DUTCH EAST INDIES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11637, 15 August 1905, Page 3

DUTCH EAST INDIES.

The Dutch seem -to have their hands

, full in the East" Indies. The vpar in the 'Achin country, which has 'hcen going on for thirty-two years, has been the only on 6to oe officially' recognised, but for Borne time fighting lias been going on in the' Celebes, tlie latestr .development of which, as a cable- message' tells us, is an important. Dutch victory, and also in the southern, portion of Sumatra, and in Borneo. The Dutch colonies are generally considered to be vitally important to the Netherlands, but "a Dutch la'fiy, writing in a Paris newspaper, talces t% contraryview, • and thinks that some day the natives may gain the upper hand. The Achin country, in' the' north of Sumatra, was handed over to Holland by England in exchange for other territory, and this writer t declares, that the -English knew well that- -the Dutch would never be able to -conquer' the natives. T\l& war cotti-menced-;so soon as the laW^was transferred, and has continued eypr-Ujince. The Dutch,; have claimed numerous" victories, but we- are told that "For all practical purposes the* country is in : %he%ime state of rebellion to-day that it was.'- at first." The -Dutch Government, in order to justify the enormous expenses of the war, accuse 'the Achinese of various crimes, including "piracy, . wnich "havo never been proved. The' "niativos are; led by a mysterious person of'the'Mahdi tyne who l|as never been seen, and. who. is, ijivthe eyes^ of thJB 'natives, "a * god who condescends to pass a little while ..on this earth before, going to his celestial kingdom, Jfiis follow--ers beljeving ; that lie wilL 'eventually obr t tain possession of the land -inhabited by the Dutch/ .and reduce the ' latter to the condition of slaves. The Dutch armies (for the most -part composed^ of deported criminals) have succeeded, ''irojn time to time, in burning naftivc villages and kill- . ing :w<imen i and children (one Commander was" responsible for -the' 'deafchie.'' of over 10Q6), '- but the end has iavajdably been the'ddmeV the natives haves lea 'the troops off on false scents, and have Anally escaped "with their "god" at the head of their 'column. There were fierce debates in the Dutch Hotise of Representatives last"' year on the a^tiorf of the Government in allowing the ttfSbps to*3feiassacre native women and children in- the campaign of that yezjr. This year it .has -been rumouVed that Japan has designs on the Dutch • East Indies, and many -Dutchmen recommend an offensive and defensive alliance with Germany for ;' the, protection ( of the colonies. ' ! *