Technology and Empire: Comparing the Dutch and British Maritime Technologies during the Napoleonic Era (1792–1815) By Ivor Mollema December, 2015 Director of Thesis: Dr. Lynn Harris Major Department: History The two ships, Bato (1806) and Brunswick (1805) wrecked in Simons Bay, South Africa, provide an opportunity to compare British and Dutch maritime technologies during the Napoleonic Era (1792–1815). The former was a Dutch 74-gun ship of the line and the latter a British East Indiaman. Their remains reveal pertinent information about the maritime technologies available to each European power. Industrial capacity and advanced metal working played a significant role in ship construction initiatives of that period, while the dwindling timber supplies forced invention of new technologies. Imperial efforts during the Napoleonic Era relied on naval power. Maritime technologies dictated imperial strategy as ships were deployed to expand or maintain colonial empires. Naval theorists place the strategy into a wider spectrum and the analysis of the material culture complements further understanding of sea power. The study also recommends management options to preserve the archaeological sites for future study and to showcase for heritage tourism. TECHNOLOGY AND EMPIRE: Comparing Dutch and British Maritime Technologies During the Napoleonic Era (1792–1815) Title Page A Thesis Presented To The Faculty of the Department of History East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts, Program in Maritime Studies by Ivor Mollema December, 2015 © Ivor Mollema, 2015 Copyright Page TECHNOLOGY AND EMPIRE: Comparing Dutch and British Maritime Technologies During the Napoleonic Era (1792–1815) by Ivor Mollema Signature Page APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF THESIS: ________________________________________________________ Dr. Lynn Harris, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Dr. Wade Dudley, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Dr. Bradley Rodgers, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Mr. Jaco Boshoff, B.A. Hons CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY: _______________________________________________________ Dr. Christopher Oakley, Ph.D. DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: _______________________________________________________ Dr. Paul Gemperline, Ph.D. Acknowledgements Completion of this work would not have been possible without the help of several individuals and organizations. Dr. Lynn Harris, thesis advisor, assisted in the field, with research, and editing. Dr. Wade Dudley provided excellent feedback on historical sources and thesis writing. Dr. Bradley Rodgers assisted with insight into ship construction techniques and the conservation of underwater artifacts. I would also like to thank East Carolina University’s (ECU) Program in Maritime Studies for allowing me to complete my research and pursue my goals. The program also embedded a dedication to scholarly excellence and an ambitious pursuit of knowledge. The efforts of the staff of Joyner Library at ECU greatly assisted my efforts. Fellow Maritime Studies students provided continued support and assistance throughout the entire process. Jaco Boshoff and Jake Harding of the Iziko Museums were extremely helpful in assisting my research. They were very welcoming, allowing me access to their artifact collection and provided additional information on previous archaeological work. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) provided archival and archaeological background. SAHRA employees Tara van Niekerk, Sophie Winton, and Stephanie-Anne Barnardt also assisted in research and during archaeological investigations. Staff at the Netherlands National Archives offered every aid while consulting their collections for primary historical information. The Western Cape Provincial Archives and Records Service supplied local historical sources and data for a complete historical picture. The Simons Town Museum also provided access to their collections for research. Pisces Divers Cape Town allowed for the use of their shop as a launching pad for our diving operations while Simons Town Backpackers provided food and accommodation during our stay. Clive de Bruyne and the staff of the Cape Town Tour Guide Company organized our itineraries and some of our further stays. Table of Contents Title Page ......................................................................................................................................... i Copyright Page................................................................................................................................ ii Signature Page ............................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 A Short Overview ....................................................................................................................... 2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 3 Literature Review........................................................................................................................ 5 Primary Sources .......................................................................................................................... 7 Secondary Sources ...................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2: History ......................................................................................................................... 11 British Colonial Empire ............................................................................................................ 11 Dutch Colonial Empire ............................................................................................................. 12 Great Britain and the Netherlands during the Napoleonic Era ................................................. 13 Military Actions during the Wars as They Relate to Imperialism ............................................ 16 Cape Town: Global Politics on a Local Scale .......................................................................... 21 Bato: History of the Dutch 74-Gun Ship of Line ...................................................................... 29 Brunswick: History of the British East Indiaman ..................................................................... 32 Chapter 3: Previous Work ............................................................................................................. 37 Historic Salvage ........................................................................................................................ 37 Modern Salvage ........................................................................................................................ 37 South African Navy (SAN) Divers ........................................................................................... 39 Nautical Archaeology Society: Project Sandalwood ................................................................ 40 University of Cape Town: an Archaeometallurgical Study 1997 ............................................. 46 Octopus 1996 – 1998 ................................................................................................................ 47 University of Cape Town: Simon’s Bay Rudders 2004............................................................ 50 University of Cape Town: Brunswick Investigation ................................................................ 50 Chapter 4: ECU Archaeology ....................................................................................................... 53 Site Descriptions ....................................................................................................................... 54 Mapping & Labelling ................................................................................................................ 57 Scantling Measurements ........................................................................................................... 60 Iron Knee Measurements .......................................................................................................... 63 Anchor Measurements .............................................................................................................. 64 Wood Samples .......................................................................................................................... 65 Photography and Videography ................................................................................................. 67 Preliminary Marine Life Survey ..............................................................................................