15' S. and its longitude
106 deg. 7' E. from Greenwich. - E.]
The Chinese are very numerous, and carry on the greatest trade here,
farming most of the excise and customs, being allowed to live according
to their own laws, and to exercise their idolatrous worship. They have a
chief of their own nation, who manages their affairs with the company,
by which they are allowed great privileges, having even a representative
in the council, who has a vote when any of their nation is tried for his
life. These high privileges are only allowed to such of the Chinese as
are domicilled here, all others being only permitted to remain six
months in the city, or on the island of Java. The Chinese have also a
large hospital for their sick and aged, and manage its funds so well,
that a destitute person of that nation is never to be seen on the
streets.
The Dutch women have here much greater privileges than in Holland, or
any where else; as on even slight occasions they can procure divorces
from their husbands, sharing the estate between them. A lawyer at this
place told me, that he has known, out of fifty-eight causes depending at
one time before the council-chamber, fifty-two of them for divorces.
Great numbers of native criminals are chained in pairs, and kept to hard
labour under a guard, in cleaning the canals and ditches of the city, or
in other public works.
