| Photo Information |
| Copyright: Navred Reem (Vred) (11) |
| Genre: Places |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-04-14 |
| Categories: Daily Life, Transportation, Artwork |
| Exposure: f/5.0, 1/1000 seconds |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-04-15 6:46 |
| Viewed: 309 |
| Points: 0 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The VOC (Dutch East India Company) ship Amsterdam ran aground near Hastings, England on 26 January 1749, on her maiden voyage to Batavia. Commanded by Captain Willem Klump, 33, the ship had 203 crew, 127 soldiers and 5 passengers. On 8 January 1749 she left her moorings off the island of Texel at the mouth of the Zuider Zee. The Amsterdam was laden with textiles, wine, stone ballast, cannon, paper, pens, pipes, domestic goods and 27 chests of silver guilder coins. The whole cargo would be worth several million Euros in modern money.
The Amsterdam had problems in the English Channel tacking into a strong westerly storm. For several weeks she got no further than Beachy Head near Eastbourne. Black Death appeared amongst the crew and a mutiny broke out. Finally the rudder broke off and the ship, helpless in the storm, grounded in the mud and sand of Bulverhythe Bay, 5 km to the west of Hastings. She began to sink 6m into the mud, where much of the keel remains today, perfectly preserved. Some of the cargo, including silver coinage was removed for safekeeping by the local authorities. There had been some looting and English troops had to be called in to bring the situation to order. The crew were looked after locally before being returned to the Netherlands.
In 1969, the Amsterdam was discovered after being exposed by a low spring tide. It is the best-preserved VOC ship ever found. Archaeologist Peter Marsden did the first surveying of the wreck, and he advised further excavation. |
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