Users of Open Archives can have summaries generated from the recognized texts (transcriptions) produced through text recognition (OCR) and handwriting recognition (HTR). Neither of these artificial intelligence tasks is perfect, but they are often more than sufficient to make the historical document understandable. In the transcripts, names are underlined in green and clickable (to search the personal entries on Open Archives for the name in question), the recognized dates have a light gray background and recognized place names have a light purple background.
On
14 April 1777, approval was requested for the assignment of a task to the
Rembang Resident. Additionally, 3 rampaarden (battering rams) were ordered to be made locally.
The residents of
Balemboangang were asked to provide the following contributions:
- 50 pieces of grapes filled with lead weighing 1 pound
- 3 bundles of fuse
- ½ ream of cardboard paper
- 2 pieces of grenadier weapons
- 2 curved sabers with copper fittings and sheaths
- 1/15 barrel of sharp snaplock cartridges
- 4 pieces of pikes
- 1 Company flag
- 4 pieces of flints
The
Surabaya officials requested a different type of boat instead of the original one. The
Rembang Resident
van Hogendorp was assigned to arrange this. Approval was also requested for the order and shipment to the eastern corner of 3 rampaarden to replace the same number that were found unfit during inspection at the end of
February. Officials claimed they could not make or provide these at the set price.
Regarding domains and revenues, on
14 April 1777, the village
Panaroekan was leased to
Hang Boeijko for a certain amount, and the salt village
Pinger Bapas was also transferred.
Following a proposal, the residents of eastern
Balemboangang were exempted from all contributions for 2 more years, covering 1777 and 1778. The Regent of that district and his subordinates were informed through the
Surabaya officials. This measure was expected to help these poor people and increase the population of the area.
According to official authorization, the district
Panaroekan was leased to
Hang Boeijko, Captain of the Chinese community in
Surabaya, for 5 years starting
1 January and ending
31 December 1781, for 500 Spanish Realen per year. He was required to provide the permanent garrison in the fort with regular rations of rice, oil, and salt, as well as necessary firewood and water, without payment.
A letter from
27 December 1776 requested information about the Captain of the Chinese in
Sumanap,
Tjong Hensaaij, who asked to lease the villages
Pinger Pappas and
Tanjong from the local regent.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0059
On
14 April 1777, several expenses were reported from
Gresik. First, costs were listed for the pilot boat of
Gresik. Second, expenses of 560 guilders and 2 stuivers were reported by resident
Isaac Cornelis Domis for repairs to the pilot boat to fix its problems and supply it properly. Third, 3,638 rijksdaalders and 7 stuivers were spent between
24 August and
23 December of the previous year on the hospital in
Gresik, according to a specification by Lieutenant Engineer
Fredrik Sustmann. The hospital had been renovated and expanded. A report by Head Administrator
van Panhuis and Captain Commander
van Ardenne Poltooijde was mentioned. According to bookkeeper
van Santen, the total cost of the hospital was 4,717 rijksdaalders and 36 stuivers, which was 74 rijksdaalders and 46 stuivers more than originally calculated. The extra costs were due to:
- Adding more rooms to the hospital and to the doctor's cramped living quarters
- Laying stone fire-proof floors in all upper rooms
- Renovating the city gate in front of the hospital
- Painting and tarring all the buildings
These items had not been included in the original calculation. Permission was requested to approve this extra spending.
Fifth, losses were reported from the patrol boat
Petronella, which sailed in the eastern corner between
Banyuwangi and
Surabaya in
January and
February. During bad weather, the boat lost an iron anchor, 40 bundles of local rope, and a topsail. A foresail was also used to repair other sails. Declarations were included as proof.
Finally, a cross-shaped boat was lost on the journey from
Ketapang to
Banyuwangi. The boat capsized and all people on board died except one native person who survived by swimming. The lost goods included:
- 2 iron cannons of 1 pound with their stands and lead weights
- 1 cannon spoon of 1 pound
- 1 iron pig's tail of 1 pound
- 1 fuse wiper and setter of 1 pound
- 1 copper loading needle
- 1 steel cannon drill
- 2 powder horns
- 50 pounds of gunpowder
- 50 round shot of 1 pound
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0057
On
14 April 1777, a report was made about financial matters involving rice shipments and various expenses:
Regarding the rice shipment, there was a shortage of 12,000 pounds of rice received on the 40 coijangs (large baskets) of rice brought to
Batavia by
Duijfen Burg. This happened because of a writing error on the invoice where "Lasten" was written instead of "coijangs". However, the authorities had actually weighed out coijangs of 28 picols or 3,500 pounds as they should have. Measures would be taken to prevent such mistakes in the future.
A request was made to write off the following expense accounts for ships and smaller vessels that had been on the coast from the beginning of September until the end of February:
- At Samarang: Ship IJsselmonde - 74 guilders, 16 stuivers
- At Samarang: Bark De Ida - 12 guilders, 8 penningen
- At Samarang: Ship t Huis te Bijweg - 18 guilders, 3 stuivers
- At Samarang: Ship t Huis te Bijweg - 9 guilders, 1 stuiver, 8 penningen
- At Samarang: Ship de Vrijheid - 526 guilders, 1 stuiver, 8 penningen
- At Samarang: Ship Roodenreis - 907 guilders, 19 stuivers
- At Sourabaija: Ship Groenendaal - 208 guilders, 14 stuivers, 8 penningen
- At Grissee: Ship Willem Fredrik - 257 guilders, 6 stuivers
- At Joana: Bark De Ida - 423 guilders, 2 stuivers
- At Japara: Ship IJsselmonde - 210 guilders, 5 stuivers
- At Paccalongang: Ship Landskroon - 111 guilders, 18 stuivers
- At Tagal: Ship Westfriesland - 147 guilders, 3 stuivers
- Ship Kroonenburg - 69 guilders, 8 stuivers, 8 penningen
- Ship t Huis te Bijweg - 89 guilders, 7 stuivers, 8 penningen
- Ship IJsselmonde - 344 guilders, 8 penningen
- Ship Velzen - 49 guilders, 18 stuivers, 8 penningen
Additionally, a write-off was requested for 2,398 guilders and 5 stuivers from the account for patrol vessels. This amount covered ammunition, equipment, and other goods that, according to a note from trade representative
Herman Ludewig and attached declarations, had been used, lost, or consumed by patrol vessels fighting against pirates along the coast and in the eastern corner during the year 1776.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0055
Between
14 April 1777 and earlier dates, officials examined goods stored at
Banjoewangie and
Djember in 1776. After comparing reports from
Surabaya employees with the account books, and following the order from
19 November of the previous year, they discovered that the reported surplus of goods was not real. The committee had compared the
Bancallang inventory report twice - once separately and once as part of the general
Surabaya report, which already included
Bancallang goods since that post fell under
Surabaya. Because of this double counting, the authorities withdrew their order to confiscate the supposed surplus goods for the benefit of the Company. However, they instructed employees in the eastern region to keep separate accounts for
Bancallang in the
Surabaya books to prevent similar mistakes.
Further examination of ammunition and weapons at
Banjoewangie and
Djember on
late August 1776 showed that differences between inventory reports and the books were only due to incorrect descriptions of caliber for some items and wrong names for other goods. The only actual shortage was 40 pieces of round ammunition of ½ pound, which had been fired at the Contongers in 1771 and 1772. The authorities approved corrections to record goods under their proper names in future inventories and ordered the missing 40 pieces of ½ pound round ammunition to be written off against the
Balemboang Expedition account.
Orders were given to send empty gunpowder barrels back to
Batavia at every opportunity, following the resolution of
27 August 1776.
Regarding financial matters, officials still awaited the accounting for reduced income and capital advance related to 100 defective 2½ inch swivel guns brought from
Paccalongang to the main location on the ship
Vlissingen in the previous year, to be charged to resident
Bruistens. Meanwhile, the
Surabaya employees paid compensation of 408 guilders and 2 stuivers for 31,733⅓ pounds of rice, calculated as 1 7/15 percent of the 6 1/1 percent dust found in 500 koyangs of rice loaded onto the ship
Kroonenburg for
Batavia in 1776, which resident
van Hogendorp from
Rembang also handled.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0053
On
14 April 1777, various orders that had been requested earlier were renewed along the coast. To promote trade, they made recommendations to the subordinate trading posts. Now that they were able to supply various goods, they would ensure that everything for
Mataie would be prepared quickly, and also the last requested 4 small boats for
Malacca would be made ready.
The orders to keep foreign Europeans away from this coast were renewed, as well as the orders against:
- buying and selling subjects of His Majesty the King of Spain who had been made slaves by the Moors
- transporting more than the permitted number of slaves belonging to private individuals on the Company's ships and vessels
- bringing more Chinese passengers than the allowed number of 6 people per vessel
As was the yearly custom, they were busy preparing the ordinary 8 cruiser ships against pirates and to protect private shipping and trade along this coast. To encourage and promote this, they sent strong recommendations to the subordinate coastal trading posts to encourage private individuals to transport products, especially rice, to
Batavia.
However, there was concern that private shipping would decline because in recent years several private individuals had lost their vessels, some had sold theirs or stopped using them, and few new ones were being built. The number had decreased so much that there was now a shortage of vessels in
Semarang and nearly all trading posts, and thus also a lack of opportunity for large-scale transport of products. They feared that the private shipping and trade from
Java, which was especially useful for
Batavia, would decline year after year unless private individuals were encouraged to build new vessels.
Regarding the trade books of this government from the year 1772/73, which had not been received, they requested that these be sent, as well as those from the following years.
Concerning ammunition and weapons storage goods, they mentioned goods found at the post
Bancallang according to statements from commissioners, which they had to withdraw on
14 April 1777, and compared the trade books of 1776/77 against the reports from the general inventory at the end of August 1776.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0051
On
14 April 1777, the authorities reported they were making every effort to improve and increase indigo cultivation. They thanked the recipients for the cotton yarn samples and for extending the delivery contract for teak wood. They mentioned that commissioners had surveyed the teak forests under the Company's control along the coast and had made decisions on
14th of that month. They respectfully requested approval for these decisions.
Regarding indigo cultivation, they stated no effort would be spared to improve its quality and increase production. They reported that 100 picols of indigo had been purchased at 5 guilders per picol as requested the previous year and was ready for shipment. They expressed gratitude for the cotton yarn samples received for the
Netherlands and offered these samples. They also thanked the authorities for their favorable response to the request from the resident and regents of
Japara for an extension to deliver 32 picols of yarn they still owed at the end of December. They were confident this would be delivered within the agreed 18-month period, above their regular quota.
According to reports from officials in
Sourabaja,
Passourouang,
Banjoewangie, and
Banaroekan (included as extracts), sappanwood had been so extensively cut in
Passourouang district in 1768 and 1769 that nothing remained there or in
Balemboang. In
Panaroekan at most only about 30 picols could be obtained, and the samples sent were very thin. In hope of approval, they would order that since no better quality or larger quantity of this dyewood could be obtained, collection should stop for now and the trees should be left to reach full maturity.
For the rapid and proper construction of the 7 pantjallangs (boats) previously ordered for
Amboina,
Ternate, and
Makassar, and the vessels now required for the main settlement, they had passed on the recommendation to the
Rembang resident
Mister Willem van Hogendorp and further instructed him to stop all private work in the meantime. However, they had to report that a shortage of iron, nails, and other necessary materials had somewhat delayed this construction.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0049
14 April 1777: Officials reported that they had petitioned for 100,000 lb of tamarind on 7 March and promised to fulfill all further demands as quickly and promptly as possible. They wanted to give satisfaction to the High and Mighty Lords, just as they had done in the previous year.
They explained they would have given new proof of this if they had received ships earlier to load the products that were already collected and stored in warehouses. The success of future deliveries depended mainly on the crops and the timely arrival of contingents. Everything looked favorable so far, especially the rice crop which was growing well.
However, they warned that no certain calculations could be made before the harvest, because even when the grain was ripening, strong drought could make it wither, heavy rains and strong winds could knock it down, or mice and other vermin could destroy it.
This had led them to ask in their submission of 24 December whether the High and Mighty Lords, given the rich harvest of the previous year and the current abundance of rice, wanted the company to purchase rice above the contingents for the ships, as had been done in recent years. Since the supply in Batavia was also quite large and this was not considered necessary by the High and Mighty Lords, no purchase would be made and no other rice would be shipped except what was actually stored in warehouses and what would come in from future contingents.
At the first opportunity by ship, 30 koyangs of table rice that were stored in Tagal for widowed ladies (the late His Highness van der Parra, the honorable and strict Lord Councilor extraordinary Radermacher, and the second secretary Goedbloet) would also be included.
The provision of heavy timber as required would be most difficult, but everything possible was being done that could be demanded from the native population. They hoped to satisfy this requirement to some extent. Orders had been renewed and care would be taken that the timber shipped would fully correspond with the length and thickness specified in the invoice.
Regarding the large quantity of timber brought to Batavia by private individuals in the previous year according to the notes sent, they had already answered in their submission of 14 February and referred to that answer. They asked permission to now offer a report on the inspection of salt to the High and Mighty Lords.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0047
- On 14 April 1777, the officials of the ship Cornelia Adriana were ordered to leave for Palembang as soon as possible.
- The ships De Weldoener and De Anna Maria had been paid for and fitted out.
- To take advantage of the western winds still blowing occasionally, the ship De Dankbaarheid was sent with a cargo of rice to the eastern corner, and De Vreede Lust was sent with a load of wood to Joana, where the heaviest wood was also ready for shipping.
- The ship De Jonge Hellingman was currently being unloaded of goods that had been brought in response to their request, and was being reloaded with rice.
- The officials of the ship Cornelia Adriana, which had been stranded and overwintered in Joana and was destined for Palembang, were notified to travel to their destination as soon as possible once the monsoon would allow it. This was expected to happen soon as both the current and wind were already strongly turning.
- The ships De Weldoener and De Anna Maria, which belonged to Samarang and Sourabaija, had been caulked, tarred, and doubled for repair of small vessels. The costs were ƒ662.8 and ƒ642.5 respectively. Based on authorization received, these expenses were written off to the account of the Kruis vessels.
- On 14 April 1777, it was noted that ships would be loaded as quickly as possible and sent back.
- Thanks were expressed for the requests received and other matters.
- To fulfill the requests for this year, all efforts would be made.
- Ships that were still expected and other ships that would be sent would be loaded according to instructions and sent back as quickly as possible.
- Gratitude was expressed for being helped out of difficulties regarding the cash, goods, and necessities requested for this year, and for the authorization to accept as much silver money on exchange as would be needed from time to time. Thanks were also given for the favorable assurance that during this year no Japanese bar copper would be given to private individuals in Batavia for transport to Java.
- Reference was made to their last letter of 15 March and the accompanying distribution among the various offices under their jurisdiction of products, whose procurement during the current year 1777 for the main station they had been assigned by the request dated 4 January last. They asked to be assured that they would make their utmost efforts to fulfill that request and the additional one of 7.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0045
In
Samarang, on
15 March 1777, officials reported to the Governor-General about financial matters.
R=t van der Burgh,
J=n M=s van Panhuijs,
F van Ardenne,
J=bs van Santen,
N=s N: Lelivelt,
M=r L=s Gaaswijk,
A: P:s Tulleken van Hogenhouk, and
A: Barkeij explained that someone had advanced 47,000 rijksdaalders from the Company's main cash office for expenses and transfers to subordinate offices. They presented a duplicate bill of exchange for this amount. The Governor requested that this bill be converted into assignments on the Gentlemen Seventeen for transfer to
the Netherlands in October, to be paid to the persons named in the bill.
The officials addressed their letter to
Jeremias van Riemsdijk, the Governor-General, and the Council of
Netherlands India. They acknowledged receiving letters dated
27 December of the previous year,
15 and 28 January,
27 February, and
22 and 24 March of that year. They referred to their previous letters of
14 February and
15 March. They reported that the ships De Dankbaarheid arrived on the 6th, and De Jonge Hellingman and Vreedelust arrived on the 9th of that month. No other ships had arrived on this coast that season to collect products.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0043
On
15 March 1777, a report was made about timber shortages. Even without counting various types of wood planks and other wood species bought in
Japara,
Joana, and
Rembang outside the regular supplies, and not including the demands for beams still expected for
Cabo de Goede Hoop (Cape of Good Hope),
Ceylon,
Amboina, and
Banda that year, there would still be shortages. The unfulfilled requests included:
- For the island Onrust: 1,000 pieces of Jasem beams and 800 Ambon beams
- For the equipment shipyard: 1,000 pieces of Ambon beams, 1,000 Tanjong beams, 1,204 Gloudong beams, and 2,000 windboom beams
In total, approximately 7,000 pieces of beams were needed, and the writers asked for further orders and specifications.
The officials reported being in great difficulty regarding the goods requested in their earlier request of
15 December 1776 for this coast. They especially needed iron, nails, and other items for the
Rembang timber shipyard. They urgently requested quick relief and assistance.
They also requested ships to collect products that were ready for shipping:
- For Tagal: 1 ship for rice and 1 to 2 ships for rice and wood
- For Samarang: 1 to 2 ships for wood and 1 ship for rice
- For Japara: 1 to 2 ships for wood, and 2 to 3 ships for wood, remaining rice, and other products
- For the east corner: 2 ships for rice
- For Joana and Rembang: ships (number not specified)
- For Pachalongang: 1 ship for rice
In total, they requested 10, 11, or 12 ships. They expected to load most ships directly and have all loaded and ready by the end of May to return to
Batavia. This count included ships returning empty from the great east that would stop at
Java. They asked to know the number of these ships so they could plan the loading of ships that would be sent directly from
Batavia.
The first signatory had been serving successively since mid-November 1776.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0041
14 February 1777. Officials from Samarang wrote a letter to the Governor General and Council requesting supplies that were already running low or would soon run out.
The letter was signed by I. R. van der Burgh, J. M. van Panhuijs, J. van Ardenne, J. van Santen, N. N. Lelivelt, H. Ludewig, M. L. Gaaswijk, A. P. Tulleken van Hogenhouk, and A. Barkeij.
15 March 1777. The officials addressed Jeremias van Riemsdijk, Governor General, and the Council members of Netherlands India regarding demands from Batavia for the year 1777. They submitted a distribution plan for the requested products and goods across various trading posts.
The officials stated they would try to supply the demanded products as much as possible. However, they noted that:
- Rice delivery would depend mainly on the harvest and timely payment of quotas
- Timber delivery would be difficult because even if all wood came in and was delivered according to their distribution plan by the local regents and chiefs, the demand still could not be met without buying more than the required amount of about 7,000 beams
They provided figures showing that timber remainders, arrears, and quotas for the year totaled 17,897 beams. Of this amount, 6,560 beams had to be set aside for the sawmill in Japara and the timber yard in Rembang. This left only 11,337 beams available for shipping if everything came in. However, the timber works that needed to be supplied from this amount, including all the requested heavy timber, totaled 11,225 beams, leaving only 112 beams remaining.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0039
On 14 February 1777, a letter was sent from Samarang to Jeremias van Riemsdijk, Governor General, and the Council of the Dutch East Indies. The letter was signed by R. van der Burgh, J. van Panhuijs, J. van Ardenne, J. van Santen, N. M. Lelivelt, H. Ludewig, M. L. Gaaswijk, A. P. Tulleken van Hogenhouk, and A. Barkeij.
The writers requested that two bills of exchange be paid in Batavia:
- One in favor of Jan Hendrik Wiegerman, vice president of the Council of Aldermen, for 12,244.8 rijksdaalders
- One in favor of Carel Fredrik Leverin, secretary of the Orphan Masters in Batavia, for 1,248 rijksdaalders
The letter reported that heavy rains along the coast had allowed farmers to work their fields and prepare them for rice cultivation. However, the continuing bad and rough weather and excessive water prevented them in many places from sowing grain and in other places from transplanting young crops. Despite this, there was still good hope that when the weather calmed down, these activities could be completed successfully with prospects for a good harvest.
The writers noted they had no bar iron left in stock. They needed this and also nails that had been requested in their letter of 15 December 1776 for the shipbuilding yard at Rembang for a ship under construction.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0037
On
14 February 1777, several requests were presented. A request came from chief merchant and Head Administrator
Mister Johan Michiel van Panhuis, asking for permission to make a short trip to
Batavia. A request came from merchant and resident in
Tagal Alexander Cornabe, asking for a favorable discharge before the end of August from that residency, and to be allowed to depart for
the Netherlands with one of the return ships of the first dispatch in October of that year, while keeping his rank and salary due to his expired term, with the permitted baggage. A request came from surgeon
Herman Carel Snijders, asking to be promoted to head surgeon based on the reasons stated in his request. A request came from bookkeeper
Jacob van Garling, asking to be transferred from
Surabaya to the main location. Another request came from corporal
Johan Hendrik Scheuning, asking to be discharged from company service in order to earn a living as a civilian alongside other citizens. All these requests were supported and it was respectfully requested that they be viewed favorably for the petitioners.
On
14 February 1777, two bills of exchange were enclosed, whose duplicates accompanied this document. One bill was in favor of
Ian Hendrik Wiegerman, vice president in the esteemed College of Aldermen, for the amount of 12,244 rijksdaalders and 8 stuivers. Another bill was in favor of
Carel Fredrik Severin, notary of the Orphan Masters in
Batavia, for the amount of 1,248 rijksdaalders. It was requested that the holders of the original bills in
Batavia be paid.
The many rains that had fallen along this coast for some time had enabled the farmer to work his fields and prepare them for rice cultivation. However, the continuing extremely harsh, rough weather and abundant water still prevented them in many places from sowing the grain and in other places from transplanting the young crops. Nevertheless, the prospects remained good that when the weather calmed down somewhat, both tasks could be completed satisfactorily with the expectation of a good harvest.
Since there was no bar iron left in stock, and also because nails were needed for the
Rembang carpentry yard for the keelboats being built (which had been requested on
15 December 1776)...
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0035
On
14 February 1777, officials reported that stopping the unauthorized cutting of wood could not be done without also blocking the ways to get rid of it and banning export. They explained that banning export would only work if they also stopped wood transport from the prince's lands through these districts. This would take away the only way of making a living for the Company's forest workers in that area.
The officials stated they knew of no middle way to stop this problem that had been creeping in and tolerated for years and had become a habit among the native population. They warned that if they banned:
- Regents from renting out wood villages and forests
- Common people from freely cutting and selling wood
- Others from export and transport
then the private Javanese wood trade would completely collapse and
Batavia itself would suffer greatly.
They also worried they would not be able to follow the special order from
15 March 1776 to encourage small traders to bring large amounts of rice, salt, construction wood, tamarind, and oil. They believed their continuous encouragement of traders had led to more wood products being transported from this coast to the main city in the past year than would otherwise have happened.
The merchant and resident at
Rembang,
Mister Willem van Hogendorp, provided the explanation requested by letter of
11 December of the previous year about extra charges for a large buoyed prahu maiang sent to
Banjermassing and a similar small vessel sent to the east coast in the financial year 1775-1776. The officials sent a copy of his letter and explanation dated
12 January.
The pantjallang ship De Snelheid, destined for
Amboina, arrived on
3 February because its rudder was broken. After being fitted with a new iron rudder, the vessel sailed on to that government on
6 February.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0033
On
14 February 1777, a report was made about wood being brought across the company's territory to the beaches. The wood came partly from forest people who had to cut and deliver timber for the company's woodworks, similar to the process in
Joara. The rest of the wood came from the wood villages. These villages were mostly separate from the forests where cutting was done for the company. In these villages, the local rulers and lesser chiefs rented the forests to the Chinese or let common people use them to make a living.
This practice could harm the company in the future if all forests along the beaches were claimed as company property. The harm would occur especially if no care was taken for forest preservation in general and no young trees were planted to replace cut ones. The problem could only be stopped by:
- Strictly forbidding the rulers from renting out wood villages or forests
- Forbidding the local people from cutting any wood except for the company
- Banning private transport of wood
However, it would be difficult to successfully prevent wood cutting and selling in the vast forests within an area of 18 miles or more than 36 hours of walking. This area covered the districts of
Touban,
Lassum,
Rembang, and
Padjankoengang along the coast. To enforce such a ban, a guard or supervisor would need to be placed in every village.
The report raised important objections to these measures:
- Forbidding the renting of wood villages and forests would cut off the main source of income for the rulers of these districts, which rarely produced enough rice to feed the inhabitants and had few other products. This would discourage them and possibly turn them against the company.
- The common people mainly, if not entirely, made their living from cutting wood and building boats. Forbidding wood cutting would also prevent boat building. This would force people to leave the beaches or company territory and move inland. As a result, these districts would become noticeably depopulated, the small trade that depended on boats would suffer greatly, and the country's income would also decrease.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0031
On
14 February 1777, a report was made about Chinese people living under
Touban and
Lassuw who were allowed to obtain wood partly through purchase and partly through exchange for opium. The Chinese from
Rembang and
Padjangkoengang bought and traded their woodworks in the same way wherever they could get them, even from the forest people of the
Blandong. This practice should be tolerated with a blind eye, as long as it did not go too far, because it provided a means of living for those people and this tolerance was the greatest protection for the
Blandong. The population size and number of villages there should always be considered the main point. Through this wood trade in the mentioned districts under
Rembang, a good quantity of opium was also sold annually. The sale of opium would necessarily have to decrease or stop as soon as the Chinese could no longer obtain woodworks from the forest people along the coasts for transport to
Batavia. Besides this, stopping that trade would greatly depopulate the coasts along
Java from
Toeban to
Padjangkoengang. The forest Javanese would be forced to leave with their buffaloes from the Company's territory, where they were only kept because of the profits from their woodworks, and go to
Blora,
Djipang and other places where more rice was available and it was easier to make a living. The Chinese would also leave for elsewhere, which would cause the small trade as well as the building of vessels for it to either stop or at least decrease. The Company's taxes and income would then suffer. The writer confirmed the statements of residents
Domis van Hogendorp and
Keijzer mentioned above. In answer to the question whether the transport of such a large quantity of woodworks by private individuals was harmful to the Company, the writer respectfully stated that the transport of wood from
Grissee from the sultan's district
Djipang did not harm the Company, and that from
Joana and occasionally from
Japara,
Samarang,
Paccalongang and
Tagal was not harmful either, but rather served to preserve the forests and to allow the forest people a small living. This was the case when the transport did not extend to heavy wood but only to light wood that could be cut from old, unsuitable trees that prevented the growth of others by overshadowing them. The woodworks that were exported in larger quantities and of greater weight at
Touban,
Lassum,
Rembang and
Padjangkoengang were partly bought in
Keijzer's district
Blora.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0029
14 February 1777. The harvest yields were expected to be sufficient to deliver and pay for everything, including 230 loads of rice, 1 1/3 pounds of cotton yarn, 40 loads of salt, 201 pounds of cardamom, 400 pounds of round pepper, 7,705 pieces of Tinkam planks both large and small, 134 mill planks, 14 boats ready for use, and 12 boats still under construction. These boats, which had been purchased and built beyond the regular quotas based on previous year's demands, were still in storage and would all be used to fulfill the demand for the main settlement of Batavia for the current year 1777, dated 4 January, which had only just been ordered.
Reports had been received from the trading posts of Grissee, Joana, and Rembang following a request from 24 December 1776, explaining how private individuals had obtained timber. This timber had been exported from districts under those residencies and delivered to Batavia in the previous year, according to notes sent with respected letters from 19 November and 27 December.
Extracts from letters by residents Domis, Keijzer, and van Hogendorp dated 21 December and 12 December were presented, which noted:
- The timber transported by the Chinese merchant Tan Soenko from Grissee was not obtained from any of the Company's regencies or forests, but rather from the sultan's district of Djipang. It was brought down the Solo river to Grissee and loaded onto his boat there.
- The timber transported by Chinese merchants Lim Tjitjoe and Ian Tinseeng from Joana with 2 boats came from trees that had split when felled or were hollow inside, making them unacceptable for the Company. These trees, if left lying, would hinder the growth of other trees, or when dried out and catching fire, would destroy many young trees. Therefore, trade in this timber was not harmful to the Company but served to support the poor forest people who needed to make a modest living from it.
- The timber transported from Rembang (or more precisely, with passes from that trading post) by 40 boats operated by Chinese merchants.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0027
On
14 February 1777, a report was made about goods owed and delivered. The Panembahang of
Madura delivered 9 and 7/31 coijangs of green cadjang (a type of bean) against 40 rijksdaalders per coijang. The resident and the regents of
Paccalongang,
Batang, and
Wieradessa delivered 11 picols of cotton yarn at 45 rijksdaalders and 10 per picol, which were paid in cash into the company's treasury. Only the regents of
Japara and
Coedus still owed 33 picols of cotton yarn. Additionally, the first regent along with those of
Paccalongang and
Batang, and the forest chiefs at
Rembang, still owed 3,270 pieces of timber. All others owed nothing. The arrears in 1776 had decreased by 31.5 picols of cotton yarn and 2,910 pieces of timber.
The required deliveries for 1777 would be:
- 5,571 coijangs of rice
- 170 coijangs of green cadjang
- 284 picols of cotton yarn
- 58 picols of indigo (though the exact amount was not yet fixed)
- 2 picols of long pepper
- 37,000 kann of coconut oil
- 800 kann of earth oil
- 10.5 picols of wax
- 11,300 pieces of timber
- 1 pantjallang
The remaining goods from previous years' deliveries at the trading posts, around mid-January after the ships for the great east had been loaded, consisted of:
- 2,167.5 coijangs of rice
- 7.5 coijangs of green cadjang
- 10.5 picols of cotton yarn
- 15 picols of indigo
- 73 kann of coconut oil
- 304 kann of earth oil
- 10.5 picols of wax
- 3,327 pieces of timber in various types
The total remaining goods from previous deliveries, combined with the arrears and the required deliveries for 1777, amounted to:
- 738.5 coijangs of rice
- 177.5 coijangs of green cadjang
- 327.5 picols of cotton yarn
- 73 picols of indigo
- 2 picols of long pepper
- 37,073 kann of coconut oil
- 1,104 kann of earth oil
- 21 picols of wax
- 17,897 pieces of timber in various types
- 1 pantjallang
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0025
14 February 1777, the ship had been loaded, except for 146 pieces of mill planks of 3 inches, 335 pieces of 2 inches, 100 pieces of 0.75 inches, and 100 pieces of 40 inches. These planks had not been available in stock in Japara, as they had already mentioned in their submission of 24 December last year, and could not be sawn in time due to lack of water at the sawmill. Together with the 40,000 pounds of rice and 8,000 pounds of cadjang (a type of bean) provided as rations to each of the keels, the cargo of Velzen amounted to 14,354 guilders, 4 stuivers, and 8 penningen, and that of Kroonenburg to 16,200 guilders, 16 stuivers, and 8 penningen. This was shown by the accompanying copies of invoices and other papers concerning the loading. The papers also showed that the officers of Kroonenburg had left behind 16 pieces of whole leggers (beams) at Grissee to make room for other goods, which would be sent to Batavia at the first available ship opportunity.
After the departure of those ships, another detailed memorandum was prepared of the products and goods that had been fulfilled and transported from Java for the Company on the requirements of the past year 1776. They respectfully submitted this to Your High Honors and noted only in this letter that the amount was 552,959 guilders and 11 stuivers, or slightly less than what they had calculated in their submission of 24 December last year.
The now also prepared annual statement of delivered and remaining products from the obligatory deliveries by the regents showed that in the year 1776, the fixed contingents (both free of charge and against payment) had been collected and fully satisfied:
- 5,571 koyangs of rice (besides 1,800 koyangs that were purchased at 20 rixdollars each)
- 170 koyangs of green cadjang
- 313.5 picols of cotton yarn in assortment
- 29.4 picols of indigo
- 2 picols of long pepper
- 37,000 kannen of coconut oil
- 800 kannen of earth oil
- 10.5 picols of wax
- 14,383 pieces of beams
- 1 picol of pantjallang
This was based on Your High Honors' respected qualification in their letter of 14 November 1776 on 14 February 1777.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0023
A letter was written to
Jeremias van Riemsdijk, Governor General, and the Council members of the Dutch East Indies. The letter responded to messages dated
27 December 1776,
15 January 1777, and
28 January 1777.
The letter reported on two ships, the Velzen and the Kroonenburg, which were headed to
Banda. These ships had departed on
28 December and
22 January respectively from the east corner and continued their journey to their destination. They transported goods from
Samarang,
Rambang,
Surabaya, and
Grissee.
The ships carried the following cargo to
Banda:
- 265 coyangs of rice on each ship
- 5 loads of cadjang on each ship
- 3 loads of paddy on each ship
- 1,000 pounds of tamarind on each ship
- 2,000 cans of lamp oil on each ship
- 2,000 cans of petroleum on each ship
- 50 pieces of large curved wood beams on each ship
- 12 pieces of small curved wood beams on the Velzen and 13 on the Kroonenburg
- 250 pieces of jata staves on each ship
- 100 wind-tree beams on the Kroonenburg
- 5 house beams 32 feet long and 11 to 12 inches thick on each ship
- 12 house beams 25 feet long and 8 to 9 inches thick on each ship
- 49 tanjong planks on the Velzen and 50 on the Kroonenburg
- 413 panjang limas planks on the Velzen and 312 on the Kroonenburg
- 25 pandjang tiegas beams on each ship
- 20 assorted joists on each ship
- 150 large tinkam planks on each ship
- 66 mill planks of 3 inches on the Velzen
- 50 mill planks of 1½ inches on the Kroonenburg
- 250 Chinese planks on each ship
- 25 large knee pieces on each ship
- 25 small knee pieces on each ship
- 50 joists of 3 to 3½ inches on each ship
- 100 joists on the Kroonenburg
- 6 Javanese cloth jackets
The letter was dated
14 February 1777.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0021
Jeremias van Riemsdijk was Governor General of the Dutch East Indies. On 27 December 1776, 15 January 1777, and 28 January 1777, he and the Council of the Dutch East Indies sent letters with orders. The letter being written was from officials in Batavia who postponed their response to these orders until after they had carried out the instructions.
The officials reported on two ships, the Velzen and the Kroonenburg, which were destined for Banda. This update followed an earlier report from 24 December of the previous year. The ships had departed from the east corner on 28 December and 22 January respectively and continued their voyage to their destination. They transported cargo from Samarang, Rambang, Soerabaja, and Grissee to Banda.
The cargo transported to Banda included:
- 265 Coyangs of rice on the Velzen
- 265 Coyangs of rice on the Kroonenburg
- 5 lasts of cadjang (bamboo matting) on the Velzen
- 5 lasts of cadjang on the Kroonenburg
The document was reviewed by B. S. van de Poll.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0019
Jeremias van Riemsdijk, the Governor General, and the Council of the Netherlands Indies received a letter from Batavia. The letter responded to earlier messages dated 27 December 1776, 15 January 1777, and 28 January 1777. The writer reported on the ships Velzen and Kroonenburg, which were headed to Banda. The Velzen left on 28 December and the Kroonenburg on 22 January from the east coast to continue their journey to their destination. The ships transported goods from Samarang, Rambang, Surabaya, and Grisee to Banda. Each ship carried 265 coyangs of rice and 5 loads of cadjang. The document was checked by D. van den Belle.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0017
I apologize, but the text provided appears to be severely corrupted, fragmented, or illegible. The only clear elements I can identify are:
- A place name:
Batavia
- What appears to be a partial name:
B. J. van de Poll
- A date fragment:
5 (though the complete date is unclear)
The remaining text ("5n 5 Latten Cediying d den en de d t e e de teae e e e „Nagezien") does not form coherent Dutch words or sentences that can be meaningfully summarized.
To provide an accurate historical summary, I would need a legible version of the source text.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0015
This document records administrative papers sent from
Samarang to
Batavia. The materials included:
- 2 bundles of copied letters written by the Governor and Director along with the Council of this coast to the High Excellencies in Batavia, from 14 February until the end of August of this year
- 2 copies of resolutions made in the Council of Police in Samarang, from March until the end of August of this year, including all related papers with a register
- 2 copies of the same from 4 September 1776 until 8 March
- 2 bundles of general pass lists of private vessels arriving in Samarang from 1 September 1776 until the end of August 1777
- 5 loads of palm leaf roofing material
- 2 bundles of pass lists of private vessels departing from Samarang to Batavia and Bantam during the same period
- 2 bundles of pass lists of private vessels departing from Samarang to the opposite coast and other places during the same period
- 2 pass lists of private vessels that departed from Samarang to subordinate Company offices during the same period
- 2 bundles of pass lists of private vessels that departed from outer Company offices to the main office in Samarang and elsewhere, and also arrived at those offices during the same period
The document was issued in
Batavia in the Castle on
20 October 1777.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3497 / 0013
On 1 February 1776, the officials wrote to congratulate someone on their impressive promotion and to respectfully wish that his Lordship's government would last long and, blessed by God, would bring the most desirable successes for the company. The officials promised to serve faithfully and to always follow the orders to recognize, respect, and obey his Lordship as their lawful Governor General. They had already sent the necessary orders to the lower-ranking offices.
The letters for the ministers in Amboina and Banda were sent forward to Rembang and Soerabaya to be delivered on the ships Blijswijk and Renswoude. They also received a letter from 10 January with letters and gifts for the Susuhunan and the Sultan, which they had already sent to Soerakarta and Djokjakarta to be presented to those rulers according to custom.
Furthermore, they reported that the late Van der Parra had, before his death, sent a pair of pistols inlaid with gold to the Governor, which had previously been promised to the Sultan according to an earlier agreement from the end of December. The Governor had these delivered to the ruler.
Since their last letter of 31 December 1775, the ship Blijswijk had departed on 12 January from Rembang to Amboina, and Renswoude had departed on 13 January from Soerabaya to Banda. They provided the loading documents for these ships and the previously departed ships 't Huijs te Bijwegen, Velzen, and noted that various offices had shipped the following products and goods:
To Amboina (on ships 't Huijs te Bijwegen, Velzen, and Blijswijk):
- 225 koyans of rice
- 2 koyans of white table rice
- 10 casks of lamp oil
- 10 balis of castor oil
- 3 loads of unhusked rice
- 1,000 pounds of tamarind
- 50 pieces of beams 24 to 26 feet long, 12 to 14 inches thick
- 100 pieces of beams 18 to 20 feet long, 10 to 12 inches thick
- 100 wind trees
- 25 pieces of ironwood for boats
- 175 planks of 3 inches
- 150 large Tinkam planks
To Banda (on ships Velzen and Renswoude):
- 175 koyans of rice
- 2,700 casks of lamp oil
- 100 casks of blium terra
- 2 loads of unhusked rice
- 7.5 koyans of peas
- 7.5 koyans of salt
- 100 pieces of beams 24 to 26 feet long, 12 to 14 inches thick
- 30 wind trees
- 40 pieces of ironwood for boats
- 55 planks of 3 inches
- 200 large Tinkam
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 3468 / 0022
Previous pageNext page