AMBOYNA (Dutch Ambon)  , the name of a residency, its chief town, and the island on which the town is situated, in the Dutch East Indies . The residency shares with that of Ternate the administration of the Moluccas, the previous government of which was abolished in 1867 . It includes a mass of islands in the Banda Sea (2° 30'—8° 2o' S. and 125° 45'—135° E.), including the island-belt which surrounds the sea on the north, east and south; and is divided for administrative purposes into nine districts (afdeelingen): 1) Amboyna, the island of that name; (2) Saparua, with Oma and Nusa Laut; (3) Kajeli (Eastern Buru); (4) Masareti (Western Buru); (5) Kairatu (Western Ceram); (6) Wahai (the northern part of Mid-Ceram); (7) Amahai (the southern part of Mid-Ceram); (8) the Banda Isles, with East Ceram, Ceram Laut and Gorom; (9) the islands of Aru, Kei, Timor Laut or Tenimber, and the south-western islands . The total area of the residency is about 19,861 sq. m., and its population 296,000, including 2400 Europeans . Amboyna Island lies off the south-west of Ceram, on the north side of the Banda Sea, being one of a series of volcanic isles in the inner circle round the sea . It is 32 M. in length, with an area of about 386 sq. m., and is of very irregular figure, being almost divided into two . The south-eastern and smaller portion (called Leitimor) is united to the northern (Hitoe) by a neck of land a few yards in breadth . The highest mountains, Wawani (3609 ft.) and Salhutu (4020 ft.), have hot springs and solfataras . They are considered to be volcanoes, and the mountains of the neighbouring Uliasser islands the remains of volcanoes . Granite and serpentine rocks predominate, but the shores of Amboyna Bay are of chalk, and contain stalactite caves . The surface is fertile, the rivers are small and not navigable, and the roads are mere footpaths . Cocoa is one of the products .

The

climate is comparatively pleasant and healthy; the average temperature is 8o° F., rarely sinking below 72° . The rainfall, however, aftet the eastern monsoons, is very heavy, and the island is liable to797 violent hurricanes . It is remarkable that the dry season (October to April) is coincident with the period of the west monsoon . Indigenous mammals are poor in species as well as few in number; birds are more abundant, but of no greater variety . The entomology of the island, however, is very rich, particularly in respect of Lepidoptera . Shells are obtained in great numbers and variety . Turtle-shell is also largely exported . The vegetation is also rich, and Amboyna produces most of the common tropical fruits and vegetables, including the sago-palm, bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, Sugar-cane, maize, coffee, pepper and cotton . Cloves, however, form its chief product, though the trade in them is less important than formerly, when the Dutch prohibited the rearing of the clove-tree in all the other islands subject to their rule, in order to secure the monopoly to Amboyna . Amboyna wood, of great value for ornamental work, is obtained from the hard knots which occur on certain trees in the forests of Ceram . The population (about 39,000) is divided into two classesorang burger or citizens, and orang negri or villagers, the former being a class of native origin enjoying certaix privileges conferred on their ancestors by the old Dutch East India Company . The natives are of mixed Malay-Papuan blood .

They are mostly Christians or Mahommedans . There are also, besides the Dutch, some

Arabs, Chinese and a few Portuguese settlers . Amboyna, the chief town, and seat of the resident and military commander of the Moluccas, is protected by Fort Victoria, and is a clean little town with wide streets, well planted . Agriculture, fisheries and import and export trade furnish the chief means of subsistence . It lies on the north-west of the peninsula of Leitimor, and has a safe and commodious anchorage . Its population is about 800o . The Portuguese were the first European nation to visit Amboyna (1511) . They established a factory there in 1521, but did not obtain peaceable possession of it till 1580, and were dispossessed by the Dutch in 1609 . About 1615 the British formed a settlement in the island, at Cambello, which they retained until 1623, when it was destroyed by the Dutch, and frightful tortures inflicted on the unfortunate persons connected with it . In 1654, after many fruitless negotiations; Cromwell compelled the United Provinces to give the sum of 300,000, together with a small island, as compensation to the descendants of those who suffered in the " Amboyna massacre." In 1673 the poet Dryden produced his tragedy of Amboyna, or the Cruelties of the Dutch to the English Merchants . In 1796 the British, under Admiral Rainier, captured Amboyna, but restored it to the Dutch at the peace of Amiens in 1802 . It was retaken by the British in 181o, but once more restored to the Dutch in 1814 .