Page 139 - Dutch Asiatic Shipping Volume 1

wise it was clearly of little use: after Houtingh's death in 1772 the post was abolished.26 The equipagemeester allotted the ships a place in the roads and gave orders for loading
and unloading. Sometimes Chinamen were hired for these jobs, but often European seafarers were used as well. According to an instruction of 1743 European servants only were to be engaged for this work - the Chinese massacre of 1740 being a possible reason for this. But the high mortality among Europeans forced the authorities to revise this policy and in 1765 the engagement of Chinamen for this work was again permitted.27 Small ships, manned preferably by men from the vessel to be loaded or unloaded, ferried the goods to or from the warehouses in town or on the islands of Onrust and Kuiper. On Onrust, when the river Tjiliwung was silting up, warehouses were built from 1699 for 'coarse' and heavy goods like pepper, tin and copper. Here ships could also load at a jetty, as at Kuiper, where there were warehouses mostly for coffee.28
In the regulations for the stowing of homeward bound ships first priority was the com- plete use of the ship's stowage capacity: the holds had to completely filled with cargo from fore to aft, a pantry and water supply fore and aft in the bows and stern of the ship excepted. According to Valentijn masters were provided with extra bags of pepper to be emptied into the hold when the loose pepper had settled between the general cargo because of the ship's movement. Part of the provisions, water and ship's stores were placed between decks, taking up much space especially on ships leaving Batavia late and provisioned with water for nine months to save calling at the Cape.2 9
No regulation occurs more frequently than that concerning the responsibility for the transfer of goods. Masters and officers were responsible for the cargo: not only did they have to deliver it in the Batavia roadstead to the vessels alongside, but they were also answerable for its reception ashore. According to numerous resolutions those concerned had to hand over and sign 'pertinent notes', or be present in person at the transfer. Concerning provisions it was even laid down for ship's officers and commissioned suppliers to test the drinking water and to taste the butter. Nevertheless it seems that the closer an official was to the transfer of goods, the more lucrative was his job. Thus, according to Stavorinus, the post of administrator of a warehouse on Onrust was a most attractive one, that of senior merchant of the castle far less so.3 0
The equipage yard in town on the river and the large shipyard on Onrust also came under the equipagemeester's authority. In Asia, where ships were subject to heavy wear and tear and soon began to show defects, a well equipped yard for repairs and maintenance was of vital importance for maintaining the Company's fleet. The equipage- or carpenter's yard was meant for small ships and ship's equipment. There were workshops for smiths, sailmakers and blockmakers, there was a chart room, and storage space for large amounts of ship's equipment. O n Onrust a large number of carpenters was placed under a baas (boss) - who lived like a prince on his island according to Valentijn - and a large contin- gency of slaves was kept there. There were two sawmills. In 1730 a small church was built
26VanderChijs,PlakaatboekVII,546(19.5.1762),VIII,766(2.10.1772);Stavorinus,VoyagesI, 297-298. On the equipagemeester see Van Dam, Beschryvinge, vol. 87, 172.
27 Van der Chijs, Plakaatboek, V , 19-63 (5.7.1743), VI, 53 (9.8.1765); Merklein, Reis nach Java, 10, 11 (note).
28 Stavorinus, Voyages I, 379-384; Valentijn, Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën, IV , 366.
29 Van der Chijs, Plakaatboek VIII, 406 (25.2 and 10.10.1768. Instruction for seafarers); Van Dam,
Beschryvinge, 53,525-526;Valentijn, OudenNieuw Oost-Indiën IV,260.Onstowingseealso
further on, p. 189, 191. 30Stavorinus,VoyagesI,326-327.