the dagregisterhouder was introduced as a separate function to unburden the
sworn clerks.25 Also an opsiender der boeken en papieren is listed, responsible for
the inspection of 'books and papers.' This most likely is one of the two archivists
appointed in 1735.26 Van der Parra further mentions a notulist (probably
responsible for writing the so-called korte notulen), a marginalist (who writes
short summaries in the margins, for example at the resolutions), and nine
collationisten. The latter worked in groups of three, and concerned themselves
with the collection of all papers that had to be sent to the Dutch Republic.
Of all correspondence coming from (and going to) the outposts in Asia, Batavia
had to send at least two copies to the Dutch Republic (in the eighteenth century,
aside from Kamer Amsterdam, Kamer Zeeland also had to receive a complete copy
of all correspondence). Of course, one copy was also to be kept in Batavia. The
documents were transported to the Dutch Republic via the retourvloot (return
fleet). The HeerenXVII depended for the most part on this document flow to
get informed on the local situation in Asia. As shown in map 1, this flow can be
seen as the artery in the information network of the Company. However, the
transport took a considerable amount of time. In the eighteenth century, the
return fleet from Batavia to the Republic took 237 days on average, almost eight
months.27 The return fleet passed the Cape of Good Hope, where the Company
had a settlement. As this outpost was also subordinate to Batavia, it too had to
send a copy of their administration there. Therefore, the correspondence of the
Cape can also be found in the collection of 'Batavia's incoming letters' in the
archive of the Heeren XVII. Apart from that, the Cape corresponded directly
with the Heeren XVII (displayed in grey on map 1). Persia, the posts in India
(Surat, Malabar, Ceylon, Coromandel and Bengal), and Canton were also in
direct correspondence with the Heeren XVII. Some of these posts had direct ship
connections with the Republic. During the years 1737-1750, for economical
reasons, ships headed directly to the Republic from Ceylon, Bengal and Canton.
As seen in the Persian example, documents were also sent over land via the
Levant. Next to the Persian trading posts, sometimes the Indian offices used this
option. Of course, for the Heeren XVII this was an extra possibility to obtain
information. Packages of letters were loaded on the backs of camels and stored
in ships, but Batavia's position as an administrative centre was never affected.
The Heeren XVII usually corresponded only with the Hoge Regering. Instructions
to outposts, such as Gamron, had to pass through Batavia. Far less often, the
Heeren XVII sent direct correspondence to an outpost. In the archive of the
Heeren XVII, an index on the outgoing letters to the Asian trading posts can be
found. Of all 5777 references found to (parts of) the outgoing letters of the years
1737-1750, only 310 relate to direct letters to the Cape, 35 to Ceylon, 16 to Bengal
and 52 to the 'respective governors' (which are the governors of Persia, Surat,
COLONIAL LEGACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA -
THE DUTCH ARCHIVES
25 Balk and Van Dijk, Inventaris van het archief van de Hoge Regering, 246. Resolution Hoge Regering, 6 August
1720. NA, VOC, Copies of the resolutions of the Hoge Regering, inv. number 736.
26 Resolution Hoge Regering, 11 January 1735. NA, VOC, Copies of the resolutions of the Hoge Regering, inv.
number 755.
27 From the Dutch Republic to Batavia, it took 245 days on average. Bruin et al., Dutch-Asiatic shipping, 74,
and 89.
28 A last category is letters sent directly to Batavia. In twenty-three cases, this specific reference appears. The
realia on the outgoing letters of the Heeren XVII to the trading posts in Asia are available for the years 1614-
1795 (the years 1737-1750 are found under inventory number 348). NA, VOC, inv. numbers 345-349.
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