hat you shall go in a trading vessel to Java.
The appearance of such a vessel, off Batavia, would be resented by
the Dutch. Of course, traders do go from here down to the islands,
but only to those not under Dutch power. They used generally to
trade, on their way down, with Burma and Siam; but the Burmese have
shown such hostility to us that it is no longer safe to enter their
rivers, and they have wrested the maritime provinces of Siam, on
this side of the Peninsula, from that power; so that trade there
is, for the present, at an end. I shall therefore send you down in
one of our small sloops. A larger vessel might irritate the Dutch,
and a small one would be sufficient to furnish you with an escort
to this Rajah of Johore--not only for protection, but because the
native potentates have no respect for persons who do not arrive
with some sort of appearance of state.

"You will, of course, go as high commissioner, with full powers to
represent me. I do not anticipate that you will be able to conclude
any formal treaty with the Rajah of Johore. He will, of course, ask
for an equivalent, either in money or in protection against some
neighbouring rajah. We have no money to spare at present, and
certainly no troops. Your commission therefore will be to
acknowledge his communication, to assure him of our friendship, to
ascertain the suitability of the island that he offers, and to tell
him that, at present, being so fully occupied with wars here, we
are scarcely in a position to extend our responsibility; but that,
when matters are more settled, we shall be prepared to enter into a
treaty with him, to open a trade with his dominions, to pay a fair
sum for the possession of the island, if suitable, and to enter
into a treaty of alliance with him.

"Of the value of such a settlement there can be no doubt, whatever;
for we may take it that, before very long, some of the Chinese
ports will be open to European traders."

A week later, Harry embarked on a brig mounting eight guns, and
usually employed in police work along the coast. He was accompanied
by a Dutch interpreter, a Malay trader, Abdool, and four troopers
of the Governor General's bodyguard, in the handsome uniform worn
by that corps. The lieutenant in command of the brig received
Harry, with the usual ceremony, as a Government commissioner. He
himself was at the gangway to meet him, and twelve of the sailors,
with drawn cutlasses, saluted as Harry stepped on to the