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An early 19th century map, with the regions of Southeast Asia marked with coloured borders: Malaya is red, indicating it is part of the British Empire; the orange borders around Sumatra, Borneo and Celebes show they are part of the Dutch East Indies.

A plan of Batavia in the early 19th century, with the castle, church, dock yard, timber yard and hospital highlighted on the map’s legend. Also shown is the canal flowing through the city to the port, where the sea depth (‘soundings’) is indicated.

An early 19th century map of Asia by the English cartographer John Cary (c.1754–1835) with colour-coded regions.

The islands of maritime Southeast Asia are highlighted in different colours on this early 19th century map. Major rivers, straits and seas are also named.

This early 19th century map depicts the regions of Asia by colour. The continental regions are green, while the archipelago regions are red, except for New Guinea which is yellow.

Southeast Asia is on the last sheet of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

Map focusing on the passage between Penang Island and the mainland, with shoals and reefs marked and described, and bathymetry (sea depth) shown. There are anchor points at George Town harbour, and landmarks—hills, trees, a fort—to aid navigation.

Map focusing on the passage between Penang Island and the mainland, with shoals and reefs marked and described, and bathymetry (sea depth) shown. There are anchor points at George Town harbour, and landmarks—hills, trees, a fort—to aid navigation.

An early 19th century map by the English cartographer John Cary, highlighting the mountain ranges and rivers of Southeast Asia. The map also features many place names of cities, towns and islands.

Published by the English cartographer John Cary (c.1754–1835), this map is marked with the routes taken from Europe to Asia by the British Royal Navy captains James Cook, John Gore, and George Vancouver, as well as the French explorer Lapérouse.

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.

Two maps of routes around the Flores and Banda seas—through the straits between the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Maluku Islands—towards China. Includes a rhumbline network—a web of lines to help plot routes—bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs.