After 1511, the Riau islands became the center of political power of the Sultanate of Johor based on Bintan island and were then considered the center of Malay culture.
When European nations began combing the seas for new opportunity, as they did elsewhere, they changed the fate of Riau as a political, cultural or economic center as they struggled to control the prime regional trade routes through the Malacca Straits. Singapore island, which had been part of the same greater Malay kingdoms and sultanates, and under direct control of the Sultan of Johor, came under control of the British.
The creation of a European-controlled territory broke the sultanate into two parts, destroying the cultural and political unity that had existed for centuries. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 consolidated this separation, with the British controlling all territories north of the Singapore strait and the Dutch controlling territories from Riau to Java.
After the European powers withdrew from the region, new independent governments reorganized after inheriting 100 years of colonial boundaries. The territories of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Borneo struggled and came into military conflict against each other, and the Riau islands once again found themselves in the middle of a regional struggle.
The strong cultural unity of the region with Riau in the heart of this region never returned, and the line drawn by the British in 1819 remained, dividing the area into three new countries in 1965: Singapore, the Malaysian federation in the north, and Indonesia in the south.
Riau Islands are located on the International Shipping lane of Malacca Strait on the borders of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. The province covers 252,602 square kilometers now under six main districts: Tanjungpinang City, Batam City, Bintan Regency, Karimun Regency, Natuna Regency and Lingga Regency.
North China Herald, July 15, 1892
Shanghai, China
Capt. H., Supmer, of the German mail steamship Sachsen, reports :—Left Bremerhaven on the 25th of May for Shanghai. Arrived at Antwerp on the 26th, Southampton on the 29th, and Genoa on the 5th of June. Owing to repairs to the engines, we had to stop at Genoa until the 12th, when we continued the voyage. Arrived at Port Said on the 16th of June, Suez on the 17th, Aden on the 22nd, Colombo on the 29th June, Singapore on the 4th of July, Hongkong on the 10th, and Shanghai on the 14th of July. In the North Sea, English Channel and Atlantic Ocean had fine weather with moderate westerly winds and sea; in the Mediterranean Sea light easterly winds and smooth sea; in the Red Sea prevailing northerly winds; from Aden to Acheen Head experienced strong S.W. monsoon with rough sea, and heavy rainsqualls between Ceylon and Sumatra. In the Malacca Strait, and from Singapore to Shanghai, had fine weather and light easterly winds. Spoke at sea the Norwegian barque showing the letters HRBS, bound southward in Lat. 6" 7' N. and 88° 53' E. of Gr. " All well" on board.
