Page 155 - Dutch Ships in Tropical Waters
P. 155
10 Conclusions Focus on the Dutch shipping network in Asia This study focussed on the logistical and technical accomplishments that made Dutch develop- ment of trade and shipping in Asia possible. Pivotal area of this research was the shipping in Asia. It aims in that sense to be an extension and in some respects a counter point to the pre- valent view of VOC shipping that is based on the monumental volume, Dutch-Asiatic Shipping by Bruijn, Gaastra and Schöffer (-). Whose research focused mainly on one aspect of the shipping network: the route between Europe and Asia, the so-called Retourvaart (home- ward bound shipping). By analysing the development of VOC ships in service in Asia up to , this research aimed to highlight the interesting and complex world behind the better- known Retourvaart. Through this study information has been unearthed revealing the ways in which the VOC developed and managed its complex shipping network; and conclusions drawn regarding and the processes by which the VOC gained experience and adjusted its fleet to meet the multiple requirements linked with trade, military-political activities and the main- tenance of a network of trading posts and strongholds in Asia. The central research question was: to what extent did the fleet of the VOC and the organi- sation of shipping contribute to the political and economical success of the VOC organisation in their expansion into Asia during the th Century. To determine this a supplementary question is posed: how successful was the VOC in adjusting their fleet to the demands of both the overall organisation and unfolding events in order to conduct their Asiatic operations? The suitability of a ship for any given function depended on the correct combinations of a complex array of features. In order to interpret the full development of the fleet, an understanding of the com- plete range of functions possible for any VOC ship is essential. By identifying the specific com- binations of requirements and linking these to the logistical elements of the shipping, the prob- lems the VOC management encountered in adapting ships for their purposes can be understood. Knowledge and understanding of the context (historical, political, climatic, financial etc) is important to interpret information and draw valid conclusions. To understand the whole of the shipping detailed information was gathered about the ships and ship types that were in service and their areas of operation. Bruijn, Gaastra and Schöffer (-) provided the in- itial information, details on every ship that sailed for the VOC between Europe and Asia. How- ever, the expansion of shipping within Asia itself was of crucial importance to the changes that took place in this period. Therefore, the work of those authors was extended in order to recon- struct all shipping activities of the VOC. A database was created to analyse the development of a differentiated shipping organisation for various routes and destinations. Through a systema- tic study of the VOC fleet and their voyages in Asia there is now precise and detailed informa- tion available on the expansion of the VOC to , in the Asian trade and shipping network. Investigation into the logistical aspects of this expansion created a better understanding of both the obstacles the VOC faced and the opportunities they were offered. The establishment of regular shipping within Asia and the development of a VOC fleet provides a good example of the methodologies of the directors of the VOC, how they searched for the both the best way to organise VOC activities and the most suitable ships.
