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In 1623, a Portuguese ship arrived from Manila, carrying 400 picols (a weight measurement) of Philippine caviari. An English ship, the Bretange, captained by Captain Schinnor, also arrived from Madras with painted fabrics and other goods. These goods were valued by Swors, the local trade agents, at 18 pagodas (a currency) or 600 cattis (another weight measurement) of Siamese silver coins, equal to 36 ørd:s (a currency unit).
The English had to accept payment in 18 debhaer (a weight unit) of 354 lb of Thai tin and elephant tusks due to a lack of better options. This trade was seen as profitable, encouraging more English ships to sail to India in the future, which would benefit the Dutch East India Company (VOC).
Additionally, 9 ships were sent to India, Ligor, and Junkceylon (Songkhla)—8 from China and 1 from Batavia. The Chinese ships carried various Chinese goods, while the ship from Batavia transported other unspecified items.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0153 In 1726, a financial report from the Dutch East India Company (VOC) offices in Siam (modern-day Thailand) showed that expenses had exceeded profits at two key trading posts: Judja (likely Ayutthaya) and its subordinate office in Ligor (modern Nakhon Si Thammarat). The total loss for that year was 19,050 guilders and 18 stuivers, which was 2,581 guilders and 18 stuivers worse than the previous year’s loss of 16,168 guilders and 6 stuivers.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0151 In October 1726, records showed that a high-ranking official owed the Dutch East India Company (VOC) a large debt. This debt included cash, tin, and sapwood, totaling 467 catties, 15 taels, 159 mas (or ƒ67,363.20). The debt had grown over time due to new deliveries and other transactions, with some payments reducing it. Officials promised to provide an updated report when the previous leader left.
By October 1726, there was a stockpile of 2,100 piculs of sapwood in Judja (likely a location in Asia), which the VOC planned to transport using 3 large ships in 1727. Earlier, on August 11, 1726, officials had requested help to reduce the debt by transferring sapwood debts to cash or tin accounts. Since the VOC already had a large stockpile of 2,103,362 pounds of sapwood in Judja as of October 1726, they asked permission to ship out 3 large loads that year for practical and financial reasons.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0149 The text discusses a trade issue involving the Dutch East India Company (E: Comp:) in 1726.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0148 In 1726, a report detailed the loss from minting silver coins. The following key points were noted:
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0147 Officials requested another loan from the ruler (since they had already lent 200 cattis in cash earlier). The ruler appeared to understand the reasons immediately but seemed to reject the request to push the officials to hand over their silver to the mint as a last resort.
This approach forced them to proceed in this manner to keep trade and daily household activities running smoothly in Judja and Ligor.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0146 In 1725 and 1726, officials tried to exchange Dutch silver for local currency in Siam (modern-day Thailand). They offered a total of 28 chests of silver, proposing a rate of 8 Siamese ticals per cattij (a weight unit) as the minting fee.
The local mint masters, however, refused this offer. They demanded at least 10 ticals per cattij instead. Because of this disagreement, the officials decided to:
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0145 The situation in Ligor and Junkceylon (Phuket) appeared peaceful. Letters from Berquelang, along with gifts, confirmed this peace. The Dutch had informed the local ruler about their new leader, Imel Christiaan Cock, in a respectful letter dated December 5, 1726.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0144
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0143
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0142
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0141 In this document, the government expressed concerns about negotiations not going as planned. They felt that their requests were not being taken seriously, especially regarding protection against theft and attacks by robbers. Reports from officials indicated that Siam had recently faced significant disturbances, which went against what the government had expected.
The government decided to approve the latest actions taken by their officials but planned to criticize them for their earlier careless behavior in a follow-up message. Additionally, the document mentioned that the head official in Ligoor had, according to a letter from the Indian Council, failed to follow orders previously sent in a general letter from Batavia.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0140 On 11 August and again in a general letter dated 5 December 1726, officials seemed to have misunderstood instructions. Instead of keeping the entire shipment for sale, they took 250 barrels of fish (called "thin") on behalf of the government as partial payment for taxes (instead of money). These barrels were unloaded from ships at the port of Judja and divided among three locations for transport to main ports: Risdam, Koning Karel (King Charles), and Velserhoofd.
The remaining 300 barrels were stored at the trading office in Judja for sale, rather than being sent to the sea warehouse in Amsterdam as originally instructed in the guidelines (articles 261).
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0139
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0138 On August 31, a letter announced that Resident Isaac Cleman had officially started his new role as the resident in Ligor (now Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand). This followed his appointment, which was first shared in a general letter on December 5 of the previous year.
The letter also confirmed that Cleman had received from the newly elected Siamese leader, Tmel Christiaan Kock, the proper transfer of all cash and goods stored in the Ligor office as of August 31 of the previous year. Additionally, Cleman was given a short memo with instructions on how to manage the local finances and revenues.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0137
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0136 On an unspecified date, officials received a letter from King Charles expressing his concern that local authorities had been forced to let a ship drift due to wind and sea conditions. As a result, the ship had to sail to Ligoor or another nearby roadstead (anchorage) and anchor there as best as possible. Authorities hoped for the best outcome in this situation.
Meanwhile, another letter from King Charles was received, along with routine documents sent by the chief council of Judja (likely Judah, a historical region). These papers were dated 29 November and included a brief overview of financial resources and revenues totaling 261 (likely a monetary unit or record reference).
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0135
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0130 The ship Coning Carel, accompanied by the Risdam, arrived after sailing with a convoy. They had traveled from Siam (modern-day Thailand) to Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia).
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0133
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2040 / 0134 On an unspecified Wednesday, no major events occurred, but reports circulated about private English traders Aueu and Vettu.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2041 / 0722 On July 21, 1722, the English private traders Mallieurs Arei en Vettij reported expenses totaling 3,001 guilders for wages and allowances paid to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) employees during the Palembang and Jambi missions.
In a letter dated May 8, 1722, Abraham Patrasen, a VOC commissioner and advisor in Palembang, informed the high government in Batavia that the well-known rebel Mancoboemij had fled to the inland regions of Palembang as soon as the VOC forces began their advance.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2041 / 0726 On 18 January 1733, a ship named Sra de Bon Soseso, captained by Cra, arrived in Batavia from Macau. The ship carried information about the trade and handling of European ships in that region.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2041 / 0725
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2041 / 0724 On 14 March 1727, ship captain Hendrik Schoon and bookkeeper Barent Holscher provided a written account explaining the loss of the ship Risdam during its return voyage from Siam (modern-day Thailand) to the Dutch headquarters in Batavia (modern-day Jakarta).
On 25 November 1726, several senior and junior officers aboard the ship Coning Carel gave a statement about their journey alongside the Risdam from Siam back to Dutch territory.
The documents also mention a treaty signed between the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the King of Siam on 15 October 1726, including his official letter of approval.
View transcript NL-HaNA / 1.04.02 / 2041 / 0723 Find your ancestors and publish your family tree on Genealogy Online via https://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/