▁Chinese ▁jun ks ▁were ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁back ▁to ▁China ▁l aden ▁with ▁goods ▁before ▁they ▁attacked ▁with ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁hundred ▁boats . ▁ ▁Between ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁and ▁ 1 9 th ▁centuries , ▁Malays ian ▁waters ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁political ▁power ▁strugg les ▁throughout ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁As ide ▁from ▁local ▁powers , ▁ant agon ists ▁also ▁included ▁such ▁colonial ▁powers ▁as ▁the ▁Portuguese , ▁Dutch ▁and ▁British . ▁A ▁record ▁of ▁foreign ▁presence , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁China ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mal ac ca , ▁is ▁found ▁today ▁in ▁the ▁wat ery ▁gra ves ▁of ▁sail ing ▁vessels ▁lost ▁to ▁storm s , ▁pi racy , ▁batt les , ▁and ▁poor ▁ship ▁handling . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 8 th ▁and ▁ 1 9 th ▁centuries ▁saw ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁pi racy ▁in ▁the ▁stra it , ▁sp ur red ▁in ▁part ▁by ▁the ▁economic ▁imper ative ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁luc r ative ▁sp ice ▁trade ▁with ▁European ▁colon is ers . ▁According ▁to ▁Charles ▁Corn , ▁author ▁of ▁The ▁Sc ents ▁of ▁E den : ▁A ▁N arr ative ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ice ▁Trade , ▁" Sp ices ▁drove ▁the ▁world ▁econom ies ▁in ▁those ▁days ▁the ▁way ▁oil ▁does ▁today ." ▁ ▁The ▁rapid ▁increase ▁in ▁pi racy ▁gave ▁James ▁Bro oke ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁control ▁pi racy ▁along ▁a ▁segment ▁of ▁coast ▁in ▁a ▁way ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁and ▁East ▁India ▁Company ▁viewed ▁as ▁cost -