PRINCE OF THE SENATE

PRINCE OF THE SENATE, in ancient Rome, the person who was the first called in the roll of senators, whenever it was renewed by the censors. He was always of consular and censorian dignity.

PRINCE'S METAL, or PINCHBECK, an alloy of copper and zinc, which has a resemblance to gold.

PRINCE OF WALES'S ISLAND, called also PULO PENANG, and BETEL-NUT ISLAND, is situated on the western coast of the Malay peninsula, from which it is separated by a narrow strait, not more than two miles in breadth. It forms an excellent harbour, which is capacious, and well defended from all winds, and it affords anchorage for the largest ships. The principal entrance is from the north-west; but there is also a fine channel to the southward. There is an inner harbour, in which ships may receive every kind of repair that can be performed without going into dock. The area of the island is estimated at 160 square miles. It is nearly five leagues in length and seven or eight miles in breadth. It is of an irregular four-sided figure, which is highest on the north side and shortest on the south; and is intersected by a range of lofty hills, which decrease in magnitude as they approach the south, and in which are the sources of numerous streams, that supply the island with abundance of water. These hills are of a moderate height. The highest, namely, the Flag-staff Hill, does not rise to more than 2500 feet above the level of the sea. Here the heat is comparatively moderate; the thermometer seldom rises above 74°, and often falls to 66° whilst in the plains it ranges from 76° to 90°. The climate is moist, and the rains are heavy. Except in the dry hot months of January and February, scarcely a day passes without rain, which is heaviest in November and December.

The island generally possesses a fertile soil, being for the most part a light black mould, mixed with gravel, clay, and in many parts sandy. It is chiefly formed from the decayed leaves of trees, from which originated a fine vegetable mould, the whole island having been for ages covered with immense forests. This has in some degree disappeared as the woods were cleared and the surface exposed to the weather; but the soil in the interior is still adapted for any sort of tropical produce. Cultivation is extended over the northern, and nearly the whole of the southern and eastern sides of the island. The principal productions are pepper, betel-nut, betel-leaf, cocoa-nuts, coffee, sugar, parsley, ginger, yams, sweet potatoes, and a great variety of vegetables. The island abounds in many species of fruits, such as the mangosteen, rambosteen, pine-apples, guavas, oranges, citrons, pomegranates, and others. The island also produces cloves, nutmegs, cinnamon, pimento, kyapootee, cotatova, and numerous other plants from the Moluccas and Eastern Isles. Pepper is one of the chief articles of cultivation. This island also affords the elastic gum vine, or American caoutchouc. It grows to the thickness of an arm, creeping along the ground to the distance of two hundred paces, and then ascending amongst the branches of high trees. The forests which are found in this island abound in excellent timber for ship-building, and supply masts of any dimensions, lower masts of any size having been procured here for a seventy-four gun-ship.

This island was originally granted, in 1785, by the King

Prince of Wales's Island.

of Queda, to Captain Francis Light, of a country ship, who had married his daughter. It was then transferred to the East India Company, and accepted; being peculiarly adapted as a mercantile station for vessels arriving from all the Malay ports, the Moluccas, Borneo, the Celebes, and the Philippine Islands. A small detachment was accordingly sent from Calcutta, under the command of Captain Light, who in 1786, took possession of the island, for the use of the East India Company. But those early settlers had great difficulty in clearing the country, encumbered with an immense forest, with swamps which required to be drained, and ravines which it was necessary to fill up. A town called George Town was, however, marked out, and within a year sixty Chinese families had settled in it, besides great numbers of Malays, Buggepes, and other Eastern traders. The port was made free to all nations, and in a very short time numerous adventurers flocked to the settlement, commerce and population rapidly increased, and cultivation was extended. In 1797 the population amounted to 6,937, exclusive of Europeans and the garrison; and in 1805, it had risen to 10,310. They have since been progressively increasing, and exhibit an uncommon diversity of races, consisting of British, Dutch, Portuguese, Americans, Arabs, Parsees, Chinese, Chulias, Malays, Buggepes, Birmans, Siamese, Javanese, &c. In 1805, the settlement having grown in wealth and importance, it was determined to erect it into a regular government, subordinate only to the Governor-General of India. But, on account of the enormous expense of this establishment, some modifications were made in these arrangements in the year 1808. This island is resorted to by invalids from the continent in search of health; but if we may judge from the number of governors who have died here, the change is scarcely for the better. Captain Light died in 1794; and he was succeeded by Mr. Manningham, who died soon after in Bengal. In 1796 Major Macdonald took the charge, and died at Madras in 1799. Sir George Leith, who succeeded him, lived and returned to Europe; but the Hon. C. Bruce, who arrived as governor in the year 1810, only survived till next December.

The fort, which is called Fort Cornwallis, is incapable of defence, from its size and construction. It is built upon the north-eastern point of the island, and large sums have been spent without completing it. It contains barracks for the military, an arsenal, a magazine, and several military store-houses. Of late years the sea has made great encroachments on the northern face of the fort, and along the esplanade. The town is of considerable extent, and the streets, which cross each other at right angles, are spacious and airy. There is a large pier for landing and shipping goods; a government house, a church, a jail, and several substantial bridges have been built; whilst the fortifications have been improved and strengthened, and the public roads repaired and widened. The markets are well supplied with fish of various descriptions and of excellent quality; with poultry of all sorts, pork, grain of every description, and a profusion of vegetables and fruit. The beef and veal are not of a good quality. Sheep are imported from the continent of India; whilst Sumatra and the Malay peninsula furnish a supply of goats. Milk and butter are dear and scarce. A great trade is carried on with Europe, India, and the islands in the Eastern seas. Ships that are trading to the east, especially to China, touch here, where they procure such refreshments or articles of trade as they require. Vessels from Europe, bound for China, also touch here, and load large quantities of tin, canes, rattans, sago, pepper, betel-nut, luche-de-mar, edible-birds' nests, &c., for the China market. This small island is the emporium of the whole trade of the Straits of Malacca and adjacent islands. The imports from Europe, either directly or from the other presidencies, are generally European manufactures in iron and steel, such as anchors,

cutlery of all sorts, fire-arms, nails; also tin-ware, patent shot, sheet-lead, sheet-copper, iron in bars, books, pamphlets, boots and shoes, cables, canvas, cabinet ware, cloths, and cassimeres, glass ware, hats, haberdashery, hosiery, musical and mathematical instruments, oilmen's stones, painters' colours, plated wire, watches, malt liquor, and European wines of all sorts. From Bengal, the imports are opium, grain, iron, steel, marine stores, and piece goods; from the Coromandel coast, salt, tobacco, cloth, evir rope and yarns, handkerchiefs, chintzes, &c.; from Bombay and the Malabar coast, cotton, salt, a few piece goods, red wood, sandal wood, sharks' fins, myrrh, piece goods, &c.; from Sumatra, pepper, benzoin, camphire, and gold dust; from Acheen and Pedecr, gold dust, betel-nut, pepper, rice, and Acheen cloths. Tin is imported from the east coast and from Junkceylon; also pepper, sugar, oil, rice, tobacco, elephants' teeth, edible birds' nests, &c.; spices from the Moluccas; gold dust, sago, and black wood from Borneo; and from China, tea, sugar, lustrings, velvet, paper, umbrellas, china-ware, quicksilver, and generally every article required by the Chinese settlers, though British produce has in many cases superseded that of China. Other articles from China are, raw silk, copper ware, China camphor, China root alum. The exports consist of many of those articles which are sent to Sumatra, Junkceylon, Java, Borneo, China, Bengal, Coromandel, as they are required.

PRINCE'S ISLE, situated off the north-westernmost extremity of the Island of Java. The land is generally low and woody, and the highest eminence on it is called the Pike. It contains a town called Samadang, divided into two parts by a river. Such ships as touch here may be supplied with fish, deer, plantains, pine-apples, rice of the mountain kind, yams, and other vegetables. Long. 10512. E. Lat. 6. 30. S.

PRINCE WILLIAM'S ISLANDS, a cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean, discovered by Tasman in 1613. Long. 179. E. Lat. 17. 19. S.

PRINCE WILLIAM HENRY'S ISLAND, in the Pacific Ocean, discovered in the year 1790 by Lieutenant Ball. It is about seventy miles in circumference, elevated, of a luxuriant and picturesque appearance, and well peopled. Long. 149. 30. E. Lat. 1. 32. S.

PRINCESS ROYAL'S HARBOUR, on the south-western coast of New Holland, and the western part of King George the Third's Sound. The passage into it is a quarter of a mile in width. Long. 118. 9. E. Lat. 35. 3. S.