The Dutch have made war against the Sultan of Atchin,
at the north-west corner of the island of Sumatra, and have been defeated. in their attack on Atchin, apparently every strongly fortified place, armed with heavy guns and supported by all the tribes in the vicinity, who kept skirmishing against the Dutch assailants with very annoying pertinacity. 'The Government Commissary is now apparently blamed for making war so hastily. He was told not to declare war against Atchin except in the last extremity, and in case the Sultan of Atchin should absolutely and with emphasis rudely refuse all explanations of his own warlike preparations. However, it would seem that this refusal was given, and. given in a very rough manner, so that the Dutch Com- missioner can hardly have had any discretion as to the declaration of war. But it has ended disastrously. The Dutch. have- lost in killed seven officers, including a general, and thirty-eight men, and over four hundred in wounded, and as- the monsoon was also very unfavourable for the assault, they have desisted from the attack for the present. This dizastrous little war will render it absolutely essential for the Dutch to. take .Atchin, if they are to maintain their prestige in Sumatra. Probably they will set political means at work to divide the enemy, before they again attack his stronghold.
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