▁the ▁time , ▁a ▁lux ury ▁product ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁a ▁major ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁Dutch ▁interest ▁in ▁this ▁region . ▁ ▁In ▁following ▁dec ades ▁there ▁were ▁several ▁sk irm ishes ▁and ▁armed ▁cl ash es , ▁especially ▁related ▁to ▁such ▁pe pper ▁contract s ▁being ▁un ful filled . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁serious ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 6 3 8 ▁killing ▁of ▁ 6 4 ▁Dutch ▁and ▁ 2 1 ▁of ▁their ▁Japanese ▁partners , ▁at ▁K ota ▁War ing ▁in ▁Band j erm as in . ▁ ▁Early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 9 ▁H erman ▁Wille m ▁Da end els , ▁then ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies , ▁decided ▁to ▁abandon ▁Band j erm as in , ▁as ▁maintain ing ▁a ▁presence ▁there ▁was ▁considered ▁une conom ical . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁the ▁British , ▁who ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁wars , ▁established ▁a ▁presence ▁there , ▁not ably ▁in ▁Alexander ▁H are ▁who ▁established ▁an ▁independent ▁state ▁of ▁Mal uka ▁on ▁the ▁S . M alu ka ▁river ▁which ▁runs ▁into ▁the ▁Java ▁Sea ▁not ▁far ▁S . E . ▁of ▁the ▁Bar ito . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁British ▁authority ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Dutch , ▁who ▁signed ▁a ▁new ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁Sultan . ▁Though ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁reign , ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁the ▁Sultan ' s ▁flag