1 70 SETTLEMENTS OF THE DUTCH IN NEW YORK. 



sent, and from that time, they not only failed to pay the 

 promised tribute, but constructed a second fort on Long 

 Island, and subsequently two others, one on the Connecticut 

 River, the other at Nassau. They also built the town of 

 New Amsterdam, and for a series of years, being unmolested, 

 they increased in number, and by the exertion of their 

 peculiar national virtues of patience and industry, they 

 subdued all the difficulties inherent to the making of a new 

 colony. 



In 1620, the States of Holland established the West 

 India Company, and committed to it the administration of 

 New Netherland. This determination was carried out the 

 following year, and under the management of the Company 

 the new settlement was soon both consolidated and extended. 

 Their capital was New Amsterdam, built on Manhattan 

 Island. 



The extent of territory claimed by the Dutch, as has 

 been represented by some of their own writers, was from 

 Virginia to Connecticut. Whatever might have been its 

 titular extent, the planters hastened to enlarge their occupa 

 tions far beyond their immediate use, and by their intrusions 

 into the Delaware and Connecticut countries, laid the founda 

 tion of their future disputes with the colonists of these parts. 



Complaints having been made to KING CHARLES, by his 

 Ambassador, he represented to the States to disown the 

 whole business, and to declare that it was only a private 

 undertaking. Whereupon a Commission was granted to Sir 

 George Calvert to take possession and plant the southern 

 parts, lying towards Virginia, by the name of Maryland, and 

 to SIR EDMUND LOYDEN to plant and do the same with the 

 northern parts by the name of Nova Albion, which makes the 

 Dutch, for the second time, willing to compound, and for the 

 sum of two thousand and five hundred pounds sterling they 

 offered to go away and leave all their chattels. 



But in consequence of the troubles which began and 

 continued for a time in England, they not only rescinded their 

 first proposition but made higher demands. 



In May, 1664, after the Restoration, the King con 

 sidering that the territory called New Netherland belonged 

 rightfully to England, designed four Commissioners, COLONEL 

 RICHARD NICHOLS, SIR ROBERT CARR, GEORGE CARTWRIGHT, 

 and SAMUEL MAWRICK, to settle that affair. They had three 

 ships of war to effect their purpose. First they landed at 

 Boston, and from that place went to New Netherland. 



