After the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784), which ended disastrously for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the need to reform was strongly felt. The Board of Directors (Heren XVII) asked for... Show moreAfter the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784), which ended disastrously for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the need to reform was strongly felt. The Board of Directors (Heren XVII) asked for state support. This resulted in the formation of an independent Military Commission, with the mandate ofreporting on the (military) state of affairs in the East, surveying the settlements and making plans for their improvement. The Prussian-born Carl Friedrich Reimer was employed as the main surveyor and military engineer. He had already been in the VOC’s service for two decades before he was given this important task and became a confidant of Governor-General Arnold Willem Alting. The Governor-General wasvery skeptical towards the activities of the Military Commission, which operated fully outside the Company’s established chain of command. By maneuvering Reimer into the Commission, Alting had eyes and ears in its affairs. Next to observing, surveying, drawing plans and writing recommendations, Reimer wouldalso inform Alting about the journeys. Every major Dutch settlement from South Africa to the Moluccas was visited by the Military Commission, forming a unique view on the (military) state of affairs of the Dutch presence in Asia in around 1790. Together with the various recommendations that were accompanied by the excellent military maps by Reimer, the Dutch could make a fresh start in their imperial ambitions. However, when the Commission Fleet returned to the Republic in 1793 and all the reports and maps were transferred, the political constellation no longer had an eye for the overseas troubles of the VOC. The young and revolutionary French Republic just declared war. As such, the cartographic legacy of CF Reimerwas ‘dead on arrival’. Show less
The Fourth Dutch-Anglo War (1780-1784) weakened the Dutch East India Company so much that it turned for financial and military support to the highest political institution in the Dutch Republic:... Show moreThe Fourth Dutch-Anglo War (1780-1784) weakened the Dutch East India Company so much that it turned for financial and military support to the highest political institution in the Dutch Republic: the States General. It was decided that an independent Military Commission should carry out a thorough military investigation of the Dutch overseas possessions. The Prussian-born military engineer Carl Friedrich Reimer became a member of this Commission. He kept a diary of the journey for his superiors in Batavia. An extract of this diary is preserved at the National Archives of The Netherlands. It is a valuable source since it contains not only observations on the primary activities of the Military Commission, but also of many remarkable occurrences during the trip. The manuscript includes reflections on the size and origins of Hindu monuments on Java, remarks on the use of locally cultivated gambir at Riau (Tanjung Pinang), espionage activities during a visit to Madras (Chennai), where the English fortifications were observed and the crops in the botanical garden of EIC-surgeon James Anderson were discussed. Reimer even added his personal thoughts about slavery in the diary, reasoning why, in his opinion, many Javanese were unfit as slaves, describing them as «children of nature». These subjects had little to do with the main tasks of the Military Commission. Yet, C.F. Reimer gathered all this information for his superiors to judge on its «usefulness». Also, there are indications that he may have wanted to publish some of his findings. This paper will highlight some extracts from the diary and discuss the reasons behind this kind of intelligence gathering, the choice of keeping a diary, and the possible reasons why this manuscript, and its content, remained unknown. Show less
Leiden University Libraries has two remarkable fortification plans in its collections. They depict the village of Bimilipatnam under VOC rule. After a ransack by plundering Maratha troops in 1754,... Show moreLeiden University Libraries has two remarkable fortification plans in its collections. They depict the village of Bimilipatnam under VOC rule. After a ransack by plundering Maratha troops in 1754, the local Mughal-regent allowed the Dutch to construct a stronghold in the village. VOC-authorities commissioned military engineer Coenraad Pieter Keller to survey the plot of land allocated to them and deliver plans and a proposal how this fortification could be constructed. The eventual fort was poorly constructed and collapsed two times. Keller was scapegoated by his superiors. He did not let the allegations pass and defended himself at Batavia. His written apologia has been preserved and provides unique insights in the career of a hybrid mapmaker in colonial service. By careful archival research we can reconstruct the context in which the plans were produced, interpreted by their intended audience and circulated until it was acquired by Leiden UniversityLibraries. Show less
