Page 21 - Malaysia by John Russel Denyes

For more than a hundred years the Dutch have
reckoned the whole of Java as their possession
and have governed accordingly. Great changes
have taken place. During the past century the
population has increased from six millions to
thirty-six millions. A large part of the island has
been brought under cultivation. Thousands of
roads have been made, and two thousand miles of
railways have been laid. Nearly every village is
connected up with the cities by telephone. There
is a very complete postal system, and daily news-
papers in Dutch, Malay, and Chinese are published
in all the large cities. Three hundred thousand
native children are being taught in the vernacular
schools, and in the Dutch language there is a com-
plete grammar and high school system. There
are also several advanced schools teaching medi-
cine, engineering, and military sciences.

Borneo, In Borneo, Celebes, and New
Celebes, Guinea western civilization has
New Guinea made but little progress. In Sara-
wak, Rajah Brook has established
a model little city of Kuching, and up the Kuching
River are several companies opening the country.
Also on the Rejang River the Chinese are plant-
ing pepper and rubber. So also in British North
Borneo there are the beginnings of settlements.
In the eastern part of Borneo great oil fields are
being worked. The north of Celebes has been
largely Christianized by the Dutch missionaries,
and there are plantations and mines. New Guinea
has a few open spots, but is mostly jungle. In all
these islands there are no railways and few
wagon roads.

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