SEMARANG, one of the chief towns and ports of Java, Dutch East Indies. It is situated, almost centrally, on the north coast 250 m. E. of Batavia, and is the capital of the residency of Semarang. It has a population of 217,796 (12,587 Europeans and Eurasians, and 29,752 foreign Asiatics, including Chinese), is on the banks of the Semarang river, and is connected by railway with Surakarta, Jokjakarta, Madiun and Surabaya, and by steam tramway with Cheribon, where connection is made with the railway to Bandung and Batavia. Semarang, like Batavia, is divided into two parts, the old native town near the coast, thickly housed, with narrow streets, but with some good shops, hotels, European business houses, and two churches (in former times it was surrounded by a moat, with forts), and a newer town, further inland, where are situated the residence of the resident, various Government and public buildings, including a military hospital, and also a club, the head offices of the Netherlands Indian railway (the workshops of this railway are also in Semarang), hotels, restaurants, and, in the large town square, aloon, the residence of the regent, and a mosque; the square also has recreation grounds. The two districts are connected by the fine Bojong road. South of Bojong road there is a beautiful residential hill suburb (Chandi), 500 ft. above the sea. Of interest in the vicinity of
Semarang are Demak and Salatiga (see JAVA). Although Semar ang is the third port in Java (exports, in 1926, 103,212,057 guild ers, mainly sugar and kapok; imports 105,300,820), it is only an open roadstead, and the boisterous north-west monsoon may even cause suspension of work. Vessels anchor about 3 m. out, and, for the protection of the lighters into which they discharge their cargo, there is a harbour, the western pier-head of which extends some 1,600 metres into the sea, to prevent the mouth from silting up and to retain a sufficient depth of water. This harbour has a broad front, branching to the shore in two cus toms-house basins, and a fishing vessel harbour, whilst there are godowns, bonded stores and storage sheds, with two stationary steam cranes, and a small dry dock. The port is connected by rail and road with the hinterland ; and by cable with Batavia, Surabaya and Balik Papan, in Borneo. The river between the town and the sea is canalized for traffic. There is a proposal (1928) to construct a deep sea harbour at a cost of, approxi mately, 15 million guilders. Various Dutch and other European liners and vessels of the Royal Packet Navigation company call regularly at Semarang. (E. E. L.)