JAVA.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 47, 24 February 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

JAVA.

(('rom the Singapore Free Press, Jan. 8.) The Java Courant publishes a statement of the loss of human life in Java aud tha dependencies during 1562 from other than natural causes. The total number of persons killed by tigers is put doAA'n at 299. The English iron-built ship KingArthur, Captain Brammel, of G-la-sgOAV, from Shanghai, bound to England, Avith a cargo consisting of 11,000 chests of tea, struck on a reef in Caspar Straits, north-east of the Alceste Reef, on the morning of the 20th November last. The number of persons on board amounted to tAventytAvo, including the crew and passengers, amongst Avhom Avere several Avomen and children. The accident is ascribed to the thick Aveather ancl the heaA r y current running, and the vessel struck so heavily that in "about half an hour she had seven feet of water in the hold. The chief mate was sent to Billiton Avith a letter addressed to the Dutch authorities requesting assistance, and they immediately despatched fourteen large prahus ancl "a gunboat to the Avreck. It Avas thought that the greater part of the cargo and the stores, &c, would be saved, but that it Avould probably be impossible to get the vessel off. By a decree of the GoA rernor-Gene-ral of Netherlands India, dated 2nd December, 1863, the compulsory cultivation ancl delivery of cloves in the residency of Amboyna and its dependencies is abolished, from the Ist January, 1564. Up to the end of December, 186S, cloves groAvn upon these islands Avill be receiyed by Government at the price of tAventy-four cents of a g nil der per Amsterdam pound. Captain Russell, of the English ship Avalanche, Avhich arrived at Batavia on the 27th November last, from Singapore, reports that on the morning' of the 19th November, Avhen off Souvouton Island, he saw- a steamship lying at 'ariehorYaboutrten^ in an* E.N.E. direction, flying, the Dutch flag.. About half-past two he was boarded by 'two boats, the officers of Avhich demanded, inspection Of his papers This AA r as refused by theeap-

.'tain', as the Avalanche was an English vessel} and no person had the right to hinder him in the prosecution of his voyago. Tlie officers answered that they suspected the Avalanche Avas an American vessel, and the steamer from Avhich they had been sent was the privateer Alabama. A signal was theii made' from the Alabama to bring the ship .to an anchor, and as the Avalanche was Avithhi reach bf'her guns, the order- was .obeyed. The officers then demanded the ship's papers, that, they might be shoAvn to Captain Semmes. At about half-past five they returned with tlie papers, accompanied ,by' Captain Lucas and Mr. Nevis, a 'passenger,- and the crew of the ship Contest, Avhich some days preAaously had been captured and destroyed by the Alabama. They informed Captain Bussell that he could continue his voyage, but that he must land these persons at Batavia or Anjer. Captain Bussell adds that he never saAV such a set of men as those belonging to the Alabama, Avho appeared to him like a band of buccaneers. Officers and men conducted themselves with 'great rudeness.