Event of 1814: The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 is signed in London, returning most possessions o

Background. The treaty was signed by Lord Castlereagh for the British government and Hendrik Fagel for the Dutch government. It aimed to resolve territorial disputes arising from British occupation of Dutch colonies during the Napoleonic Wars. The agreement involved complex exchanges of territory, including the cession of Malabar in exchange for Bangka Island, and financial commitments for defense improvements in the Low Countries.

Territorial Terms. The treaty returned many Dutch colonies to the Netherlands, including Surinam, Curaçao, Aruba, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Dutch Bengal (with the exception of the district of Bernagore), Dutch Coromandel, Dutch Malacca, and the Dutch East Indies. Several other Dutch colonies were permanently ceded to Britain. Britain also agreed to pay an annual fee to the Netherlands in exchange for the cession of Bernagore.

Trade and Slavery. The treaty included provisions regarding trade rights in Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice for Dutch subjects. It also incorporated a declaration from the Dutch government prohibiting slave ships in British-controlled ports. Both governments agreed on their opposition to the Atlantic slave trade, following a royal decree by William I of the Netherlands abolishing Dutch involvement in the trade.