Captain Christopher Cole | Manuscript narrative of the capture of Banda Neira in August 1810

Captain Christopher Cole

A Narrative of the Proceedings of a Squadron which captured the Banda Island on the 9th August 1810

Manuscript, with title page including an authorial presentation inscription ("From, Christopher Cole, to the Honble Mrs George Grenfell, with a request that she will never allow it to be copied, nor to be perused by any but her particular friends. April the 27th 1815"), and incorporating a full-page watercolour chart, watercolour view of the harbour of Banda Neira, and pencil drawing ("Castle of Belgica"), the narrative signed at the end by Cole (74 pages), followed by copies of 20 related letters and also a poem in praise of the expedition, altogether 122 numbered pages, plus blanks, 4to (243 x 195mm, paper watermarked with 1813 date), c.1815, contemporary green morocco gilt, rebacked

[with, loosely inserted:] Three letters from the India Office discussing the manuscript, 1900

Christopher Cole (1770-1836) was the royal naval officer based in the East India Station who led the British invasion of the Maluka Islands or Spice Islands in 1810. The islands had long been a Dutch colony, but Holland was at this time occupied by Napoleonic France, so became a target for British expansionism. They were prized not only as the source of spices but also for controlling trade routes through the Indian Ocean and especially with China.

Banda Neira is the most important of the Banda islands and was conquered by a squadron commanded by Cole in a surprise attack on 9 August 1810. Cole had some 200 men but overcame the garrison of nearly 700 Dutch troops in a few hours. The Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, praised the raid in the House of Commons as "an exploit to be classed with the boldest darings in the days of chivalry". The Banda Islands were returned to the Dutch after the conclusion of hostilities, but not before the British transplanted many of the nutmeg trees to British colonies.

This is evidently one of several scribal copies of the narrative that Cole caused to be circulated in the years after his return home. Copies also survive at the National Maritime Museum (HIS/24) and the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth (RNM 1977/265/1). The view of the harbour that is included here is very similar to an engraving of the same scene printed in 1811.