around the city, most of them neat and well contrived, with handsome fruit and flower gardens, ornamented with fountains and statues; and vast quantities of cocoa-nut trees planted in numerous groves, every where afford delightful shade.  Batavia has many fine buildings, particularly the Cross-church, which is handsomely built of stone, and very neatly fitted up within.  There are two or three other churches for the Dutch presbyterians, and two for the Portuguese catholics, who are a mixed race, besides one church for the Malay protestants.  In the centre of the city is the town-house, handsomely built of brick in form of a square, and two stories high.  In this all the courts are held, and all matters respecting the civil government of the city are determined.  There are also hospitals, speir-houses, and rasp-houses, as in Amsterdam, with many other public buildings, not inferior to those of most European cities.

[Footnote 232:  The latitude of Batavia is 6 deg. 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.  The castle of Batavia is quadrangular, having four bastions connected by curtains, all faced with white stone, and provided with watch-houses.  Here the Dutch governor-general of India, and most of the members of the council of the Indies reside, the governor’s palace being large, and well-built of brick.  In this palace is the council-chamber, with the secretary’s office, and chamber of accounts.  The garrison usually consists of 1000 men; but the soldiers are generally but poorly appointed, except the governor’s guards, who have large privileges, and make a fine appearance.