Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University
Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University
political and administrative authority—in this case over a trade network that stretched from East Africa to the Persian Gulf, the Indonesian archipelago, Ceylon, Japan, and China. 32 Specx's “State of Income and Expenses,” probably composed in May or June of 1645, would have drawn on this extensive experience. Following the “Italian style of bookkeeping,” as one company official characterized it, Specx organized the document in ledger form, with estimates for the company's annual income and expenses set against one another on opposing pages. 33 Each conquest was dealt with separately and resolved into a single balance; these balances were then carried over and summed at the end to yield an overall estimate for the company’s annual profit. This structure meant that there was no region-wide account for the expense of ships or soldiers, though these were sent to every conquest area, nor for the separate revenues from sugar, which was grown both in Brazil and on the island of São Tomé. This may simply have been the easiest way to organize the information Specx had at its disposal, but it also had the virtue of allowing the reader to independently assess the viability of each of the individual conquests. Among these it was easy to see the overwhelming importance of Brazil to the company’s finances, and thus to grasp the urgency of ensuring its military defense. Included in the review were five conquests: Brazil, Guinea, Angola, São Tomé, and the area around the Gambia River, including Cape Verde. New Netherland, which by this time had a population of approximately 2,000 settlers, but whose trade was relatively small, was not 32 Gaastra, The Dutch East India Company; Burke, Venice and Amsterdam. 33 NA 1.01.07, inv.nr. 12564.17, no. 7. Report Sommierlyck gedaen by die Heeren vander Cappelen toe-Ryssel, Herbers, en Nykerck van di principaelste Poincten inde besoignes van die vergaderinge der Negentien t'Amsterdam voorgevallen zeder Martio 1645. In this meeting a point of discussion had been to determine how the company could calculate the finance of lands, livestock, and ammunition “not by the Italian method of bookkeeping, but in the same manner as these are calculated by the Receivers and Commissioners of Lands in the Council of State.” The original reads, “niet naer Italiaens Boekhouden, maer na ordre dat die Ontvangers en Commisen des Landts voorden Raedt van State Rekenen.” 233
included. 34 In Specx’s estimation Brazil was the company's most lucrative colony: it accounted for more than half of annual expenses and revenue and required by far the largest military presence. Following the 1641 Treaty with Portugal, the company's directors and the States General had pursued a policy of reducing the number of officers and soldiers in Dutch Brazil. Down from a high of 5,300 men in 1638, Specx estimated expenses for the current troop-strength of only 2,700 men, with greatly reduced numbers of support staff and officers; he also reduced the budget for the High Council, which under Maurits had represented a considerable expense. Together, military and administrative personnel accounted for 795,000 guilders. Livestock, the second greatest expense and a perennial source of trouble for the company, Specx estimated at 675,000 guilders. Ships accounted for 252,000 guilders, while the repair of forts and replenishing munitions—also casualties of peace with Portugal—together accounted for 110,000 guilders. 35 The income side of the ledger was of course dominated by revenues from the trade in sugar. Specx estimated that private merchants, to whom the trade had been reopened in 1638, would carry 15,000 chests each year, of which a fourth would go to the company as recognitie (recognition), a payment for the right to trade within the area of the company's charter. This was estimated to yield 750,000 guilders, with an additional 843,500 guilders in convoy charges, dues, and recognition payments on manufactured and other goods private merchants exported to Brazil. 36 At 1,593,500 guilders this was a substantial sum, but still considerably less than the 2.5 million guilders in income from recognitie and fees that Amsterdam estimated in 1637, when the 34 Specx makes no mention of New Netherland. The earlier Calculatie van de Incompsten..., composed in 1644, also did not include New Netherland, but did mention the colony along with Curaçao, Bonaire, and several parts of Brazil as “still other places” from which the company derived revenue. Calculations by De Laet in his Iaerlyck Verhael report income from the New Netherland trade in pelts at 705,117 guilders for the years 1624-1635, or approximately 58,000 guilders per annum, making it substantially less lucrative than the territories included in Specx’s analysis. De Laet, Iaerlyck Verhael van de Verrichtingen der Geoctroyeerde West-Indische Compagnie, vol. 4, 297. Jaap Jacobs considers De Laet's figures to be accurate. See Jacobs, The Colony of New Netherland, 110. 35 NA 1.10.78, inv.nr. 8, fols. 115v and 116v. 36 Ibid., fols. 116 and 117. 234
- Page 193 and 194: means to capitalize the company wit
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- Page 215 and 216: And Maurits offered another argumen
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- Page 287 and 288: Jonge, J. K. J. De Oorsprong van Ne
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political and administr<strong>at</strong>ive authority—in this case over a trade network th<strong>at</strong> stretched from East<br />
Africa to the Persian Gulf, the Indonesian archipelago, Ceylon, Japan, and China. 32<br />
Specx's “St<strong>at</strong>e of Income and Expenses,” probably composed in <strong>May</strong> or June of 1645,<br />
would have drawn on this extensive experience. Following the “Italian style of bookkeeping,” as<br />
one company official characterized it, Specx organized the document in ledger form, with<br />
estim<strong>at</strong>es for the company's annual income and expenses set against one another on opposing<br />
pages. 33 Each conquest was dealt with separ<strong>at</strong>ely and resolved into a single balance; these<br />
balances were then carried over and summed <strong>at</strong> the end to yield an overall estim<strong>at</strong>e for the<br />
company’s annual profit. This structure meant th<strong>at</strong> there was no region-wide account for the<br />
expense of ships or soldiers, though these were sent to every conquest area, nor for the separ<strong>at</strong>e<br />
revenues from sugar, which was grown both in Brazil and on the island of São Tomé. This may<br />
simply have been the easiest way to organize the inform<strong>at</strong>ion Specx had <strong>at</strong> its disposal, but it also<br />
had the virtue of allowing the reader to independently assess the viability of each of the<br />
individual conquests. Among these it was easy to see the overwhelming importance of Brazil to<br />
the company’s finances, and thus to grasp the urgency of ensuring its military defense.<br />
Included in the review were five conquests: Brazil, Guinea, Angola, São Tomé, and the<br />
area around the Gambia River, including Cape Verde. New Netherland, which by this time had a<br />
popul<strong>at</strong>ion of approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 2,000 settlers, but whose trade was rel<strong>at</strong>ively small, was not<br />
<br />
32 Gaastra, The Dutch East India Company; Burke, Venice and Amsterdam.<br />
33 NA 1.01.07, inv.nr. 1<strong>25</strong>64.17, no. 7. Report Sommierlyck gedaen by die Heeren vander Cappelen toe-Ryssel,<br />
Herbers, en Nykerck van di principaelste Poincten inde besoignes van die vergaderinge der Negentien t'Amsterdam<br />
voorgevallen zeder Martio 1645. In this meeting a point of discussion had been to determine how the company<br />
could calcul<strong>at</strong>e the finance of lands, livestock, and ammunition “not by the Italian method of bookkeeping, but in the<br />
same manner as these are calcul<strong>at</strong>ed by the Receivers and Commissioners of Lands in the Council of St<strong>at</strong>e.” The<br />
original reads, “niet naer Italiaens Boekhouden, maer na ordre d<strong>at</strong> die Ontvangers en Commisen des Landts voorden<br />
Raedt van St<strong>at</strong>e Rekenen.”<br />
233
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