1614.] SPITZBERGEN FISHERY. §9 



however, the plan was only got to hear in Amster- 

 dam, where a company was established. In consi- 

 deration of repeated petitions to the States-Gene- 

 ral, setting forth the great expenccs incurred by 

 the merchants composing this company, in disco- 

 vering the countries situated in the polar regions, 

 and in commencing a whale-fishery therein, they 

 obtained a charter for three years, granting them 

 the right of all the fisheries, and other emoluments, 

 included between Nova Zembla and Davis' Straits, 

 and excluding all other ships of the realm from in- 

 terference, under the penalty of confiscation of the 

 ships and cargoes *. 



With this encouragement, they immediately sent 

 to Biscay for additional harpooners, to assist and in- 

 struct them in the fishery ; erected boiling-houses, ware- 

 houses, and cooperages, to be in readiness to reduce 

 the fat into oil, in the event of a successful fishery ; 

 and, for the security of their ships, they sent along 

 with them, four ships of war, of thirty guns each, 

 which, together, amounted to a fleet of eighteen 

 sail. This fleet was so formidable, that the English, 

 notwithstanding their pretensions to an exclusive 

 claim to the fishery, having only thirteen large 

 ships present, and two pinnaces, thougli furnished 

 with artillery, were obliged to allow the Hollanders 

 to fish without interruption. The English got but 



* Beschryving der VVahisvangst, vol. i. p. 2, 3. 



