The Virginia Gazette

By a Dutch Ship arrived a few Days ago in the Texel from the East-Indies, there is Advice, that the Forces of the Dutch East-India Company, which had undertaken the Siege of Bantam, (of which some Mention was made a few Months ago) having been repulsed before that Town, the Indian Natives of the Island of Java, pursued them briskly to Batavia, and having received some Reinforcements began in their Turn to besiege the Dutch, who repulsed them in two desperate Sallies, but in a third were worsted, and forced to retire into the Citadel of Batavia; whereupon the Indians poured into the City, destroyed all the Spices in the Company's Warehouses, and carried off Abundance of valuable Effects. Many of the Inhabitants of the Town were massacred in this Scene of Confusion and Devastation. At length the Dutch Forces in the Citadel, enraged to see the Town thus plundered and the Company's Goods destroyed, made another furious Sally, and drove away the Indians; but the Damage done by them will long be felt, and we hear that the Price of Spices is already greatly risen in Holland upon the Receipt of this News. In this Expedition the Natives of Java were headed by an Indian Bramin, who escaped in the great Massacre in that Island about 20 or 30 Years ago, and has ever since been Seeking and contriving to be avenged of the Dutch for the Cruelties to his Countrymen,

The Island of Java, which by our last Accounts from the East-Indies, the Dutch are likely to lose, is situated between 102 and 113 Degrees of Eastern Longitude, and betwixt 5 and 8 Degrees of South Latitude, being about 700 Miles long from East to West. Most Part of this Island was under the Dominion of the Dutch, and besides the native Javanese, it is inhabited by Chinese, Malays, and various other Nations, transplanted thither by the Dutch from other oriental Countries which they had subdued. The Dutch maintained such a Fleet or Men of War in the Ports of Java, that they gave Law to the Europeans who traded in those Seas, as well as to the Natives, and actually excluded the English, and all other Nations from those Countries where the fine Spices grow. Java is mountainous in the Middle, but level and encumbered with Bogs near the Shore, except near Batavia and Bantam and other Dutch Colonies, where the Lands are well drained and cultivated. It is not one of the Spice Islands, but produces Rice, Sugar, Coffee, and such Fruits as grow between the Tropics. About thirty Years ago the whole Dutch Colony was on the Point of being destroyed by a Conspiracy among the Javanese, which was no less than 7 Years in Agitation, many Thousand Persons were privy to it, and yet it did not break out till a very few Days before the Time fixed for putting it in Execution, which was the 2d of January 1742. This Conspiracy was headed by one Eberfeld, the Son of a Dutch Gentleman, by an Indian Woman, who, with 18 of his Followers was put to Death. A more dangerous Conspiracy broke out in 1740, by the Chinese, who, by their superior Skill in mercantile Affairs, had grown rich and powerful; and, as the Dutch gave out, entered into Plots to dispossess them of the Island. The Dutch reported that they were attacked by 10,000 of the Chinese without the City of Batavia, and that they had no Way to secure themselves but by a general Massacre of the Chinese within the City, tho' by delivering up their Weapons, they were Men entirely naked and unarmed. This dreadful Massacre was put in Execution on the 9th of October 1740, in which no less than 20,000 Men, Women, and Children, were destroyed; and as not only the Governor but many of the Soldiers, and others, grew immensely rich by the Plunder of the Chinese, it was suspected that the Wealth of that People was the grand Inducement which the Dutch had to fall upon them. The Dutch in Europe, indeed, pretended to be alarmed at the Barbarity of the Action, and sent Orders to Batavia to try the Governor for the Fact; but from this bloody Deed it may be supposed that the present Insurrection of the Chinese takes its Rise.

Batavia is not only the Capital of Java, but of all the Dutch Settlements and Colonies in India. It is a most beautiful City, built with white Stone; and Canals, planted with Evergreens, run thro' their principal Streets. Bantam was once the Capital of a large Kingdom in that Island, where the English East-India Company had one of their principal Factories; but the Dutch attacked and deposed the King of Bantam, and expelled the English from thence in the Reign of King James II. in a Time of full Peace, and still retain the Possession both of the City and Kingdom, suffering one of the Posterity of the ancient Kings to enjoy the Title of King.