Bali Strait

The Bali Strait separates Java from Bali and links the Indian Ocean with the Bali Sea. Its northern end narrows to a short crossing, where currents change with the monsoon seasons and affect navigation between the islands.

On 28 January 1797, six British East Indiamen encountered a French squadron of six frigates in the strait. The merchant vessels presented themselves as ships of the line, and the French withdrew. The episode illustrates how a narrow passage between the islands could become a setting for encounters between trading ships and naval forces.