Ron van Maanen
With the Schuitwijk and Maria Adriana arrived at Batavia letters dated 23 January, 9 and 31 March and a cargo valued fl. 655.368 of which for fl. 262.820 was destined for the Netherlands. Towards Bengal were sent the Ruiter, Schonauwen, Maria Adriana, Krooswijk, Hofvliet, Batavier, Schuitwijk, Ruyven, Steenhoven, Hilversbeek, Velsen and the Kerkzicht, The first went via Padang, the second via Tuticorin, the next four via Malacca and the remaining directly. The Maria Adriana, Krooswijk, Hofvliet and Batavia were ordered to continue their voyage from Bengal towards the Netherlands transporting 12-14 tons of stores. Towards Bengal was a cargo sent valued fl. 237.205 excluded 39 tons silver and cash money. The pepper salvaged out of the wrecked Ritthem could be sold for 7 ropia for each man. It was suspected that the Loenderveen was lost. Of the slop Volta wasn’t heard anything more, while the sloop Jager was wrecked in the territory of the radja of Kanika and by his order burned. The nabab of Catek and the British both separate offered to undertake a joint action against the radja if the Dutch East Company was interested, but it was decided that the loss of a chialoup wasn’t a military expedition worth. The sloop Bellasoor was sent towards Bengal while the building for local use of a bassura at Kasimbazar was permitted. The yacht Patna was ‘af’ (worn out?). Two boats washed away by the hurricane were by the British at Calcutta salvaged. The Company refused to pay compensation to the salvagers. In the past aided the Dutch the British company by the salvage of a sunken sloop. The Ritthem and the galliot Putter were to be broken up, while the Dishoeck was damaged by the hurricane. The costs for repairing the Dishoeck and the stranded Strijen and Schuitwijk were fl. 31.036. The Dishoeck departed 9 March towards Batavia was able to leave the river Ganges due to leaking while the so-called ‘zandstrook’ at the stern opened over a length of 10 feet. The masters of the Maria Adriana and the Meerlust were not punished despite their extreme long during voyage due to the fact that they passed the Andamanen northwards instead of southwards. The Meerlust still not returned to Batavia. The crews of the Dishoek, Maria Adriana and Meerlust were enforced with each 3 shifts of native sailors. It was recommended to enforce each returning ship with a double shift of native sailors. The hurricane caused a lot of damage. The French lost none, but the British 4 ships. Another was heavily damaged and sold to a certain Elliot of the British company for 1001 ropia. Of the 10 British ships just 4 returned to England. In the meantime arrived the Portuguese ship Nossa Senhora de Conceicao é S. Francisco Xavier. (1) The personnel of the Dutch East Company was strictly forbidden to trade with them, or otherwise to pay a penalty of 10.000 ropia. The Portuguese had transported a cargo of rice to Pondicherry and returned with a cargo including spiaulter, salt and Chinese porcelain. According to a letter from Hooghly dated 8 May and which was received at Batavia the 26th October was the Meerlust still at Bengal due to a hard south wind. The Dishoeck was stranded and leaking due to the fact that the crew of a floating away native barge cut her anchor cable.
Source
J. van Goor. Generale Missiven van Gouverneurs-Generaal en Raden aan Heren XVII der Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie. Deel X: 1737-1743. The Hague, 2004, p. 142-150.
Note
1. The Nossa Senhora da Conceicao e Sao Francisco Xavier, merchantship, mentioned 1737-1741 according to A. Marques Esparteira. Catalogo dos navios brigantinos (1640-1901). Lisbon, 1976.
