Now a colony in some northern part of Australia would in the same manner totally obviate this inconvenience by affording a place in which cargoes could be collected from small vessels, and to which the British manufactures to be exchanged could be brought.

Kupang in Timor at the present moment is used for this purpose by the Dutch.
DUTIES LEVIED AT THE ISLANDS.
With regard to the third point I find that at the native ports, in general, no duty is required; but where there is a Rajah it is politic to make him a present in goods.

The duties levied by the Portuguese at Dili in the month of June 1838 was 10 per cent.

With regard to the duties levied by the Dutch on British merchant vessels I know but little; but the duty demanded at Kupang and Roti on each horse exported, or each musket imported, was six rupees, being almost equal to their original value.

Arms or ammunition are no longer contraband either in the Dutch or Portuguese possessions.
In considering the danger of loss or injury that may be incurred in the transport of merchandise to these parts it is unnecessary to compute the ordinary dangers to which the merchant is more or less liable in all quarters of the world; but two distinct drawbacks to commercial enterprise at present exist in these countries, which are peculiar to them, these are the prevalence of piracy, and the constant occurrence of political commotions in the native states.