Page 179 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH AND DUTCH RIVALRY IN THE EAST 179

ages tlie Spice Islands had figured in the world’s history as a
region of surpassing natural wealth. They had contributed
to the dead Empires of Africa and of Asia the peculiar pro­
ducts which were necessary adjuncts of their civilization.
They had ministered to the luxuries of Rome in her palmiest
days, and later, as Raffles has aptly pointed out, through
their influence on the commerce of the Italian States, had
“ communicated the first electric spark which awoke to life
the energies and the literature of Europe.” Portugal,
too, had derived not a little of the wealth, which brought
her for a period to the front rank of European nations,
from these beautiful islets, while the Dutch, even in the
short period of their connexion with the region, had drawn
immense sums from the highly profitable trade which they
had established in their staple products. These circum­
stances sufficiently account for the dogged resolution with
Which the exclusive policy was pursued from the very first
moment that the English competition in the region became
serious.
Of the two races, as the reader knows, the English were
the first to exploit the Spice Islands. Sir Francis Drake
visited them on the occasion of his famous voyage round
the world in 1579, and established relations which, if they
had been followed up, would have changed the whole
situation. But nothing further was done for many years,
and meanwhile the Dutch had made the best use of their
opportunities. Instead of sending out a few ships at irregu­
lar intervals, they directed to the Eastern Seas a constant
succession of well-equipped fleets which penetrated to' every
part of the Archipelago to the great enhancement of
Dutch influence.
Quite early in their Eastern career they came into violent