166 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



stock, and cultivated at a joint expence ; the shipping, the 

 warehouses, the revenues of the custom-house, the produce 

 was all to be the property of the share-holders, and a dividend 

 commensurate with the annual profit was to be made. The 

 actual proprietors were to receive, in lieu of any indemnity or 

 purchase-money, a number of shares proportioned to their oc- 

 cupations : thus they would become interested, it was supposed, 

 in promoting the prosperity of the concern, and in raising its 

 dividends continually. About 1,882,000 florins were thus 

 raised and vested ; dividends, which never exceeded three of 

 four per cent, were made ; and at length the shares fell from 

 2000 to 200 florins, and were chiefly bought in by the set- 

 tlers, as titles requisite to the integrity of their property. 



A garrison of about 200 men was kept there before the 

 penultimate war ; but the colony, says the Abbe Raynal,. 

 was nevertheless scarcely in a condition to resist the crew of an 

 enterprising privateer. 



In Holland, the colony of Berbice is administered by seven 

 directors, who are chosen by and from among the share-hol- 

 ders. They receive a salary yearly of 200 florins; ajid give 

 in their accounts to an annual meeting of proprietors, who 

 name auditors. A secretary and two book-keepers suffice for 

 the business of the concern at Amsterdam. On the spot 

 things ai^ conducted much as in Surinam. 



