PADANG, the capital of the Dutch government of the w. coast of Sumatra, is situated in 0° 59' 30' s. lat., and 100° 20' 30° c. long., and has about 12,000 inhabitants. The Padang flows through the town, but is only navigable for small vessels, the larger requiring to anchor in the roadstead, about 3 in. distant. On the left bank, stand the houses of the natives, unsightly bamboo erections, elevated about S ft. from the ground by posts of the cocoa-nut tree, and covered with leaves. The government buildings, houses of the Europeans and Chinese, etc., arc on the right, and mostly built of wood or stone, and roofed with tile. Padang is picturesquely inclosed by a semicircle of mountains, behind which rises a loftier chain, two being volcanoes. There are a Protes tant church, a Roman Catholic church, flourishing schools, a fort, military hospital, government 'workshops, large warehouses, etc. An agent of the Netherlands Trading company (q.v.) resides at Padang. Being the center of the exports and imports of Sumatra's w. coast, Padang has a lively trade, not only with ,Java, the other islands of the eastern archipelago and Europe, but also with the interior of the island.
The climate is considered healthy, although the heat is great. ,Colonel Nahuys found the thermometer range from 70' to 80° at 6 A.3.1., from to 88° at noon, 84' to 90' at 2 P.n., 78° to 84° at 6 r.m., and from 72° to 80° at 10 in the evening.
The governor resides at a country-house about 21 m. above Padang. and rules over a territory stretching from the residency of Bencoolen (which has at population of 112,000 souls, and stands immediately under the government at Batavia), n.w. over 7° of latitude.
It is divided into the residencies of lower Padang, upper Padang, and Tapanoel (Tapanuli); the population iu 1870 being 1,600,730 natives, 2,178 Europeans, and nearly 3,000 Chinese.
Lower Padang was the first district of the w. coast of Sumatra which submitted to the Dutch, who riad formed a settlement at Padang as early as 1660, and by repeated wars gradually extended their territory.
Upper Padang lies to the n.w. of the lower province, from which it is separated by a chain of lofty mountains, some of which, its the Singalang, Merapie, and Sago, attain to nearly 10,000 ft. in height; Merapie being an active volcano, the last eruptions of which were in 1845 and 1855, though it sent forth volumes of smoke in 1801. This residency possesses the most lovely districts of the island, or of any tropic. land. the mountain slopes being studded with villages, rice-fields. cocoa-nut and coffee-t•ees, of which last it is calculated that there are 32,000.000 in upper Padang. In addition to the coffee-culture, gambler, cassia, pepper. rattans, indigo, caoutchouc, etc., are largely produced, and gold, iron. copper, lead, and quicksilver are found. In the district of Tanah Datar is the town of Paggeroejong, formerly- the capital of the powerful kingdom of Menangkabo, and the residence of the king.
Tapanoeli. the remaining residency under the government of Sumatra's W. coast, lies 11.w. hoot upper Padang. The independent spirit of the inland natives has causer] the Netherlanders much trouble, but each flish outbreak only extends their territory and power further into the interior, and towards the n.w. of the island.