A Map of the Malay Peninsula Compiled by and Published for The Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Singapore.

1898 Cuylenburg / Stanford Map of Malaya Peninsula: Malaysia, Singapore, Siam

Published by Publication Date: 1898

Very good. Chromolithograph with original hand-applied accent color. Dissected into 56 sections and mounted on original linen in two large panels. Folders into original slipcase. Light soiling. Even overall toning. Size 63.5 x 47 Inches. One of the most important 19th-century maps of the Malay Peninsula to appear on the market in recent decades, this is the definitive large-scale 1898 masterplan created by and for the colonial administration of British Malaya. This chromolithograph map captures a critical moment in Malay history when Britain was beginning to consolidate its suzerainty over the resource-rich peninsula. The present example has an interesting provenance associating it with the assassinated rubber planter Sir John St. Maur Ramsden. A Closer Look The enormous map (more than 60 inches high!) was drawn and compiled by the premier Royal Asiatic Society surveyor, John van Cuylenburg, and published in large-scale format in London by Edward Stanford's Geographical Establishment. Coverage extends roughly from Phatthalung and Trang, Siam/Thailand south to include Singapore and the adjacent straits. British colonial beachheads. Cartographic Context The first edition of this map appeared in 1879 - at a time when little was known of the Malay peninsula beyond the straits littoral. Colonial entrepôts, among them Singapore, Malacca, Dindings, and Penang were lavished with attention by both civilian and military surveyors, but, beyond major towns and transport corridors, most of Malaya remained uncharted. The combination of dense jungles, mountainous terrain, and malaria, kept European surveyors at bay until the late 19th century. The expense of completing such surveys was simply impractical. This changed with the founding of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, inaugurated in November 1877 at Singapore's Raffles Library. The RAS was capable of raising significant resources to conduct expeditions throughout the peninsula, leading to an explosion of new data. One of the key objectives of the RAS was to produce a grand general map of the Malay Peninsula, exceeding any existing map in size, accuracy, and comprehensiveness. The Society charged Emile John D'Souza (February 1, 1862 - 1896) of the Surveyor General's Office in Singapore with drafting the gargantuan manuscript, which, upon its completion, was sent to London to be lithographed by Edward Stanford. Thus, the first edition of this map appeared in 1879. Five subsequent editions, including the present map, were issued as new surveys were completed, expeditions returned, and the peninsula developed. (see the publication history at the end of this description for more detail) Historical Context The strategic and trade significance of the Malay peninsula cannot be understated. The Peninsula is ideally situated to control the important Malacca and Singapore Straits - vital maritime arteries connecting the Indian Ocean to the China Sea. In addition, the peninsula itself is rich in resources, ranging from extensive agricultural opportunities to wealth in gold (yellow dots), tin (blue dots), gemstones, and more. As Europeans expanded into the China trade, they too recognized the significance of Malaya. First, the Portuguese (Malacca, 1511), then the Dutch (Malacca, 1641), and then the British (Penang, 1786) established beachheads. During all of this time, the seemingly impenetrable interior remained vassal states of Siam (Thailand), minor independent sultanates, or subjects of the powerful Johore Sultanate. The political situation on the peninsula began to change in the 19th century as the British worked to consolidate their power. Georgetown was founded in 1800, Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1919, and the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty ceded control of Malacca - creating a network of British-controlled extraterritorial states. These were administratively consolidated into the Straits Settlements in 1867, and shortly thereafter, in 1874, Dindings (Manjung District of Pe. Seller Inventory # MalayPeninsula-cuylenburg-1898-2

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Map of the Malay Peninsula Compiled by and...
Publication Date: 1898
Edition: 1st Edition