70 COFFEE. 



the trade of the East Indies. Prince John of Portugal led the 

 way, and securing a foothold in India, monopolized the trade for 

 nearly a century. Toward the close of the sixteenth century a 

 war between Spain, which had annexed Portugal, and England 

 forced the latter country to draw its Indian produce from the 

 Dutch. Lisbon, at that time, was the chief port of entry for the 

 rich merchandise of the Indies, but the revolt of the Netherlands 

 closed Lisbon to the Dutch, and forced them to find a direct pas- 

 sage to India. Between 1590 and 1600, as the result of that 

 move, those twin monopolies known as the East India Companies 

 of England and Holland were formed. 



On April 2, 1595, an Amsterdam corporation, known as a 

 " Company for Remote Parts," despatched four small vessels, via 

 the Cape of Good Hope, to the East Indies. Other companies 

 started at the same time, and finally, in 1602, the interests of the 

 different organizations were merged into one association, char- 

 tered by the States General, with the privilege granted of exclu- 

 sive control of trade to the East Indies for twenty-one years, with 

 the addition of all necessary civil and military power. Within 

 twenty years the enormous amount of 30,000,000 guilders ($12,- 

 000,000) was divided among the stockholders, who originally 

 paid in 6,500,000 guilders ($2,600,000) as capital. The company 

 also had great possessions in land, vessels, and war material. In 

 1623 the charter was renewed for a second term of twenty-one 

 years, and again in 1644, after which the company colonized the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and gained control of Ceylon and Formosa, 

 and other settlements of the Portuguese. In 1665 the payment of 

 a heavy sum secured a- new lease of power until 1700. From that 

 date the monopoly occupied the chief centres of trade, and virtu- 

 ally controlled the wealth of the Indies. A renewal of the char- 

 ter was secured in 1735, 1741, and in 1776 for a period of thirty 

 years. In 1781 pecuniary aid was required, as the resources of 

 the company had been depleted by wars and expenses incident to 

 maintaining its vast extent of territory and extended commerce. 



Upon the formation of the republic of Batavia, on September 

 15, 1795, the existence of the company ceased, and its affairs passed 

 under government control. In 1824 King William I. established a 

 new trading company, with a capital of over £3,000,000, the king 



