Said Tahir was a Malay sent by the government commissioner F. N. Nieuwenhuysen on 22 March 22 March 1873 with a letter from the roadstead of Atjeh to the sultan, the first of three letters by which Nieuwenhuysen sought to obtain from the sultan clarification of his treacherous conduct and the recognition of Dutch sovereignty. When the sultan’s answer did not give the requested clarification, a second letter was sent on 24 March 24 March; when this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen proceeded to the declaration of war.
The Mission
When the first Aceh expedition arrived at the roadstead of Atjeh on 5 April 5 April 1873 (the date in the source text appears to be a slip for 22 March 22 March [1873], the date of the departure of the expedition from Batavia, since the said letter was sent before the declaration of war), a Malay, Said Tahir, was sent with a letter to the sultan. When this, in his answer, did not give the requested clarification, on 24 March 24 March a second letter. When this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen went over to the declaration of war, for which a manifesto was issued and sent to the sultan. When thereupon the sultan on 27 March 27 March in a writing requested an extension to 29 March 29 March, this was yet granted him once, on condition that he ensured that the armed people left the beach and no longer worked on the fortifications. As this condition was not met, the guns of the warships themselves had to make an end to the work. Once more, on 30 March 30 March and 1 April 1 April, letters from the sultan were received, both however without the requested categorical answer. From this it could be inferred that the sultan was only trying to gain time and that he was not serious about the negotiations; Nieuwenhuysen now broke these off, to leave the word to the weapons.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van Nederland in onzen tijd, by J. A. de Bruyne, Directeur der Hoogere Burgerschool te Zierikzee. Deel IV. 1872-1883. Nieuwe uitgave. Schiedam: J. F. Dupont, 1912, Hoofdstuk I, p. 12.
Said Tahir was a Malay sent by the government commissioner F. N. Nieuwenhuysen on 22 March 22 March 1873 with a letter from the roadstead of Atjeh to the sultan, the first of three letters by which Nieuwenhuysen sought to obtain from the sultan clarification of his treacherous conduct and the recognition of Dutch sovereignty. When the sultan’s answer did not give the requested clarification, a second letter was sent on 24 March 24 March; when this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen proceeded to the declaration of war.
The Mission
When the first Aceh expedition arrived at the roadstead of Atjeh on 5 April 5 April 1873 (the date in the source text appears to be a slip for 22 March 22 March [1873], the date of the departure of the expedition from Batavia, since the said letter was sent before the declaration of war), a Malay, Said Tahir, was sent with a letter to the sultan. When this, in his answer, did not give the requested clarification, on 24 March 24 March a second letter. When this too was not sufficiently answered, Nieuwenhuysen went over to the declaration of war, for which a manifesto was issued and sent to the sultan. When thereupon the sultan on 27 March 27 March in a writing requested an extension to 29 March 29 March, this was yet granted him once, on condition that he ensured that the armed people left the beach and no longer worked on the fortifications. As this condition was not met, the guns of the warships themselves had to make an end to the work. Once more, on 30 March 30 March and 1 April 1 April, letters from the sultan were received, both however without the requested categorical answer. From this it could be inferred that the sultan was only trying to gain time and that he was not serious about the negotiations; Nieuwenhuysen now broke these off, to leave the word to the weapons.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van Nederland in onzen tijd, by J. A. de Bruyne, Directeur der Hoogere Burgerschool te Zierikzee. Deel IV. 1872-1883. Nieuwe uitgave. Schiedam: J. F. Dupont, 1912, Hoofdstuk I, p. 12.