ACHEEN, the capital of the above state, is situate on a river at the north-western extremity of Sumatra, and about a league from the sea, where a road is formed, in which the shipping may be secure under the shelter of several islands. The town is indifferently built of bamboos and rough timber, and raised some feet from the ground on account of the overflow of the river in the rainy season. Its appearance and the nature of the buildings resemble the generality of the Malay bazaars, excepting that the superior wealth of this place has occasioned a great number of public edifices, which do not however possess the smallest pretensions to magnificence. The sultan's palace, which is the chief public building, is a very rude and uncouth piece of architecture, designed to resist the force of an enemy, and surrounded with a most and strong walls, but without any regular plan, or any view to the modern system of military defence. Several pieces of ordnance are planted near the gate, some of which are Portuguese; but two were sent from England by James I., on which the founder's name and the date are still legible. Under the conditions of the treaty of 1819, already noticed, the British government were bound to furnish the king of Acheen with four brass field-pieces and a specified quantity of arms and military stores. The river on which the town is situate is not large; and the stream being divided into several channels, is rendered shallow at the bar. In the dry season it will not admit boats of any burden, much less large vessels, which lie without in the road formed by the islands off the point. The chief exports are, brimstone, betel-nut, ratans, benzoin, camphor, gold dust, pepper, and horses; the imports, opium, salt, piece-goods, muslin, &c. The town is estimated to contain about 8000 houses. Long. 95. 45. E. Lat. 5. 35. N. Marsden's Sumatra, Forrest's Voyage, Hamilton's East India Gazetteer, Treaties and Engagements with Native Princes in Asia. Note addressed by British to the Netherlands Plenipotentiaries. (x. r.)