per lb.			48,350	—
Bales			413	8
4,500 Chests for Copper			791	16
2,200 Planks for Dunnage			247	32
					82,297	32
To Amount borrowed from the Treasury					5,428	—
To Balance in favour of the Voyage					175,505	34
Total			R. Drs.		569,089	62	Total			R. Drs.		569,089	62

Voyage To Japan (in the Year 1813) in Account Current Contra.
Dr.							Cr.
							By Cargo brought from Japan, viz.
					Spanish Dollars.							Spanish Dollars.
To 1,836,270	lbs. of	Soft Sugar			88,141	—	902,452	lbs. of	Japan Copper, at 31 per pikul			223,727	—
18,750	do.	Black Pepper			750	—
34,349	do.	Pig Lead			2,668	59
26,461	do.	Roll do.			1,960	74
164,000	do.	Sapan Wood			3,280	—
87,511	do.	Tin, or 700.0.8 pikuls, at 17 per pikul			11,901	36
1,553	do.	Elephants' Teeth			1,748	40
50	do.	Egyptian Mummy			600	—	60,437	do.	Camphor, at 50 Stivers			45,785	—
15,000	do.	Cloves, at 100 per pikul			12,000	—
12,500	do.	Nutmegs, at 100 per pikul			10,000	—
15,013½	do.	Cotton Thread			4,804	—
514	Pieces of	Thornback Skins			276	80
5,019	do.	Patna Chintz			6,348	51
60	do.	Coast Chintz fine			150	—
166	do.	Printed Cottons			2,060	94	1,208	do.	Pitch			600	—
26	do.	Cambrics			490	—
2,610	do.	Surat Palampores			6,210	—
623	do.	Silks in Sorts			2,926	50
225	do.	Woollens in Sorts			10,916	58
298	do.	Long Ells			4,078	84
231	do.	Perpetuans			2,977	95
54	do.	Camblets			1,400	69
3,500	do.	Ducatoons			4,342	42
					179,033	32						670,112	—
Paid the Chief of the Factory at Japan for 1,400 pikuls of Copper delivered to Government					25,000	—
CHARGES.
			Spanish Dollars.							Spanish Dollars.
Bags for the Sugar, Pepper and Cloves; Casks, &c. &c.			6,252	—			Debts of the former Dutch Government paid to the Emperor of Japan			48,648	—
Packing-cases			713	—
Coolies employed on board the Vessels and in the Magazines, packing the Cargoes			2,082	50
Prows employed lading the Cargoes			1,200	—			Woollens, &c. remaining at Japan for the next Year			15,000	—
Extra Clerks and Mandores			165	—
Several Articles on Account of the Adventure			168	8
Food for the Elephant and other Animals			268	80			Cash in the Treasury for do.			4,688	—
Camphor and packing Cloths, &c.			109	—
Paid the Commissioners for landing the Copper, &c. at Batavia			250	—
Prows employed landing the cargoes			600	—			Advanced to the Commanders of the Vessels and other Persons at Japan, to be repaid at Batavia			3,678	—
Freight of the Ship Charlotte for nine Months, at 6,600 per Month			59,400	—
Freight of the Ship Mary for eight Months, at 6,000 Sicca Rupees per Month			22,909	10
					94,117	48						72,014	—
					298,150	80
Balance in favour of the Voyage					43,975	20
Total			Sp.D.		342,126	—	Total			Sp.D.		342,126	—

FOOTNOTES:

[284] For the regulations by which the trade is limited, see Kempster's History of Japan. VOL II.

[285] "We were obliged to submit to many insults, and it frequently happened that the governors declined receiving our representations, hinting that we might leave Japan altogether and not return again. From the records also we perceive the despotic regulations resorted to by the Japanese respecting our nation, in consequence of our having at that time but little power in India."—Imhoff.

[286] It is remarkable, that when the Dutch were formerly in the habit of sending seven and eight ships to Japan, but few losses took place; whereas afterwards, when only two or three were sent and the navigation better known, many were lost. The cause assigned is their being latterly overladen with private trade.