The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-10

HaN& 1NAAaNAA1@NN aAAA hR@' 49,
middle Of the sevenJ@rnth century n half
more ahips aRiled 10 tie East than 60 the
West. seems to show tLat Joe Dutch carrying
trade over all Europe was large. and corn
merce in transit ths moin affair Of the
HOllandera; though the consumption In
the country itself must bav -been con
siderable. even after allowances 10 made
for the great share of the goods arriving
in Dutch ports from the East. which was
subsequently, exported along tho rivers
10 the southern or Spanish Netherlands
and to Germany. Dutch was
very much promoted by the low rate OF
interest, from . 60 al per cent, which,
i'm consideration Of their vol deserved
credit, the Holland merchants paid for
their borrowed capital. In part this low
interest resulted from the small incomes
derivable from real property on account
OF heavy taxes and from the relative alb
senoe of very rich landlords and expensive
landed Possessions.
At the epoch under review Dutch conf
merOe had reached its highest point. ac-
CordinR 60 the Judgment Of the most capable
writer's. Geographically IL did not extend
further than n did a score of years earlier.
but the merchant had secured an OppOr-
tunlty of developing his plans unmOlestod,
now that peace was enjoyed for a time.
English rivalry had begun To como mp
seriously in consequence Of the NaViga-
tIon act, which continued In full force
under Charles H.. but for the time being
Dutch was a match for mat
rivalry. IL had even less 70 dread from
tho French. Danish, Swedish and German
composition. which could not be arrayed
against Il. chiefly for want OF capital which
In the Netherlands was abundant.
Tho extraordinary rise Of the East India
Company. by which nearly all Indian wares
we're imported through Holland. appeared
70 De Ia Court no less a reason for the great
prosperity Of the Seven Unitsd Provinoee
than peace. The author Of this history
pronounces the assertion unworthy ~ full
belief, pointing out the evil ~Quences
Of the strict m~aintenance OF monopolieS
by the ~close companies" and by their
endeavor 20 secure the highest profits with
the least trade. In the period under re-
view, however, the actual condition OF
the great commercial corporation which
monOpodSed the m OF the East
WAS AZ good az unknown outside of he
circle Of the company's high officials. Ow-
Ing to the mysterious bookkeeping OF the
East India Company IL was extremely
dihioult for any but the initiated to see that
neither the large dividends, which ranged
from 12E to 20 per cent. nor the resulting
high prices of the shares OF the company
were lnFalible proofs OF it's prosperity. The
truth. apparently. is that. aside from the
large dividends, IL was the considerable
clandeetine profits enjoyed by officials In
India and the fa~therland. and even by the
managers Of the company's business. which
contributed TO the growth Of wealth IN the
Netherlands. a fact which did not rebound
"a the credit oE those officials.
Our author notes the Importance Tor the
East India Company Of the establishment
Of a small colony OF Netherlanders at the
Cape OF Good Hope. where under the lead
OF q ship doctor. Jan van Riebeek, who gov
erned the settlement FOR ten years, a port
was built and and was distributed to the
~company's officers. A beginning OF colo
nization was thus made for the benefit
OF the East Indiamen sailing to and from
the Indies. tho Cape from this time be-
coming for them a much desired resting
place. where they could take in provisions.
such az water. fresh meat and vegetables.
and where their passengers could tarry for
a time for the restoration OF health. On
Riebeek's departure, in 1882. there was al
ready a nucleus Of cattle raising European
oolonists in the ~neighborhood Of the forts
and people we're beginning TO penetrate
further into the unknown interior. h
colonies formed about the same time on
Mauritius, CeylOn and Cochin seemed 10
open q new future for the development Of
the Dutch nation. OF much less importance
for the Netherlanders we're their
ard colonization in the regions over which
| the East India Company extended it, activi-
ties. Its charter had heen prolonged in
Ia47 for twenty-five years. but at that time
IL had fallen into a sad state by reason OF
the ruin OF ito power in Brazil.
In 1854 the compauy's dominion in that
country ended with the surrender 20 the
Portuguese Of the four ports still occupied
and Brazil was lost for good by the peace OF
1851, though freedom of trade with that
country and theP~ Portuguese ports in Africa
was secured by the Dutch. Eve this ar
ranEement could not a the company.
Repeatedly had the Dutch West India COM
pany been upon the point of bankruptcy,
and neither tho very lucrative slave trade,
the main resource OF its possessions on the
Guinea coast. nor the commerce in certain
products Of the small islands in the Antilles
owned by it could more than postpone its
II kAlL. Dne only OF Abb COhDulSh AOEutcu AL
exception 70 the unfavOrable rule. namely.
New Netherlands, which since I647 had
been governed by Peter Stuyvesant. Under
his vigorous and intelli gent. though ofttimes
arbitrary sway. the population Of the colony
had risen by IAN TO about 10000. h
great danger for New Netherlands lay in
the fact that the English Government had
never recognized the legality Of this settle
ment and from 1908 had claimed for itself
che entire Atlantic coast ~ tho New World,
from Virginia to the ~. Law renCo River.
Moreover, the white population Of New
England, bordering on New Netherlands.
was ten times "a large as hi territory taken
possession OF by the company. During the
Arst war between the Netherlands and Eng
land the fate OF the Dutch colony had hung
by a thread. and il could be foreseen That
the weak dependency. left virtually to itself
and enclosed on the north and south by Eng
lish possessions, would be unable &c with
stand a serious attack Ivy England.
The fisheries were still regarded ia the
nurse Of Hollands and industry
IN England. In particular the herring
nshcry and the catching OF cod were called
very powerful means Of subsistence and
q number Of other trades depended upon
them as a whole. There was 10 Ggn Of
a falling on in these branches Of industry
= 81 IL n. 4. T-.,N ..kfrnaN.. AAa