Wealth Of Dutch East Indies

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 8

Wealth Of Dutch East Indies

One of the richest colonial territories in the world, the Netherlands East Indies, which Mr. A. Duff Cooper, member of the British War Cabinet, is to visit to discuss collaboration with Britain, extend in a chain of islands from the Malay Peninsula to the north of Australia, their extent from west to east being equal to that of Europe without Russia, or of the United States. The islands have a total area of 735,267 square miles, and a population well in excess of 60,000,000. Dutch interest in the Indies goes back to 1602, when the Netherlands created their East India Company. This great trading organisation ruled the islands for nearly two centuries, but after the dissolution of the company in 1798, the colonies were administered from Holland, with a gradually expanding degree of self-government.

Varied Wealth The largest single islands in the 'group are Borneo (where there are also British colonial interests) and Sumatra. The centre of Dutch colonisation, however, is Java, with its small satellite island of Madura. These two islands have a combined area of 51,032 square miles, less than half the area of New Zealand, but they support a population of more than 40,000,000---nearly 30 times the population of the Dominion. In tfava are the two prin- j ! cipal cities and ports of the territory, i Batavia and Sourabaya. The wealth of the Dutch East Indies I is enormous and varied, based as ic j is on the large-scale production and ; export of oil and petroleum products. ! sugar, tin, rubber, coffee, fibres, and j spices. Domestic agriculture is also | well developed, with the greater part ! of the soil owned and cultivated by j the natives. The chief crop is rice, j the production of which is aided by * extensive irrigation schemes. The j total crop, however, is not sufficient | for the needs of the islands. Another j major food crop is maize, considerable I quantities of which are exported. '

Valuable Products The economic importance of the islands is best appreciated when it is stated that they produce roughly a third .of the world's rubber, 14 per cent, of the world's tin. and about 10 per cent, of the world’s cane sugar. They have the largest coffee crop in the world, outside South America, and their production of crude oil is approximately 3 per cent, of the world’s total. Considerable mineral wealth has been developed in .the mining of bauxite, which is exported for the production of aluminium.

At the moment no accurate estimate can be made of the defences of the colony, as they have been steadily expanded since the conquest of Holland by Germany last year. Before the war the Royal Netherlands Indies Army comprised four regiments and two independent battalions of field infantry, two battalions of light infantry. 12 garrison battalions, and various artillery and specialist units. The strength of the army on January 1. 1939. was 1170 officers and 35.719 volunteers. There was also a system of compulsory training for Europeans of Dutch nationality, and this lias since been extended. Considerable American equipment for the army has been arriving in recent months. Early Aviaticn Development Owing to their scattered nature and the long distances involved in' travelling. the East Indies were a pioneering centre in air transport, and the organisation of commercial aviation in the territory has given a solid foundation for the development of air defence. The air force has been greatly increased, and is particularly well equipped ‘ for coastal defence operations. The navy in the Netherlands Indies comprises a coast defence ship, four cruisers, eight destroyers. 14 submarines. and a number of smaller craft. Plans for strengthening the navy were an important issue in Dutch politics before the outbreak of war. but were not acted upon before the German invasion.

Of direct importance to the defence cf the Indies under existing conditions is the British base at Singapore, situated a? it is off the eastern coast of Sumatra. Further east, the American Philippines cover the approaches to Celebes and Borneo. Anglo-American co-operation is thus a vital matter in the defence of the colony.