A. D. 1654. 459 



their capital was exhanfled, they having fpent thereon in all 16B millions 

 of gilders, or about 16 millions fterling. Yet their remaining conquefts 

 on the Guinea coafl have proved of infinite benefit to the Dutch com- 

 merce, and would be ftill more fo, had they more colonies in Ame- 

 rica. 



By the eredtion of this exclufive Weft-India company, fays De Witt 

 in his Intereft of Holland, we have quite lofl our open trade to Guinea, 

 and that of fait in the Weft Indies. In another place he obferves, that 

 vvhilfl the Dutch were at war with Spain, the eredion of their Eaft-In- 

 dia and Weft-India companies was a nectfTary evil, becaufe our people, 

 fays he, \_part i, c. xix] would be trading; to fuch countries where our 

 enemies were too ftrong for parricu'ar adventurers, in order to lay the 

 foundation of thofe trades by powerful armed locieties. But thofe trades 

 being now well fettled, it may be juftly doubted whether the exclufive 

 companies ought any longer to be continued. In Niewhoflf's fecond vo- 

 lume of voyages it is afl'erted, that, when the Dutch in the year 1660 

 yielded up all Brafil to Portugal, the Dutch were to receive eight millions 

 of gilders, and alfo to be allowed a free trade to Portugal, Guinea, and. 

 Brafil, paying only the fame curtom as the native Portuguefe : but this 

 treaty is not now in force, and perhaps never exifled wiih all thefe ad- 

 vantages. 



In the fame year a number of perfons of diftindion in London feem- 

 ed earneftly to let about the herring-fifhery : and for their encourage- 

 ment the Englifh commonwealth granted them an exemption from the 

 duties on fait and on naval llores to be uied in their filhery. Colledions 

 were likewiie made 'at London and other parts for eredting wharfs, 

 docks, and ftorehoufes, and for purchafing ground for making and tan- 

 ning their nets. Yet this attempt proved unfuccefsful. 



The expenfe of the Englilh navy for the winter and the enfuing fum- 

 mer was eftimated by the commiflioners of the admiralty to amount 

 to - - L85o,6io o o 



More for the fea ordnance - - 63,208 13 8 



And if Admiral Blake's and Admiral Perm's fhips, 

 &c. are to be kept up till the ift of Odober, it will 

 farther cofl - - - - 108,919 o o 



More for the additional provifions of 1000 men 

 more - - - 26,000 o o 



Total - Li, 048,737 13 8 

 [T'burloe, V. iii, p. 64.] 



1655. — The merchants of Amflerdam having heard that the lord 

 protedor would dilfoive the Eall-india company at Loudon, and declare 

 the navigation and commerce to the Indies to be fr.e and open, were 



3 M 2 



