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Map of stream ship trade routes around Southeast Asia. Rivers, railways, submarine telegraph cables, lighthouses (fixed, revolving and flashing), graving docks and coaling stations are marked. An inset map shows a railway route from Britain to Asia.

Southeast Asia is shown on sheets two and three of this 12-sheet map of the Indian and Pacific oceans, including detailed inset maps of the straits of Singapore, Bangka, Gaspar and Sunda, with bathymetry (sea depth), shoals, reefs, anchorages etc.

To aid navigation, this map shows small islands, shoals and reefs, maritime routes for use during monsoons or at particular times of the year, bathymetry (sea depth), past explorers’ routes, shipwrecks and text about monsoons, typhoons and currents.

Map focusing on the passages between the islands of maritime Southeast Asia. Many 18th century routes are labelled with the ship/captain’s name and date, and there are notes on some shoals and reefs recording names, details and incidents/shipwrecks.

Map focusing on the passages between the islands of maritime Southeast Asia. Many 18th century routes are labelled with the ship/captain’s name and date, and there are notes on some shoals and reefs recording names, details and incidents/shipwrecks.

Maritime routes had to be adjusted in response to the changing monsoon seasons, as is seen on this late 18th century map of the Indian Ocean. Drawings of the heads of children blowing—called ‘wind-heads’—are used to indicate wind direction.

Two maps of the Indian Ocean showing currents (represented by arrows) and winds (represented by letters A to F) during the monsoon seasons. Three routes—one old and two new—from the Isle de France (Mauritius) east to the Strait of Malacca are shown.

A late 18th century maritime map of Southeast Asia, marked with expedition routes including the return of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour from Australia in 1770, and Captain Philip Carteret’s circumnavigation expedition in 1768.