Dutch in Lombok, Mayor Jendral van Ham terbunuh
Berita dari Koran Australia The Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934) Australia Queensland Brisbane,
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| Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934 |
Di antara perwira Belanda yang tewas adalah Jenderal Van Ham, Panglima Tertinggi. Bala bantuan besar-besaran, disebutkan, akan segera dikirim dari Batavia ke Lombok. Sebuah telegram dari Batavia baru-baru ini mengumumkan bahwa Mataram sedang dibombardir oleh kapal-kapal perang Belanda. Direktur Dalam Negeri sudah berangkat ke Lombok. Para kepala suku Sasak, yang kesetiaannya kepada Kedaulatan Belanda sempat diragukan, setia kepada Pemerintah kolonial. Berita tentang bencana itu (kata sebuah surat kabar dari Den Haag) telah menimbulkan kesuraman di seluruh negeri. Perayaan yang seharusnya diadakan untuk merayakan ulang tahun Ratu Wilhelmina telah dibatalkan. Pendanaan untuk digitalisasi disumbangkan oleh Perpustakaan Negara Bagian Queensland.
Belanda mengirimkan pasukan besar ke lombok dengan dalih ingin menyelesaikan perselisihan antara Mataram dan Sasak. Pasukan dipimpin oleh Mayor Jenderal Vetter dan wakilnya Mayor jenderal P.P.H.van Ham pada 3 Juli 1894. Belanda menganggap bahwa peperangan itu dapat mengnggangu kepentingan dagangannya di daerah itu. Akhirnya Belanda mengeluarkan ultimatum kepada Kerajaan Mataram yang isinya memaksa Raja Mataram menghentikan peperangan dengan rakyat Sasak. Karena tidak mendapatkan persetujuan, Belanda mulai mendaratkan pasukannya di Lombok. Karena Kerajaan mulai terdesak, Raja Mataram bersedia menerima persyaratan yang tercantum dalam ultimatum tersebut.
Menurut beberapa sumber, Mayor Jenderal Vetter mengadakan serangkaian perundingan untuk menghentikan peperangan antara suku Sasak dan Raja Mataram. Namun pasukan Mataram tiba-tiba menggempur kedudukan pasukan Belanda. Mayor Jenderal Vetter selamat dan berhasil mencapai induk pasukannya yang bermarkas di Ampenan. Akan tetapi wakilnya, Mayor Jenderal Van Ham, tertembak oleh pasukan Mataram. Akhirnya, van Ham meninggal di Puri Jangkong pada tanggal 26 Agustus 1894.
Mayor Jenderal Vetter segera melapor kepada Gubernur Jenderal di Batavia. Bala bantuan dari Batavia datang di Lombok dipimpin oleh M. Segov dan Kolonel J.J.K de Moulin yang akhirnya berhasil mengepung Mataram, termasuk pusat pertahanan di Pagesangan dan Pagutan. Mayor Jendral Vetter mengerahkan pasukan untuk menyerbu kota Mataram dari segala penjuru. Pasukan Mataram yang dipimpin oleh putra Mahkota mencoba bertahan di dalam puri raja, namun kota Mataram jatuh ke tangan Belanda dengan jumlah pasukan dan persenjataan yang banyak.
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| (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934) Australia Queensland Brisbane. |
Berikut kutipan Dari Koran Australia The Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934) Australia Queensland Brisbane.
Serious Reverse. Details "were officially published at The Hague, on August 20, of the disaster to the Dutch forces near Tjakra Negara, Lombok, in the East Indies. According to the Home New the Dutch were operating against the insurgent Rajah. The three columns, into which the expedition from Java divided, appear to have been subjected to a preconcentrated attack on the night of August 25, while the heavy loss indicates that the fighting was of a desperate character. Lombok, where it took place, is an island of some 2000 miles in area, and is separated from Java by the island of Bali, which appears to have furnished a considerable portion of the hostile force. Ho details of the actual number of troops employed are forth coming, but it is stated that the losses of two out of the three columns up to August 22, were: Killed, 4 officers, 63 rank and file; wounded, 12 officer, 153 rank and file missing, 6 officers and 148 rank and file. The casualties in the third column are not yet known. The three columns were almost simultaneously attacked by Balinese emigrants who had recently settled in Lombok. The Rajah, it is said, made his submission some time ago, bat it was thought expedient to hold certain points, and one column was sent into the interior, in order, possibly, to overawe the natives; another was at Mataram, a place some distance inland, and the principal town of the island; whilst the third had established itself at a point situated between Mataram and Ampenan, the seaport nearest to Java. The native attack seems to have been directed in the first instance against the last-mentioned position, with the evident object of cutting the Dutch line of communication with the sea The Dutch force was driven inland upon the Mataram column, the two being then obliged to make their way to the coast even at the cost. Of abandoning four of their guns. The other column, also attacked, had to adopt a similar course. Among the Dutch officers killed was General Van Ham, the Commander-in-Chief. Large reinforcements are, it is stated, at once to be despatcher from Batavia to Lombok. A telegram from Batavia of recent date announced that Mataram was being bombarded by the Dutch war vessels. The Director of Internal affairs has left for Lombok. The chiefs of the Sassacks, whose allegiance to the Dutch Sovereignty was an one time considered doubtful, are loyal to the colonial Government. The news of the disaster (says a newspaper from the Hague) has cast a gloom over the entire country. The festivities which were to have been held in celebration of the birthday of Queen Wilhelmina have been counter mended. Funding for digitization contributed by State Library of Queensland.