CAPELLEN. GODERD ALEXANDER GERARD PHILIP, BARON VAN DER, a distinguished governorgeneral of the Dutch East Iodide, was born at Utrecht on the 15th of December 1773. lie lost his father, Alexander Philip van der Capellen, Hoer van lierken wood. before he was alms years old. After studying at Gatingen %andel:Marten. and Itumeobaoh, with both of whom he continued In correspondence to the end of his life, he entered the public service of Holland, and became in 1809 Slioister of Internal Affairs under King Louie Bonaparte, whom be strongly advised to defend the entrance of llolland by force against the armies of Napoleon, and when the French system was introduced into the country on the let of January 1811, accompanied to Lia retreat at Gnats In Styria. A coolness however arose es the part of the ex-king when he found that Lie Into minister looked with no unfavourable eye on the rising in Holland to restore the home of Orange ; and after the complete emancipation of Holland from the French yoke, Van din. Capellen was in fact appointed Minister of Commerce and the Colonies, and on the 1st of August 1511 Oorernor-General of the Dutch East Indica. to an im portant minion to the congress of Vienna, and theteturn of Napoleon, which gave Van der Capellen an admirable opportunity of showing his constancy and courage at Brussels on the day of Waterloo, ho did not leave Europe for his post till October ISIS, and a delay occurred before he finally received Jara from the hands of the English, agreeably to the arrangements made at the peace. Ho remained beyond the five years, which had been originally intended, and was recalled in disgrace in 1826, when he was universally cen eured in Holland for having effected a loan of fifteen millions of sines rupees at Calcutta, at nine per cent, on the security of the revenues of the Dutch East Indies. It was said that of all measures that could be adopted the most uuadvitable was that of pledging the Dutch pos sessions to the English. Van der Capellen had however shown no
partiality to our nation; he had, on the contrary, strongly urged the Dutch government not to consent to the English establishment of Singapore. He had however followed up the amngementa made by Sir Stamford 'lefties during the English possession of Java, and by that means an immense improvement was effected in the position and prospects of the country. He had also abolished the mouopoliea which under the old Dutch system pressed heavily upon the natives of Celebes and the Moluccas, made alterations and improvements much required in the coinage, and taken measures for the abolition of the slave trade and slavery. The most unfortunate circumstance con nected with his administration was the outbreak of the great revolt of Napo Niegoro, a Jaranese chief, which lasted many years, and which on his return to Europe he left still unsubdued. On the whole how ever, when h administration came to b reviewed, viewed, the unpopularity i had collected around him gradually cleared off, and hie merits are now universally acknowledged. Ile was nominated to several high poet., among others to.that of ambassador to England on the occasion of the coronation of Queen Vietoris, Preaident of the Commission of Edocation. and President of the University of Utrecht In February 1515 he was nufortnnately on a visit to Paris, on an invitation from King Louis Maple, who was • personal friend, when in the outbreak of revolution he was struck on the head by a stone thrown by one of the snob. No outward Injury appeared, but on his return to his seat at Vollsraboven he sunk into a deep melancholy, produced partly by hie feelings at the events he had witnessed, and this was succeeded by as inlammation of the brain, attributed to the blow, which carried him of on the 10th of April, 1848.