18th century map of Bengkulu on Sumatra by Nicolas Bellin
At first glance Bengkulu seems a strange place for a trading post. It is located on the west coast of Sumatra located, perhaps three-quarters of the way along the mammoth island. Head west and you will hit landfall just north of Zanzibar in West Africa. For the East India Company that early London-based multinational facing east, it seems a very strange choice indeed but in the early 18th century, this small isolated port throughout the Spice Islands. They had retreated with their tails between their legs after the Dutchman had come from Banten towards the end of the last century.
The British had here touching base since 10 to buy pepper and trying to unload Indian silks but cut from the main trade routes by first the Portuguese and then the Dutch one out. They called it Fort York and they had some 300 km relatively friendly coast itself. No wonder, of course, was Bengkulu away from the main spice but manufacturers for decades the British stubbornly therealong trotted while for a way back into the main area, where they could bring their India and China Trade in conjunction. They would of course eventually find Singapore, but that was a century away and would only after other such islands had been considered, not least Penang. And of course, the man with the foundation Singapore, Stamford Raffles, spent several years in this outpost bemoans his fate and upsetting the Dutch will be credited. The climate was malaria and the traffic was insufficient to attract the smarter traders: a camp for the up it was washed and the desperate
A was such individual appointed Joseph Collett, who this guy Governor in 1712 appointed was. with a clique of women and a talent to find a Baptist in debt. So the poor man have been desperate, he scrimped and scrounged the money necessary to secure the position (much as senior police officers today do supposedly), but his dream come true and he was master of all he surveyed. Which was not much!
Nevertheless, he kept busy. It replaces Fort York with a firmer Fort Marlborough and was even showing a profit after a few years. That did not stop him, the "quality" of people complain that were sent to the outpost. Mr. Ballard drank himself to death within a few weeks after their arrival there while a guy Eaton is called, no doubt, was arrested upon hearing of less than flowery accounts of his new posting for mutiny, piracy and murder, before he landed was.
haveCollett has impressed for his master back in London to see after 4 years, he was transferred to Madras, a more than suitable position for this one time bankrupt. Bengkulu failed to thrive and within months headquartered lack of pepper shipments, their alleged raison d'etre was complain. There were stories of suffering from Bengkulu traders galore and matching retorts from London: oh, how those traders must have hated mail day! In a report called difficulties with the natives. There was no sympathy from London; London replied that suppression ", although it awhile eventually dangerous if not be break incurable wound in one and will rot." Promises of fine new plantations have been developed, but as ship after ship empty "back good words no longer go well down with us," roared across the oceans, the poison only too clearly.
a special target for London as if the lack of pepper was not enough, the drinks bill, something familiar was no doubt that a lot of CEO today. Collett had boasted how he rampaging, beer guzzling delinquent in cherubs shot that never missed church services and were in bed brought up by 22:00. the holy Collett needs some had to leave to do when the beverage is consumed in its last month, is anything to go by. the whole of this bender July 1716 when exceeded by far, the export of pepper for the last 12 months, it is a no brainer, the anger, to imagine how the Finance Officer following dictated:
74 dozen and a half bottles of red wine, 24 dozen and half Burton Ale and Pale beer, 2 lines and 42 gallons Maderia wine , 6 bottles of Persian wine, 274 bottles of grog, 3 Leaguers and three-quarters of Batavia arrack and 164 gallons Goa grog
Consumed by 19 people in one month! Art makes Loaded hours in the shade! No wonder the company replied, "It's a miracle for us that each one of you to live six months that it duellings been no more quarrels and among you."
Bengkulu was not the only place, of course in the archipelago, where alcohol was not only freely available but happy expat far from home.
, the port city Banten, a few hours west of Jakarta had established a small British trading community there that would get in often imbibed carouse visit brawls with drunken through the narrow streets Dutch sailors.
of Bantenese, unused to the subtleties and nuances of the European nation states were all Europeans with the same brush and British protestations tar, that it was the sneaky Dutch who fights began fell on deaf ears. In their eyes, the Europeans were all the same.
Tired with their innocence plead forever, the British community had a brainstorm. They decided to hold a celebration on the birthday Queen Elizabeth I, and they marched through the streets Banten celebrate the monarch and their nation. The Bantenese were curious. They had their own rulers, who deeply respected, the remains of his Kraton is still to be seen, and they saw the Europeans in a new light and with a new respect. But she wondered why only celebrated some of the whites? That was the opportunity to search for the British. They stated that they were from two different countries and that they, the British, respects their monarch as the Bantenese them respected. The penny dropped and the local people followed the procession "British good Dutchmen poor" to sing.
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