The Correspondence of Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt - DWC - KNAW

Van Heiningen / 22
1820 already, H.M. the King had expressed his satisfaction about Reinwardt’s many
and impressive achievements in the Dutch East Indies and he honoured him as a
knight of the ‘Order of the Lion of the Netherlands’.
Reinwardt, who still did not like the idea of leaving behind his friends in
Amsterdam, especially De Vries and Van Lennep, only reluctantly accepted these
decisions. Several months before, Reinwardt had formally objected – through a
very extensive letter – against the decision, made by his superiors to send him
back to the Netherlands, after his four years term would have been completed.
He argued that a possible decision with respect to his return should be founded
on a positive answer to the question if he had completed his various tasks to an
acceptable extent, yes or no. Of course his superiors were well informed about
his activities and even better about the results of his efforts, for which purpose
Reinwardt pointed at his many letters, reports and so on, submitted by him to the
judgement of the Governor General and the Commissioners General. Reinwardt
himself took the view that his tasks had not been brought to an acceptable end
yet. If the government would decide to send him to the Netherlands immediately,
he would not have the opportunity to enjoy a feeling of satisfaction, because the
results of his many scientific efforts would absolutely turn out to be insufficient.
Therefore he begged the Governor General to continue his appointment at least
until the end of 1821. And indeed, on 15 January 1820, the Governor General, who
was not at all unwilling to fulfil Reinwardt’s dearest wish, sent a letter to Falck, the
Minister of Public Education, National Industry and Colonies, in which he asked
to prolong Reinwardt’s contract until the end of 1821. The royal decree, granting
Reinwardt’s wish, was made on 16 July 1821. (De Vriese, 85) That decision made
it possible for Reinwardt to return to the Netherlands not until early 1822 and
to assume his position as professor in Leiden about September 1822. On 27 July
1820, Falck sent the copy of the royal decree to the Governor General in Batavia.
Thereupon, the Commissioner General Baud had a copy of these documents
delivered at Reinwardt’s, who had every reason to feel satisfied.
On 15 June 1822, Reinwardt left Batavia and set out on the return trip to the
Netherlands. He was given a send-off by his many friends, among which were
Baron Van der Capellen (the Governor General) and his wife and J. van der Vinne,
school inspector and secretary of the ‘Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en
Wetenschappen’. On 26 June 1822, the ‘Elisabeth’ set sail and left the roads of
Batavia. Four months later, on 31 October 1822 already, the vessel arrived in the
roads of Texel. Reinwardt had returned to the Netherlands, after having been away
for exactly seven years. (De Vriese 86-90)