Ships in the Suez Canal

Connections between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies improved considerably with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the development of the steamship. The Strait of Malacca became much more important as a sea route. In 1871, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom concluded a treaty giving the Netherlands free reign in Aceh. The Netherlands tried to conquer the area since 1873 without much success. Snouck was convinced that an important part of his work in the Dutch East Indies would take place in Aceh. It had become clear that Islam played an important role in the Acehnese resistance to the Dutch presence in the area. However, the military governor of Aceh, General Henri van Teijn, strongly objected to the arrival of Snouck, who thereby had to focus on Java for the time being.

Zangaki, En route to the Indies through the Suez Canal, circa 1889, inv.nr. KITLV 377444, in album KITLV A496