Boucher, F.

The Indian Archipelago : a concise account of the principal islands and places of the Indian archipelago ; with suggestions for promoting commerce and colonization therein; [...]

London: Jones & Causton, 1857. First edition. 12mo, original green cloth boards with blindstamped decoration upper and lower boards, title stamped in gilt upper board, folding map as frontispiece, pp 115. Two very small chips to the foot of the spine. Corners bumped. Previous owner's signature front endpaper, otherwise clean. Very good condition. Rare

A discussion of the islands of the "Indian Archipelago", defined by the author as: "Borneo, New Guinea, Celebes, Java, Magindanao, Sumatra, Timor, Palwan, Flores, Sumbawa, Ceram, Gilolo, Timor [sic], Laut, the Arru Islands, the Sandalwood Islands, the Sooloo Islands, the Philippines, and some thousands of islands of smaller size." The folding map covers Australasia, from India and southern China and part of Japan down through Indonesia, Borneo, New Guinea, and all of Australia (including "Swan River [Colony]") and New Zealand. The subtitle of the book continues: "and for the development of the vast resources and the civilization of the inhabitants of that extensive and magnificent region." The author examines each part of the stated region, with a strong emphasis in each case on the potential for colonisation by the British Empire. For example, of Borneo he writes: "It is very desirable for the interests and prosperity of Great Britain, and for the welfare and improvement of the inhabitants of the island and the surrounding countries, that the British Government should acquire, by means of negotiation and purchase, the sovereignty of this vast and valuable country[...] it will hardly be disputed that, under British settlement and colonization, this fine country will prove more advantageous to the whole world than it can possibly be under any other government". The book is in part a valuable insight into this mid-Victorian colonizing mindset, but it is primarily an unusual survey of the whole region, including several discussions of piracy. The only other book the author appears to have written was "Authentic information regarding the British colony of Tasmania, and the Van Diemen's Land Company of London [...]" published two years later in 1859. "The Indian Archipelago" is a scarce first edition of historical interest with the folding map: "Chart exhibiting the advantageous position of the principal Islands of the Indian Archipelago with reference to India, China, Australia and New Zealand" Item #106117

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