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The inset map on this map of India features part of mainland Southeast Asia, with the British colonial territories—Straits Settlements, British Burma—highlighted in red, ‘protected states’ in yellow, and ‘independent states’ in green.

Chart of the north coast of Java, featuring a rhumbline network—a web of lines to help plot routes—bathymetry (sea depth), shoals, reefs and side views of landmark mountains (elevations), all to aid navigation. With an inset map of nearby islands.

Chart of the north coast of Java, featuring a rhumbline network—a web of lines to help plot routes—bathymetry (sea depth), shoals, reefs and side views of landmark mountains (elevations), all to aid navigation. With an inset map of nearby islands.

Made for ‘A History of Java’ by Sir Stamford Raffles, this map includes a list of administrative districts with their populations, and four inset maps of harbours. Another inset map shows rocks and minerals, mountains and volcanoes, and teak forests.

Made for ‘A History of Java’ by Sir Stamford Raffles, this map includes a list of administrative districts with their populations, and four inset maps of harbours. Another inset map shows rocks and minerals, mountains and volcanoes, and teak forests.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, with sea depth, anchor points, shoals and other obstructions. Includes many bays, with four highlighted on inset maps. Partly based on writings of Captain Krusenstern whose 1806 route through the strait is shown.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, with sea depth, anchor points, shoals and other obstructions. Includes many bays, with four highlighted on inset maps. Partly based on writings of Captain Krusenstern whose 1806 route through the strait is shown.

A late 18th century maritime navigation map of the straits east of Java, with drawings of the elevations of the straits. The map is also marked with routes of explorers, including the return of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour from Australia in 1770.

A late 18th century map of Asia published in London by John Bowles, with regions indicated by colour. Central Borneo is labelled ‘Part inhabited by the Biayos’, which is seen on many contemporary maps, often with the comment ‘a savage people’.

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.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, showing bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, landmarks, and a rhumbline network. Notes record good anchorages, sources of water and supplies etc. Inset map of the Zutphen Islands off the coast of Sumatra.

A late 18th century navigation map of the waters between the islands of Java, Madura and Bali. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), and there is an inset map of the Bay of Ballambouang, Java.