1873 Ottoman-Dutch War over Aceh

[Sarthak]

When the Dutch first invaded Aceh in 1873 breaking the Anglo-Dutch agreements of the early 19th century due to the revisions in 1871, the Sultanate of Aceh appealed to the Ottoman Empire to honor their 300 year old alliance. And while the Ottomans provided a disproportionate amount of indirect aid, they never intervened directly, even though they did plan to do so in 1873. A large fleet had been assembled in Istanbul, Selanik, Smyrna and Beirut to travel to Aceh to fight the Dutch but the rebellion in Yemen forced the relocation of the fleet's resources and after the rebellion had been suppressed the 1878 Russo-Ottoman War left the Ottomans unable to intervene directly. But what if the rebellion in Yemen did not happen? What if the Ottoman Fleet embarked on its original mission of breaking the Dutch fleet in Indonesia and securing Acehnese Independence?
OTL, the Egyptians had given the Ottomans permission to use the Canal to send their fleet. The Ottoman Fleet according to Ottoman-Aceh Relations According to the Turkish Sources by Goksoy mentions the following warships:-

• Osmaniye, Azzizye, Fatih, Asar-i-Tevfik, Asar-i-Sevket, Avnillah, Feth-i-Bulend, Mesudiye (Ironclads)
• Fethiye, Sadiye (Steam Ship of the Line)
• Mediciye, Feyza-i-Bahri, Mubir-i-Surur, Kervan-i-Bahri, Ertugul, Nasr-al-Aziz (Frigates)
• Eser-i-Cedid, Sinop, Bursa, Izmir, Beirut, Sedd-ul-Bahir, Meric, Muzzafer (Corvettes)
• 8 Red Sea Patrol Boats to complement the warships.
• Around 10 transport ships with soldiers, weapons, engineers, supplies etc following the combat ships.

This represented a good 20 - 25% of the Ottoman Fleet at the time and was far more numerous than the Dutch fleet stationed in the East Indies at the time and counted thousands of soldiers and marines alongside unrecorded but large amounts of supplies and weaponry. What would be the consequences of this?

 

[Sarthak]

Any ideas anyone?

 

[arctic warrior]

I'm absolutely out of my water here but just looked up a little - seems the Dutch went directly for the Aceh Capital March 1873 with a shipborne Force and suffering defeat returned it seems during November and the Aceh Sultan left the Capital for the Dutch to occupy.
Seems the US had been approached by Aceh but also Italy for relations to be established.
The Dutch and British had 1871 signed a treaty leaving the Sultanate to the Dutch.
When would the Ottoman Fleet arrive - seems the Dutch had a fleet of 33 vessels in their initial landing but also at least British accept of doings. Would such action by the Ottomans annoy the British - though Britain wanted the Straits open (Bosporus and Dardanelles) and thus supportive of the Porte this might trigger some response of interfering in the White Mans doings far from their home!

 

[Sarthak]

I'm absolutely out of my water here but just looked up a little - seems the Dutch went directly for the Aceh Capital March 1873 with a shipborne Force and suffering defeat returned it seems during November and the Aceh Sultan left the Capital for the Dutch to occupy.
Seems the US had been approached by Aceh but also Italy for relations to be established.
The Dutch and British had 1871 signed a treaty leaving the Sultanate to the Dutch.
When would the Ottoman Fleet arrive - seems the Dutch had a fleet of 33 vessels in their initial landing but also at least British accept of doings. Would such action by the Ottomans annoy the British - though Britain wanted the Straits open (Bosporus and Dardanelles) and thus supportive of the Porte this might trigger some response of interfering in the White Mans doings far from their home!

Yes, the British would be caught in a hard place, because while they agreed that Aceh was in Netherlands' sphere of influence they also named Aceh as an Ottoman Tributary/Protectorate simultaneously, meaning the Ottomans would have the legal right to intervene in the conquest of their ostensible protectorate. With around ~9000 elite troops of the Nizam-i-Cedid as well on the relief fleet, the Ottomans could befoul the 2nd Expedition as well.

 

[arctic warrior]

Yes, the British would be caught in a hard place, because while they agreed that Aceh was in Netherlands' sphere of influence they also named Aceh as an Ottoman Tributary/Protectorate simultaneously, meaning the Ottomans would have the legal right to intervene in the conquest of their ostensible protectorate. With around ~9000 elite troops of the Nizam-i-Cedid as well on the relief fleet, the Ottomans could befoul the 2nd Expedition as well.

Interesting so the British will lay back telling the Dutch "its Your problem" with the Dutch Governor of NEI telling Dutch Government - "We have a problem".
So with the establishing of relations with the US the Aceh Sultan may get access to more resources through trade and with defeat of Second Expedition by a joint Aceh - Ottoman Force the Dutch will be in real problems out there. So how does the Government in the Hague react - increased Government ruling?

Quite interesting!

 

[Risenemperor7]

I have two sticking points to this. Would the Ottomans of the 1870s be effective in operating so many miles away from home, considering that they have not done so before and have no experience in overseas warfare of the time and how potential losses and the reduction of readily available naval forces as well as the diplomatic fallout would effect the 1877 Russo-Ottoman War?

I seriously doubt that the Ottomans could pull off an overseas campaign. The officer corps was severely lacking and the supply situation made them resort to foraging in Europe which was their main battleground. I can't imagine what would happen in far away Sumatra but it wouldn't be pretty.

Finally, the endeavour wouldn't benefit the Ottomans in the least. I can't see them withdrawing troops and as much as 25% of their Navy to go to Aceh.

 

[Sarthak]

Interesting so the British will lay back telling the Dutch "its Your problem" with the Dutch Governor of NEI telling Dutch Government - "We have a problem".
So with the establishing of relations with the US the Aceh Sultan may get access to more resources through trade and with defeat of Second Expedition by a joint Aceh - Ottoman Force the Dutch will be in real problems out there. So how does the Government in the Hague react - increased Government ruling?

Quite interesting!

The Ottomans do have the advantage of the Suez Canal. As Egypt allowed Ottoman ships through and had refused entry to Dutch ships otl. So if the Ottomans send another relief force to reinforce the first one, they will reach Aceh far earlier than the Dutch one, giving them a huge advantage.

I have two sticking points to this. Would the Ottomans of the 1870s be effective in operating so many miles away from home, considering that they have not done so before and have no experience in overseas warfare of the time and how potential losses and the reduction of readily available naval forces as well as the diplomatic fallout would effect the 1877 Russo-Ottoman War?

That is false. The Ottomans had sent thousands of troops to fight in Aceh since the 1530s. This evaporated in the 1750s due to disagreements with Sultan Johan Syah, but the Ottomans had 200+ years of experience of fighting in the Indonesian Archipelago. And anyway, it's 4 years prior to the war with Russia, which was precipitated by the 1876 Uprisings in Bulgaria. Not anything in 1873.

I seriously doubt that the Ottomans could pull off an overseas campaign. The officer corps was severely lacking and the supply situation made them resort to foraging in Europe which was their main battleground. I can't imagine what would happen in far away Sumatra but it wouldn't be pretty.

If this had been post-1878, I would agree, but the officer corps pre-1876 was very top of the line and the Nizam-i-Cedid was at its peak during this time. I doubt the Ottomans would forage for their supplies, considering they hadn't done so since the Greek Revolution in any of their wars after said revolution. The command of Damat Ali Pasha, commander of the fleet to Aceh was to defeat the Dutch quickly in collaboration with the Acehnese, open negotiations to stop the conflict, but start reinforcing themselves with transports from Constantinople quickly via the Suez Canal just in case with the collaboration of Egypt who had blocked access to the Canal to the Dutch.

 

[avernite]

So far as I understand the history, the Aceh war was started because piracy based in Aceh annoyed the British and Dutch shippers. The Dutch had nominal rights so were the ones to act (and quickly suppressed some piracy, enough to keep their rights). If the Dutch fail utterly, e.g. due to Ottoman intervention, the British shipping companies will press Britain to act.

I do not believe the Ottomans could fend off the British, so most likely they'd be tasked with suppressing the same piracy, and IMO they'd likely fail (the Dutch barely managed despite supply lines from the rest of Indonesia). Eventually either the Ottomans are forced by Britain to leave, and let the Dutch in, or the Brits will move in directly.

 

[Sarthak]

So far as I understand the history, the Aceh war was started because piracy based in Aceh annoyed the British and Dutch shippers. The Dutch had nominal rights so were the ones to act (and quickly suppressed some piracy, enough to keep their rights). If the Dutch fail utterly, e.g. due to Ottoman intervention, the British shipping companies will press Britain to act.

I do not believe the Ottomans could fend off the British, so most likely they'd be tasked with suppressing the same piracy, and IMO they'd likely fail (the Dutch barely managed despite supply lines from the rest of Indonesia). Eventually either the Ottomans are forced by Britain to leave, and let the Dutch in, or the Brits will move in directly.

Not really? The Dutch Aceh conflict in the 1830s was fueled by piracy but in 1873 the Acehnese were caught blindsided because they hadn't done anything to provoke a full expeditionary army. One of the reasons why de Vries ordered the attack was because he feared Britain would not respect the treaty of 1871 and take over the role of Influence in Aceh

 

[raharris1973]

The Dutch launch a war of revenge during the Russo-Turkish War, and at that point, the Ottomans cannot support defenses that far?

 

[avernite]

Not really? The Dutch Aceh conflict in the 1830s was fueled by piracy but in 1873 the Acehnese were caught blindsided because they hadn't done anything to provoke a full expeditionary army. One of the reasons why de Vries ordered the attack was because he feared Britain would not respect the treaty of 1871 and take over the role of Influence in Aceh

The Dutch sources say that's what kicked it off. Obviously the Anglo-Dutch Sumatra treaty was crucial too, but the attack in 1873 also used piracy (and the need to act on piracy to prevent British interference) as a casus belli.