New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
EOPETED RICH I4NDS.
Dutch Yielded Up Nc1c Netherlands
\ .eifh Little Resistance after 90
Years Occu patton.

The Dutch west India Company, also iHleHI
upon netting quick and large gains, omitted
20 d. many things 10 place the town anu the
province Oh a stable basis. The first govern
ors too wore incompetent men, notably Van
Tviller. who did not keep up the defences of
Now Amsterdam, allowed IN wndmills and
public buildings 10 fan into decay and winked
at supplying liquor and pow de- 10 the Indians.
This last threatened To- brew serious troubl"
Altogether affairs We're IN q highly unsatis-
factory state ~h"n Van THlilar vas succeeded.
by William Kieft i'm 1928. kiert vas energetic
and set out to remedy conditions as he found
them only mh.warn aid aas given him by
the citizens. many OF whom wore hard hit M
their pockets by some Of his edirts especially
that which prohibited thcm from selling guns
powder and liquor % the Indians. The saHages
had al FIRST been fearful OF guns, but quickly
appreciated their fatal uses ana we're eager 20
obtain th.m. They wore williH~ % pay twenty
bower skins for u1-tet. ana ten OF twelve
r,ildcrs iu barter for pound af powder.
kieft ,,as unuI-e enough 4. at.empt 20 exact
tribute from the Indians whom. ho said eve
have tilu- far defended from their euomios.'
lie threat.ued II the indians refused TO give
maize fu-5 and wau um in stated Quanutie7,
10 remove their relucJuce." This and On" de-
clarius OF guns powder and liq.or coutraband,
iuveused ,ha savag.- and luet-a tham 10 VAR
upon Nh. Dutch.
Their foray5 cost ~. settler many liyos and
compelled the inhabit.uts of the town 70 con-
fine themselves closely % Tho precincts of the
fort for more than year. In general. Ki"fts
reforms resulted advantageousis to the colonists
not only ia enforcing The laws and regulating
trade. but in checking the Importation of bad
wompum which naa l.1 10 serior- losses 10 The
traders.
Wampum. which gas the main circulating ue-
dium between the Indians themselves and also
in their tradings with tho whites, was black ard
white. The white made from the pcr-
Wrinkle shell and Tho black from tho purple part
Of hard liam shells. These. rounded into beads
and polished were drilled and strung upon sin
ews Of animals, woven into belts. Bla
beads were twice as valuable the white. ar
the latter became the standard of value.
string fathom long was worth four guildors.
Roughly reckoned n fathom vas the length
between the finger tips Of the outstrctchcd arms
Of man. Tho best Walnpum was made by the
Long Island Indians New England Indians
manufactured . cheaper wampu'H. rough of in
feror quality ana badly strung Ii was not
long before the New Englandors introduced
large quantities Of Tie imperfect beads into New
Netherlands in return for the Dutchmen's goods
Beads Of porcelain. made in Europe, also creIt
in. The evil finally became so great that the
fDuli-l puDllSiith an ptHfi.'tT- declaring II :t =
large quantity OF bad wampuin was in circula-
ton. while the best was boarded or exported
state Of affairs which soon must ruin the cou--
try. The ordinance provided tIat all coar.e
wampum. well strung. should pass at the rate
of six for one silver. Six years later the rate
was Increased from six - eight for Il silver
ENGLIsH WE'RE AGGRESSIVE.
English advcntorer7 sought increasingly to
gain a share OF the FUR trade OF the province
but Kiclt, as a rule. managed to worst them
He not SO successful against the Dutch
PATRONS and unlicensed traders among his own
countrymen. who tranicieed with the Indians ana
when they were able. shipped furs out OF the
country and brought in cargoes Of merchandise
without paying the duties prescribed by tie
company. In 1914 Kien became involved i'm "a
bloody and costly with the New LngIand
Indians, who doubtless were .spurred on BY the
English In their hostility. Tho Dutch settle
ments were in danger Of being extermnatcd
and sufficient money to pay and equip war par
ties could not be procured The Dutch West
India Company in financial straits on one
occasion, when q draft drawn by Kieft upon
the Amsterdam chamber Of tho company cam,
back unhonored, the Governor commissioned
Captain Blauvet in La Garce. a privatecr. TO
prey upon Spanish commerce. Blauvclt made
two rich prizes which temporarily supplied the
depleted treasury Of the colony.
Finally, the Dutch government excited BY the
pleas Of the colonists, took cognizance Of the
condition of affairs. The Dutch West India
Company was bankrupt; stiI, as the report
made TO the government said Of the colony, 1.-The
company could not decently or consistently
abandon it." A reorganization of the affairs of
New Amsterdam took place. and the expenses of
the Whole civil and military establishment Of
No" Netherlands were put on basis Of not