THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



Directors 

 pour cold 

 water. 



Death of 

 Van Diemen 

 1645. 



other part of the world some prolific silver- or gold-mine 

 be hit upon, to the solace of the share-holders, and to the 

 signal honour of the discoverer." 



But the Directors in Amsterdam were weary of Van 

 Diemen's brilliant policy. They had no interest in what 

 Sir Joseph Banks called " voyages of curiosity." Explora- 

 tion must lead to business, and Tasman had brought 

 home nothing save the cargoes with which he had sailed. 

 Why desire to reach beyond one's grasp ? The Company 

 already knew far more countries than it could possibly 

 trade with. Discoveries further afield would probably 

 end in the advantage of other more populous nations, 

 who would burn Dutch inscriptions, and gain a footing 

 in the Eastern world fatal to Dutch monopoly. 1 Directors 

 did not think Tasman's voyage worth comment ; and 

 they poured a deluge of cold water on the suggestion 

 of further exploration by more vigilant and courageous 

 men. " We cannot anticipate any great results from the 

 continuation of such discoveries, which entail further 

 expenditure from the Company, since they require more 

 yachts and sailors." Nor did the Managers think well 

 of the proposal to seek gold- and silver-mines. " Gold 

 and silver are not extracted from the earth without excessive 

 outlay, as some would seem to imagine. These plans 

 of Your Worships somewhat aim beyond our mark, the 

 gold- and silver-mines that will best serve the Company's 

 turn have already been found ; which we deem to be 

 our trade over the whole of India, and especially in Formosa 

 and Japan, if only God be graciously pleased to continue 

 the same to us." The Directors thought they could make 

 more money North than South ; and they were right. 



Van Diemen did not live to read this letter. He died 

 in April 1645. His schemes were never again undertaken. 



1 Cf. Temple, quoted by Major in Early Voyages, p. vi. "I have 

 heard it said among the Dutch that their East India Company have 

 long since forbidden, and under the greatest penalties, any further 

 attempts of discovering that continent, having already more trade 

 in those parts that they can turn to account, and fearing some more 

 populous nation in Europe might make great establishments of trade 

 in some of those unknown regions, which might ruin or impair what 

 they have already in the Indies." 



