BATA'VIA (Batavia, 'good land.' the an cient name of modern Holland, the motherland of the city in Java). The capital and chief city of the Dutch East Indies. It is situated on the northern coast of Java. in latitude 6° 7' S. and longitude 106° 50' E. (Map: East India Islands, C 6). It lies on the Bay of Batavia in a low and marshy plain, which is mainly devoted to the cultivation of rice. The temperature is warm and approximately uniform. Like most colonial cities, Batavia consists of two parts, the old and the new city. The former is situated near the water. and is occupied chiefly by busi ness houses and factories, and the residences of the natives and Chinese. In former years the Europeans also lived in the lower part of the city; but the excessive mortality from fever compelled them to remove to the upper and more elevated part. The modern city is built in all essentials after the fashion of Dutch towns, with a few modifications to suit the exigencies of the climate. The houses are spacious and wide apart, and are surrounded by luxurious gardens filled with the choicest plants of the tropics. The Government buildings are of magnificent architecture, and add much to the appearance of the city. The Kiinigs-Plein is a parade-ground one square mile in extent and surrounded by the finest public buildings of the city, including the Governor-General's Palace and the Museum of the Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences. The latter is a beautiful structure in Greek style, and contains, besides an extensive library, the largest collection of representative Javanese art in all its branches. The Batavian Society, in conjunc tion with the Dutch Government, has contributed considerably to the science of archeology by the excavation of the ancient Javanese temples, car ried on under its auspices. The military build ings are on a large scale. and not without re gard for the :esthetic:A side. In regard to public utilities, Batavia is in no way inferior to any European city of its size. It has good steam tramways, and electric railways, telephones, elec tric lighting. and all other accessories of a mod
ern city. Of educational and charitable institu tions, there are a gymnasium, a number of Gov ernment and private high schools, an orphan asylum, a medical school for natives connected with the military hospital, and a number of scientific societies. Commercially, Batavia is the most important city of the East Indies. It is the chief outlet for the numerous products of the Dutch East Indies, of which the most important are coffee, sugar, tea, rice, different spices. min erals, etc. Batavia stands in direct communica tion with the Netherlands, Great Britain, Ger many, and Australia. There is a State railway connecting the old town with the harbor, and a private line running into the interior. About 3G miles south of the city is the delightful health resort of Buitzenzorg, the residence of the Gover nor-General.
The first European settlement on the site of the present city of Batavia was founded by the Governor-General, Pieter Both, in 1610. Origi nally only a factory, it became the chief commer cial centre of the Dutch East Indies, under the name of Jacatra, during the administration of the Governor-General, Coen (11;18-23), who re moved his seat from the Moluccas to the new set tlement and erected some fortifications. In 1619 it was attacked by the joint forces of the kings of Bantam and Jaeatra, assisted by the English, who were defeated, after a siege of five months, by Governor-General Coen. Since then the city has been known by its present name, and has grown rapidly, becoming. by the end of the Sev enteenth Century, the foremost city of the East Indies. After the earthquake of 1699 it became very unhealthful, and the centre of the European population was gradually shifted southward, where the present modern city of Batavia is sit uated. The population of Batavia in 1897 was ! 115,567, of whom 9423 were Europeans, 26,433 Chinese, and 2828 Arabs. Batavia is the seat of a United States consul. Consult Conscience, Batavia (Paris, 1880).