19th century Dutch colonies

what other colonies would the Netherlands be able to get ith a POD in the early 19th century? OTL the Netherlands ended up with Surinam, Indonesia and the Dutch antilles. During the 19th century the Netherlands basicly just consolidated their colonies in Indonesia, not spending any atention to other areas of the world. Now I was thinking, what other colonies would the Netherlands be able to get if they were a bit stronger (by keeping Belgium or Flander or something like that) and could also focus outside of (OTL) Indonesia. I was thinking of Ghana as the Netherlands did have some outposts there at the time. I suspect some deal with Britain (and maybe Denmark) could be made and you could have a Dutch colony there. Other ideas I got are northern Borneo, eastern New Guinea or the Solomons. All are close to Indonesia, so logical expansions for the Netherlands, although I am uncertain how likely it is. Australia is close and would probably try to claim them, so how early must the Netherlands make some claim and have a presence there for Australia not to try to get them?
Any other ideas or comments about my suggestions? Please remember I am asking for a POD in the early 19th century, so no Dutch New Amsterdam suggestions (I doubt the USA would be willing to give New York to the Netherlands). Also I prefer a POD after the Vienna congress.
 
Belgium tried to purchase the Philippines from Spain. A united Netherlands-Belgium and suitable internal difficulties in Spain could yield up the Philippines.

Papua New Guinea and the Spanish --> German colonies in the Pacific are a valid possibility.

South Africa is hard post-Vienna, unfortunately, as that would be quite a gain.

Another pre-Vienna is to hold onto some Indian locales.

The VOC had posts in Persia, which would be interesting, and, perhaps more well-known, Japan. Dutch Japan could get very interesting.
 
Considering in the early 19th century the Dutch didn't even have anything remotely like control of Indonesia, I think any increase to their capabilities would be focused towards accelerating the timetable on controlling the incredably profitable Archipelago. They finished that more or less in the 1870-80s, so you need to work out when they finished in the ATL, and look around towards what colonies are still available then...
 
The trouble is the Dutch were merchants.
They weren't so interested in the big politics of the time, they just wanted to be left alone to make money; and colonies generally don't make money.

So the key really is to have a Netherlands more active on the political scene.
Maybe have a messier, angrier situation in Germany which they have to stay one step ahead of or a resurgant nasty France. But not so much so of course; otherwise they'd become ever more refocussed on europe.
 
There's a smallish window before the 1824 treaty is signed in which the Dutch might pick up Singapore and possibly Malaya in negotiations before the British recognise their true worth - they'd have to trade something for them but Malaya's tin and rubber and Singapore's position would most likely be worth it.

Also, the Portuguese would be quite happy to sell off their half of Timor if they were given an offer.

Further afield...Dutch Fiji? Dutch Hawaii?
 
The Dutch had trade posts in West Africa. When slavery ended, these were traded to Britain in the first half of the 19th century.

Keeping them is likely if there is a will.
 
Ceylon and South Africa perhaps. I've explored a vast, colonial empire of the Netherlands in my An Alternate History of the Netherlands. https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=132933 If you used an earlier PoD, you could have the Dutch displace the Portuguese all over the world.

With a POD after the Vienna congress it is very hard for the Dutch to regain Ceylon and south Africa. During the congress it might be hard, but not entirely impossible (I heard that it was the Netherlands gaining Belgium that ultimately made the British keep the cape).

I realise that with an earlier POD it is a lot easier for the Dutch to gain various different colonies, but I am specifically interested in an early 19th century POD for both my timeline and possibly another idea I have for a timeline in which the Netherlands keeps Flanders (and which is more focussed on Franco-Prussian/German rivalry than the Netherlands).

Various good ideas are posted (and hopefully more before the thread disappears into oblivion (page 3)).
Nugax, I realise the Dutch were busy consolidating Indonesia. That is why I suggestd a larger Netherlands (including Belgium for example).That would make it easier for them to gain control of whole Indonesia and possibly extend it towards northern Borneo and eastern New Guinea and perhaps have even more strength left to gain one or more African or Pacific colonies. Hmm I wonder, is a Dutch Indo China possible? Probably not.
 
Also, the Portuguese would be quite happy to sell off their half of Timor if they were given an offer.
QUOTE]

Lisbon didn't want to sell any part of Timor to the Dutch, it was the dire economic situation in Dili that caused it.
For more details I advise you to check the diplomatic mail between both states from 1850 until 1861.
In OTL the Portuguese governor Lopes de Lima did made a treaty with the Dutch to sell Flores island and all claims the Portuguese had in the region, mainly the Solor islands, in exchange the Dutch return the kingdom of Maubara to the Portuguese and 200000 florins in three packs.
But all end in a big failure as Lisbon and Batavia didn't accepted that treaty, but at the beginning of the negotiations , 1851, the Dutch with approval from the Portuguese governor did take over Flores island and never returned as Lisbon demanded.
 
Could these United Netherlands get the Congo ITTL or without Belgium the British would allow Portugal to take it as they wanted at first?
 

Germaniac

Donor
Could these United Netherlands get the Congo ITTL or without Belgium the British would allow Portugal to take it as they wanted at first?

Try reading King Leopold's Ghost.

Its a damn near miracle of the third kind the Belgians got the Congo.
 
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