Transcriptions » Recently created summaries of historical documents

• A judicial inspection was conducted of 5 local vessels
• Remmeke was hired as a sailor and placed on the ship 't Huis te Bijweg
• 3 people from the retirement home were ordered to return to their duties
• Authorization was given to pay repair costs for the orphanage and minister's residence from the poor relief and church funds
• Money from a certain vessel and goods were to be divided among the patrol vessels

In 1775, political decisions were made between 1 September and December concerning the eastern coast of Java. These included additional documents from Semarang.

December 31, 1775: A ship left from Samarang for Amboina carrying 25 pieces of swamp wood (22 to 25 feet long, 3 to 4 inches thick), 700 barrel staves, 50 windlass beams, and 50 beams wrongly taken for windlasses, along with 32,000 pounds of rice and 6,400 pounds of beans as provisions for the crew.

The ship Blijswijk, which was also bound for that government, arrived on the 22nd. After loading 2,700 cans of lamp oil and jar oil, 480 items, 36,000 pounds of rice, and 7,200 pounds of beans as rations for the voyage, it continued on the 23rd to Joana and Rembang for further loading.

The ship Velsen also departed on the 20th or 21st of this month from Grissee to Banda.

The ship Renswoude was currently being loaded in the Oosthoek.

The officials in Sourabaija were informed about the loading of the third ship destined for that province, the Kroonenburg, at Batavia, and that they should not wait for that vessel.

• General expenses: 380,000 florins (Indies money) or 313,500 florins (Dutch money)
• General profits and income: 400,000 florins (Indies money) or 330,000 florins (Dutch money)

• Expenses: 270,575 florins, 14 stuivers, and 8 penningen (42,924 florins, 5 stuivers, and 8 penningen less than the target)
• Profits: 404,722 florins, 16 stuivers, and 8 penningen (74,722 florins, 16 stuivers, and 8 penningen more than the target)

• Samarang: increased from 275,946 florins, 19 stuivers to 281,668 florins, 6 stuivers, and 8 penningen (increase of 5,721 florins, 7 stuivers, and 8 penningen)
• Sourabaija: decreased from 87,719 florins, 17 stuivers, and 8 penningen to 75,069 florins and 10 stuivers (decrease of 12,650 florins and 7 stuivers)
• Rembang: decreased from 58,568 florins, 6 stuivers, and 8 penningen to 40,494 florins and 8 stuivers (decrease of 18,073 florins and 18 stuivers)
• Banjouwangie: decreased from 50,069 florins, 9 stuivers, and 8 penningen to 45,486 florins, 3 stuivers, and 8 penningen (decrease of 4,583 florins and 8 stuivers)
• Glissee: decreased from 23,787 florins and 12 stuivers to 27,362 florins and 13 stuivers (increase of 3,575 florins and 1 stuiver)
• Sumanap: increased from 4,458 florins, 14 stuivers, and 8 penningen to 5,091 florins and 8 penningen (increase of 632 florins and 6 stuivers)
• Soana: increased from 27,602 florins, 3 stuivers, and 8 penningen to 34,292 florins and 15 stuivers (increase of 6,690 florins and 12 stuivers)
• Paccalongang: decreased from 31,566 florins and 8 stuivers to 28,036 florins, 1

In 1773/6, the office had no rice shipments to other governments, so it earned no profit from higher pricing or soldier salary exchanges.

In Paccalongang, there was an increase in profits due to larger rice shipments to Ceylon compared to the previous year and greater profits from traded goods.

In Djokjocarta, there was a decrease in profit from soldier salary exchanges because fewer salaries were paid out.

The general profits and income in 1777/6 were ƒ17,317:5:8 higher than in 1779/5.

When comparing 1775/6 to 1772/5:

• Income from soldier salaries and paid-out salaries decreased by ƒ696:3 because fewer winning monthly salaries and previous year balances were paid out
• Profits from goods, shipped rice, and recognition payments from the privileged distillery in Samarang increased by ƒ13,696:6:8 due to greater sales of goods sold directly or auctioned by December 1775
• Profit from rice shipped to other governments decreased due to smaller shipments, but recognition payments from distilled liquor remained the same as in 1772/5

General income from yacht fees, barge fees, and the Lord's rights for products not received, plus profits from shipped timber, totaled ƒ303,455:6 in one year and ƒ307,772:8 in another, an increase of ƒ4,317:2.

The increase came from higher lease payments, barge fees, twentieth-penny taxes on sold property, recognition payments for bird nests sent to Batavia, and more products delivered by regents in Grissee on their quotas for free. However, less rice was delivered in Sourabaya and less timber came in from most timber-supplying offices.

Previous year's general Javanese profits were recorded at Toana (ƒ1,000) and previous year's general Javanese income at Rembang (ƒ204:10:8), Tagal (ƒ825), and Paccalongang (ƒ1,501:5), totaling ƒ2,530:15:8.

After calculations, profits and income in 1775/6 exceeded those in 1774/5 by ƒ17,317:5:8.

Adding the reduced expenses of ƒ13,055:2:8, Java's Northeast Coast showed a total improvement of ƒ30,372:8 in the book year 1775/6 compared to 1774/5.

• At various trading posts, this account did not record repairs or expenses.
• At the fortification in Souracarta, the daily wages of bricklayers working at the trading post were recorded under fortifications instead of this account as before.
• Previous year's expenses and costs: When the books were closed, the following trading posts showed deficits on this account:
  • Samarang: ƒ830:18:-
  • Sourabaija: ƒ122:10:-
  • Sumanap: ƒ3:-:-
  • Banjoewangie: ƒ56,204:4:- (for expedition expenses)
  • Paccalongang: ƒ42:19:-
  • Souracarta: ƒ31:3:8
  • Total: ƒ57,234:14:8
• From this amount could be deducted what came as profit to this account at other trading posts:
  • Rembang: ƒ17:2:-
  • Tagal: ƒ320:8:8
  • Djokjocarta: ƒ41:9:8
  • Total: ƒ379:-:-
• Thus previous year's expenses and costs remaining in arrears: ƒ56,855:14:8
• The general expenses totaled ƒ283,630:17:- in one year and ƒ270,575:14:8 in another.
• The difference showed that the general fixed expenses in 1775/6 (the last fiscal year) were lower than in 1774/5.
• Native servants' monthly wages: ƒ1,342:9:- in one period and ƒ570:5:- in another.
• Statement of general profits and income of each trading post, showing increases and decreases in fiscal year 1775/6 compared to 1774/5:
  • Samarang: ƒ275,867:5:8 in 1775/6 versus ƒ309,418:11:- in 1774/5, a decrease of ƒ33,551:5:8. The increase was due to greater trade in goods and profits made on them, income from lease payments, tjatjas and ballangers payments, one-twentieth tax on sold real estate, and recognition money for bird nests sent to Batavia.
  • Sourabaija: ƒ35,031:6:- versus ƒ34,181:16:8. Lower because 34 coijangs less rice was delivered for free by the regents on their quota than in 1774/5.
  • Grissel: ƒ22,132:4:- versus ƒ24,352:15:8, a decrease of ƒ2,220:14:8. Higher due to larger delivery from quotas of coconut oil and cotton yarn for free.
  • Banjoewangie: Higher markup on supplied soldiers' pay because less pay was disbursed there. Lower because less timber was delivered by the forest people.
  • Joana: ƒ16,786:9:8 versus ƒ7,670:7:8. Lower because less rice was shipped from that trading post to other governments at the permitted higher purchase price.

1772/5 and 1773/6 were compared in terms of expenses and revenues across various Dutch colonial operations in Java.

• Hospital costs at Surabaya, Banjoewangie, Kouracarta, and Djokjocarta increased compared to 1772/5, but overall hospital expenses decreased because fewer supplies were provided at Samarang, as no workers came there in 1776 to help restore the main settlement.
• Less money was spent at Samarang on the enlarged and improved town hall, prison, and hospital being rebuilt, and on repairs to other buildings, compared to 1774/5 when new writing offices and sailors' lodgings were completed. Other offices, especially at Tagal and Paccalongang where lodging costs occurred in 1771/5, cost little or nothing in this accounting period.
• Fortification costs increased due to the final renewal of the embankment along the city at Samarang, repairs to fortress gates and guardhouses, and because at Souracarta and Djokjocarta the labor wages for native masons working on lodgings were charged to fortification accounts.
• Ship expenses decreased because vessels on this coast that were constantly loaded required and received fewer supplies of provisions and rations.
• Costs for boats and smaller vessels increased due to more ammunition goods supplied and more repairs done to the pantjallangs (small boats) and other vessels here and in the eastern corner, especially for equipping a new pantjallang for Sourabaya, now called the Anna Maria.
• Condemnation accounts showed higher costs because while the expenses normally charged to this account were lower in themselves, fewer profits came in and fewer goods were confiscated than in 1774/5, causing this account to close unfavorably.
• Navy wages increased because seafaring servants stationed on Java received higher wages and more was paid out to them.
• Land soldiers' wages decreased because fewer earned wages were recorded and paid out, and also because fewer payments were made for previous years' accounts and outstanding balances.
• Gift-giving accounts increased. Ordinary gifts to princes and nobles recorded in the Samarang books amounted to 3,292 guilders 5 stuivers, which was 521 guilders 13 stuivers less than in 1774/5. However, presents that the High and Mighty Lords sent directly to the princes themselves totaled a considerable sum of 8,130 guilders 7 stuivers 8 penningen: twice to the susuhunan for 5,253 guilders 15 stuivers 8 penningen and once to the sultan for 2,876 guilders 12 stuivers, making this account much higher.
• The shipyard at Rembang cost less because during this accounting year no work was done on the yard or its associated crane.

• 1775/6 compared to 1774/5: Various Dutch East India Company posts in Java showed different expense levels.
• Banjoewangie (also called Balemboangang): Expenses decreased because fewer cost allowances and rations were given to servants, fewer salaries were paid, and less gunpowder was used.
• Another location: Expenses decreased due to fewer cost allowances, rations, salaries and wages given out, fewer supplies provided to loaded ships, and no expenses paid to the shipyard's inspection station.
• One residency fell slightly behind due to writing off some unusable goods and providing more supplies to loaded ships.
• Japara: Expenses increased only because of costs for renewing the communication bridge between the Fort and the Company's warehouse there, while all other expense accounts were lower.
• Sagal: Expenses decreased because all expense accounts, especially those for repairs and carpentry, were lower (except salaries).
• Another location: Expenses decreased due to lower costs for carpentry and repairs.
• Paccalongang: Expenses increased because although household expenses and paid salaries were lower, more rations were given out, more hospital costs were incurred, more was spent on the new lodge, and more gifts were given to the emperor. The gifts sent directly from Batavia by the High Authorities to the emperor amounted to ƒ5,253:15:8.
• Souracarta: (figures listed)
• Japara: (figures listed)
• Joana: (figures listed)
• Rembang: (figures listed)
• Djohjocarta: Expenses decreased due to lower costs overall and especially fewer paid salaries and lodge expenses, although gifts to the sultan were actually higher because that ruler also received gifts directly from the High Authorities worth ƒ2,876:12:0.
• Total general expenses in 1775/6 were ƒ13,055:2:8 lower than in 1774/5.
• Comparison of 1773/6 versus 1775/6: Rations increased by ƒ1,304:14:0 because more servants at some trading posts received more generous allowances of free cost money and rations.
• Ordinary expenses increased by ƒ859:15:8 because at Samarang, Banjoewangie, Sumanap, Joana, and Djokjo Carta unusable goods were written off and more wages had to be given to retired servants; otherwise this expense would have been lower through savings at all trading posts.
• Some expenses decreased through strict economy in writing off gunpowder and providing materials.
• Extraordinary expenses decreased by ƒ957:8:0.

During the financial year 1775/6, financial records were presented showing the general expenses, profits, and income from the various trading posts on Java's northeast coast. These records were respectfully submitted to Jeremias van Riemsdijk, the Governor General, and the Council of Netherlands India.

The financial summary showed:

• General expenses for all trading posts in 1775/6 totaled ƒ270,575:14:8
• Profits and income totaled ƒ404,722:16:8
• This resulted in profits exceeding expenses by ƒ134,147:2:0

Compared to the previous financial year 1774/5:

• Expenses in 1774/5 had been ƒ283,630:17:0
• Profits and income had been ƒ387,405:11:0
• The surplus in 1774/5 had been ƒ103,774:14:0

Therefore, the government of Java had improved its financial position in 1775/6 compared to 1774/5 by ƒ30,372:8:0.

This improvement came from:

• Expenses decreasing by ƒ13,055:2:3 (from ƒ283,630:17:0 to ƒ270,575:14:8, including the Balemboang trading post expenses of ƒ16,432:15:0)
• Profits and income increasing by ƒ17,317:5:8

A detailed breakdown of expenses by trading post showed:

At Samarang:

• Expenses in 1775/6: ƒ91,836:5:0
• Expenses in 1774/5: ƒ89,300:18:8
• Decrease of ƒ2,585:6:8
• The reduction was due to more economical provision of daily household necessities, fewer provisions supplied to ships and smaller vessels, lower hospital costs, fewer advance salary payments, fewer gifts given to native princes and nobility, and especially because expenses on company buildings and works were less than in the previous year

At Sourabaija:

• Expenses in 1775/6: ƒ48,778:5:0
• Expenses in 1774/5: ƒ46,209:9:0
• Increase of ƒ2,568:16:0
• The reduction in some areas came from fewer free meal allowances and rations provided, fewer daily household necessities used, and fewer monthly wages paid. However, there were increases due to paid salaries and supplied gunpowder, and greater provision of meal allowances, rations, and liquor, as well as paid engagement salaries

At Sumanap:

• Expenses in 1775/6: ƒ2,502:12:0
• Expenses in 1774/5: ƒ2,831:3:0
• Decrease of ƒ328:11:0

At Grissee:

• Expenses in 1775/6