In the Netherlands the Dutch navy couldn’t depart in 1814 for the East Indies, due to the return of Napoleon and a new outbreak of war. Finally a squadron left 29 October 1815 for Batavia (nowadays called Djakarta). Three commissioners general were to take over the former East India Company possessions from the British government. 6 August 1815 the restore of the Dutch government was officially proclaimed.
In the East Indies the E.I.C. used her own ships for instance to fight against pirates. So, originally the Dutch regular navy wasn’t active in this area. After 1782 six squadrons were sent, the latter nearly lost. In 1808 only one corvette remains. It was decided to found a colonial navy. In 1815 the operational strength was ordered to be of: one corvette with 16-24 guns and 100 men, 2 brigs with 12-16 guns and 60 men, 7 smaller brigs or schooners, with 4-8 guns and 30 men, 26 gunboats with one 8-12 pdr en 2 3-6 pdrs, 25 men and another 2 gunboats or other vessels suited for so called stationary service. When the British returned the possessions in the East Indies, some gunboats were included or purchased. The government owned shipyards at Boenga and Soerabaja, the latter with fitted out with keellighters. Lacking enough carpenters timber and the precise rules dealing with the forest management delayed the new building at Boenga seriously.
A report dated 1822 give some information dealing with the Dutch colonial navy active in the Dutch East Indies. One of the reasons that she wasn’t able to do duties well, was the kind of vessels used when she was founded. Since then several ships were built in the East Indies. Despite that these vessels were more capable, they were still not good enough. The first shipwright named Jonkers was lacking theoretical knowledge. His practical experience couldn’t compensate this enough. The second shipwright Van Oosterhout, who was after Jonkers’ death responsible for the new building, wasn’t either able to provide the navy with better ships. Illness prevents him to realise the good expectations the government had. The third shipwright named Maurissen was a pleasant person but not suited as a shipwright, making originally only masts. The governor general decided to stop the building of ships, excluded for completing some smaller vessels and the brig Orestes laid down by Van Oosterhout. The building of a 24-gun corvette was cancelled. Two British shipwrights ‘Ford en Waller’, owners of a private yard at Bantjar, Rembang were ordered to built 2-12 gun schooners. If they were successful to could get more orders.
At one point, there were even three naval forces active in the Dutch East Indies, the royal navy with an auxiliary squadron, the colonial navy and since 1821 a civil navy. The latter, since 1861 known as the Government navy, first with as main task pirates fighting, later civil services as transport of money. The Minster of Colonies however decided already 13 March 1838 to discontinue the colonial navy. Three years the remaining vessels were transferred to the royal navy.
Sources
-Collectie J.C. Baud no.’s 79, 80 and 100 (National Archive at The Hague)
-G. Teitler and others. Zeeroof en Zeeroofbestrijding in the Indische Archipel (19de eeuw). Amsterdam, 2005.
In the East Indies the E.I.C. used her own ships for instance to fight against pirates. So, originally the Dutch regular navy wasn’t active in this area. After 1782 six squadrons were sent, the latter nearly lost. In 1808 only one corvette remains. It was decided to found a colonial navy. In 1815 the operational strength was ordered to be of: one corvette with 16-24 guns and 100 men, 2 brigs with 12-16 guns and 60 men, 7 smaller brigs or schooners, with 4-8 guns and 30 men, 26 gunboats with one 8-12 pdr en 2 3-6 pdrs, 25 men and another 2 gunboats or other vessels suited for so called stationary service. When the British returned the possessions in the East Indies, some gunboats were included or purchased. The government owned shipyards at Boenga and Soerabaja, the latter with fitted out with keellighters. Lacking enough carpenters timber and the precise rules dealing with the forest management delayed the new building at Boenga seriously.
A report dated 1822 give some information dealing with the Dutch colonial navy active in the Dutch East Indies. One of the reasons that she wasn’t able to do duties well, was the kind of vessels used when she was founded. Since then several ships were built in the East Indies. Despite that these vessels were more capable, they were still not good enough. The first shipwright named Jonkers was lacking theoretical knowledge. His practical experience couldn’t compensate this enough. The second shipwright Van Oosterhout, who was after Jonkers’ death responsible for the new building, wasn’t either able to provide the navy with better ships. Illness prevents him to realise the good expectations the government had. The third shipwright named Maurissen was a pleasant person but not suited as a shipwright, making originally only masts. The governor general decided to stop the building of ships, excluded for completing some smaller vessels and the brig Orestes laid down by Van Oosterhout. The building of a 24-gun corvette was cancelled. Two British shipwrights ‘Ford en Waller’, owners of a private yard at Bantjar, Rembang were ordered to built 2-12 gun schooners. If they were successful to could get more orders.
At one point, there were even three naval forces active in the Dutch East Indies, the royal navy with an auxiliary squadron, the colonial navy and since 1821 a civil navy. The latter, since 1861 known as the Government navy, first with as main task pirates fighting, later civil services as transport of money. The Minster of Colonies however decided already 13 March 1838 to discontinue the colonial navy. Three years the remaining vessels were transferred to the royal navy.
Sources
-Collectie J.C. Baud no.’s 79, 80 and 100 (National Archive at The Hague)
-G. Teitler and others. Zeeroof en Zeeroofbestrijding in the Indische Archipel (19de eeuw). Amsterdam, 2005.
