SCIENCE IN A COLONIAL CONTEXT: PART 3

PAPERS OF PROF. C.G.C. REINWARDT (1773-1854)

ON THE EAST INDIES (c. 1755-1828)

National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague

on microfiche

Background

In 2004 Moran Micropublications started a new series of archival publications on microfiche on the theme of science in a colonial context. The first part consisted of the archive of the “Indies Committee for Scientific Research” (order number MMP112) and the second that of “The Expeditions of H.A. Lorentz to New Guinea, 1903-1914” (order number MMP130). Here we present part 3 of this series with order number MMP131.

The collection

Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt was born in the Rhineland province of Prussia in 1773, but moved to the Netherlands at a young age. He studied science and philosophy there, later becoming a professor of natural history. From 1817 to 1822 he served the Dutch in the East Indies, recently recovered from British control after the Napoleonic wars ended in 1815, as director of affairs for agriculture, arts and sciences. He is best known as the founder of the famous botanical gardens at Buitenzorg (now Bogor) on Java (1817). He traveled extensively in the archipelago in these years. His papers micropublished here concern among others gathering samples of flora and fauna for the natural history collections in the Netherlands and scientific investigations into various subjects, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, mining and agriculture. Also included are various papers and memoranda (memories) of officials of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) from the second-half of the eighteenth century, as well as a short travel account by the Belgian artist A.A.J. Payen and a few documents from Reinwardt’s period as professor in Leiden after his return from the Indies.

More materials sought

As appears from the introduction to Reinwardt and the present collection by A. M. Tempelaars reproduced below on pages 9-12 in Dutch and English, other archival materials from Reinwardt seem to have found their way into the holdings of the University Library in Leiden. From other sources as well it appears that there are still other repositories with Reinwardt holdings. Moran Micropublications will be making efforts to identify and also micropublish these documents if possible.

More information

More information on Reinwardt’s career and scientific achievements can be found on the website of the Netherlands National Herbarium in Leiden:

http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/fmcollectors/R/ReinwardtCGC.htm

and in the publications cited below in the Guide (p. 9).