Inventory 3549
Surat · 1,022 pages · 183 segments · open at the Nationaal Archief ↗
English
to decide in a matter of so much importance; but to your Honour's complete satisfaction, we shall put the whole subject in order and convey to the Gentlemen Directors faithful copies of every paper that has been submitted, whose express orders we shall request for our governance, and until their Honours' decision shall have arrived we cannot permit any change to be made in the tolls collected up to now from your Honour's nation at Souratten, which we hope will appear to your Honour to be a fair and necessary step; we have the honour to be, (underneath:) Gentlemen, (lower:) Your Honour's humble and obedient servants, (was signed:) Wm. Hombi, Jn. Carnac, Dl. Draper, Henrij More, N. Stackhouse, Wm. Ashburner & Andrew Ramsay (in the margin: Bombay, the Castle, the 18th of December 1779, (underneath:) for translation, (signed:) Corns. van Citters Aarn.t son. Agreed, C. M. Wiardigh. f 5 Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, together with [illegible] Severe Sir, Gentlemen, trade books, the undersigned, outstanding, a short, found such, and late, secondly, [illegible] seven, 101:2:1: 2817:8:-, [illegible] 36:3:-, merchant, is paid, the Council, to the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 1, 2, 1, 3 BpC, oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] advantage, as much, [illegible] to 8 Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, together with [illegible] Severe Sir, Gentlemen, trade books, undersigned, outstanding, a short, found such, and late, secondly, [illegible] seven, 1014:2:8: f 28017:8:-, 36:3:-, the Council, to the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 2, 0, 3 8p, Fransz., [illegible] oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] disadvantage, as much, merchant, is paid, [illegible] No. 5 Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, together with [illegible] Severe Sir, Gentlemen, trade books, undersigned, found such, outstanding, a short, and late, secondly, [illegible] seven, 1014:2:8 f 2817:8:-, 36:3:-, the Council, to the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 110, 2, 3787, [illegible] oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] disadvantage, as much, merchant, is paid, [illegible] No. 6. Copy of dispatched letters to the foreign nations, from the 5th of January to the 27th of November, [illegible] seven, 1514:2:8 f 28017:8:-, merchant, found such, outstanding, a short, and late, secondly, trade books, undersigned, together with the Council, Severe Sir, Gentlemen, Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, to the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 1, 2, 3 BpC, Anno 1779, oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] disadvantage, as much, is paid, [illegible] f 36:3:-. f No. 5. Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, Severe Sir, Gentlemen, trade books, 514:24:8 f 28017:8:-, the Council, together with, to the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 2, Willem Jacob van de Graaff, 378p, undersigned, found such, outstanding, a short, and late, secondly, [illegible] seven, 36:3:-, oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] disadvantage, as much, merchant, is, 608 N3 329 3 78 Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Councillor Extraordinary of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, together with the Council, Severe Sir, Gentlemen, trade books, undersigned, found such, outstanding, a short, and late, secondly, [illegible] seven, 1514:2:8 f 28017:8:-, [illegible] 36:3:-, merchant. Pursuant to my letter written on the 1st instant, in reply to your Honour's much esteemed letter of that same day, I have issued the strictest orders, Sir, to investigate whether one Abraham Green, mentioned in your Honour's letter, might be on board one of the ships of the Dutch Company, with instructions, both to the gentlemen appointed by me to this commission and to the ship's officers, that if he, Abraham Green, were found there, to send him immediately ashore, in order to be able to make the necessary investigation concerning him. Honourable Sir. To the Honourable Mr Rawson Hart Boddam, Esquire, Chief on behalf of the affairs of the Honourable English East India Company, as well as Governor of the Mogul's Castle & fleet, at Souratta. To the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Sir, 1, 2, oaths, aforementioned, [illegible] disadvantage, as much, is, to make. The aforesaid Gentlemen Commissioners have reported to me upon their return that they mustered all the crew on board our ships, and that, moreover, together with the ship's officers, they conducted an investigation with all emphasis and as thoroughly as possible to discover whether the said Abraham Green might be on our aforesaid ships, but that this man was not found there; and this same report I have also received from the ship's officers. Concerning the detail that an English officer was said to have been on board the ships of our Company to reclaim the often-mentioned Abraham Green, I had in haste forgotten to instruct the aforesaid Gentlemen Commissioners, but upon their return I asked them about it, and they informed me that they had heard nothing of it on board our ships. Following upon my aforesaid letter, I did not wish to fail, Sir, to make this communication to your Honour, since the mutual desertion of men could sometimes, even through inadvertence, give cause to some f 5
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om te decideeren in een saak van soo veel aangelegentheijd dog tot uwel Ed:ns volkome voldoeninge, sullen we 't gansche onderwerp, in ordre stellen en de Heeren Directeurs getrouwe Copijen van ieder papier dat ingegeven is overdraegen & welke is uijtdrukkelijke ordres wij tot ons bestiering sullen versoeken, en tot zoo lange haar Ed:e uijtspraak sal sijn gekomen kunnen we niet toestaan dat er eenige verandering soude wor „den gemaakt in de verhollen tot nu toe van uwelEd: Na „tie te souratten ingenaemeld, het welke wij hoopen uwel Ed: sal toeschijnen een regtvaerdige en Nodige stap te sijn, wij hebbende Eer te sijn /:onderstond:/ mijne Heeren, /:lager:/ uwelEdm onderdeenige en gehoorsaeme Dieneeren /:was geteekent:/ W:m Hombi dn. Carnac, D:l: Draper, Henrij More, N: Staekhouse, Wm. Hehburner & Andrew Ramsaij (in margine Bombaij 't Casteel den 18e December 1779, (onder stond:/ voor de verteeling /:geteekent:/ Corn:s van Citters Aarn:t zoon Accordeerd C: M Wiardigh ƒ 5 Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebie der deeser Directie Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Benevens Gestrenge Heer Heeren. Negotie Boeken neter geteekenden Openstaande Een korte vonden zoodanige en laat, Teweeden. mansz: r op zeeven 101:2:1:2817: 8:- op or„ . . . „ 36:3:—. koopman bet, is. Den Raad Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 1 3 BpC eden vormeld sing Vardeele zoo veel Vert te 8 Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deesr Directie Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Benevens Gestrenge Heer Heeren. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden Openstaande Ven Korte vonden zoodanige en laat, Teweeden. r. op zeeven 1014: 2:8:ƒ28017:8:— . - - . „ 36:3:—. Den Raad Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 0 3 8p Fransz: op or= eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet, is. Verter No. 5 Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder deeser Directie Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Benevens Gestrenge Heer Heeren. Negotie Boeken neter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Ven Korte en laat, Teweeden. p. op zeeven 1014:2:8ƒ2817:8:— . „ 36:3:—. Den Raad Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 110 2 3787 mansz: op or= eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet, is. Verte No. 6. Copia afgegaane Brieven aan de Vreemde Natien zeederd den 5„e Ianuarij tot den 27„e November Fransz: op or= r op zeeven 1514:2:8ƒ28017:8:— koopman vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden! Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer eeren: Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India„ mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deeser Drectie Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 3 BpC A=o 1779:—. eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel bet, is. Vert ƒ . . - . „ 36:3:—. ƒ No 5. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder de esr Directie Gestrenge Heer Heeren. Negotie Boeken 514:24:8ƒ28017:8:— Den Raad Benevens Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 Willem Jacob van de Graaff. 378p neter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Ven Korte en laat, Teweeden. Fransz: op or„ p. op zeeven . . . „ 36:3:—. eden vormeld sing da deele zoo veel koopman i S. 608 N3 329 3 78 Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deeser Directie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeren: Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Ven Korte en laat, Teweeden. mransz: zeeven 1514: 2: 8„ƒ28017:8:- r. op op or= . - . „ 36:3:—. opman Ik heb ingevolge mijn brieff van den 1e: deeser geschreeven, in antwoord van uwel Edele veel g'eerde van dien zelfden dag de strengste beveelen gesteldt, Mijn Heer, om te onderzoeken, off eenen Abraham, green, bij uwel dele brieff vermeld, zig aan boord van een der Scheepen van de Nederlandse Compe: mogte bevinden, met last, beijde aan de Heeren door mij tot deese Commissie benoemd, en aan de scheepsoverheeden, om hem Abraham Green, indien hij daar gevonden wierd, daede„ lijk aan de wal te Zenden, ten eijnde het nodige ondersoek hem aangaande te kunnen wel Edele Ee Heer. Aan den wel Edelen Heer Rawson Wart Boddam schildknaap, opperhoofd van weegenz „oost Indische de zaeken der Edele Engelse „ Com„ „pagnie mitsgaeders Gouverneur van 't Mogols Casteel & vloot, te souratta doen Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel S. Ver toe doen. de voorsz. Heeren G'Committeerdens hebben mij met hun te rug komst gerapporteerd, datse aan boord van onse Scheepen al het volk hebben gemonsterdt en datse boven dien te saemen met de scheeps overhee¬ „den, met alle naedruk en zoo veel mogelijk, hebben ondersoek gedaan, ter ontdekking off gem: Abraham green op voorsz: onse schepen mogten sijn, dog dat deese man zig aldaar niet heeft bevonden; en dit Selfde Rapport, heb ik ook van de Scheeps over¬ „heeden, ontvangen, op de besonderheijt dat een Engels officier op de scheepen van oude Compe, zou¬ de zijn aan boord geweest om meerm: Abraham green te reclameeren, heb ik in der haast vergee„ „ten voorsz: Heeren g'committeerden te instru„ „eeren dog bij hun terugkomst heb ik hun daarna gevraagt en zo hebben mij bericht, datse aan boort van onse scheepen daar van niets hadden vernoomen. — Ik heb ten vervolge van voorsz: mijn brieff niet willen afsijn, Mijn Haer, om uwel Edele deese Communicatie te doen, dan wijl het weder¬ „sijte overloopen van het volk zomtijds selfs bij inadvertentie, oorsaak geeven konde tot Eenig ƒ 5
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330. 378 any displeasure, which I have carefully sought to avoid from my first arrival at Souratta, as I shall also continually seek in the future to prevent everything that could in the very least give cause thereto, I seize this opportunity all the more eagerly to propose to Your Honour whether Your Honour, in consideration of the close ties between the Kingdoms of Great Britain and the Dutch Republic, as well as the good and undisturbed friendship of our mutual sovereigns, could not approve the renewal of the Cartel that was made between both our Companies on 10 November 1760 with respect to Deserters. The ease of being able to Desert does not fail to greatly influence the necessary discipline among the common men, and the renewal of this mutual Convention would moreover prevent all misunderstandings on this matter, which have already frequently given rise to more or less unpleasant investigations. My sincere 36:3:—. 314:2:. 8f ƒ 228017:8:—. seven Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Together with The Council Strict Lord Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of Dutch India as well as Director and Head Commander of this Directorate desire To the Right Honourable, Respected, Strict Lord 0 2 Fransz: [illegible] loss so much merchant it is. Turn desire, Sir, to maintain and to increase more and more the good harmony between both our Nations, and our mutual friendship in particular, causes me to make the proposal thereto to Your Honour with all the more eagerness, and I shall be very pleased if Your Honour can find it good to accept the same. I have the honour to be, below was written, Honourable Sir, lower, Your Honour's Obedient and humble Servant, was signed, W: J: v: d: Graaff, in the margin, Souratta the 5th of January 1739. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honourable English Company, and Governor of the Mogol's Castle and fleet, together with The Council. Gentlemen, On the 5th of October we had the honour to 331. 378 confer with Your Honours concerning the right of the Honourable Dutch Company to have its Goods, for which the customary customs duty of 2½ per cent has been paid upon import at Souratta, subsequently transported at discretion throughout the entire Mogol Empire without paying any further customs duty for the same; and as the sailing season is passing more and more, we hereby most kindly request Your Honours to be pleased to favor us as promptly as possible with the reply promised to us by Your Honours in your esteemed letter of the 13th of October last. We furthermore very kindly request Your Honours' permission for the following two items: 1st: to have three masonry water reservoirs made on our wharf, as a necessary precaution against Fire, in order to have the water ready in the necessary places for extinguishing the same. 2nd: to allow the place where we are accustomed to store our powder, and which is currently once again in such poor condition that we reasonably fear accidents, 36:3:—. 614:24: 8 ƒ 228017:8:-. seven Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Together with The Council Strict Lord Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of Dutch India as well as Director and Head Commander of this Directorate to To the Right Honourable, Respected, Strict Lord 2 2 0 Fransz: [illegible] loss so much merchant it is. Turn to to be repaired, in accordance with what was written on this subject by the Right Honourable Governor and Council of Bombay in their esteemed letter of the 25th of January 1765. We are with the most perfect High Esteem, below was written, Gentlemen, lower, Your Honours' Very obedient and humble Servants, was signed, W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijcken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters Arentsz:, C: Weijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: Wiardi, and W: H: van Bijland, in the margin, Souratta the 13th of January 1779. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam, Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honourable English Company and Governor of the Mogol's Castle and fleet; together with The Council. Gentlemen, We have received the letter which Your Honours did us the honour to write on the 18th of this month. In satisfaction of the requisition made therein, we have
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330. 378 eenig ongenoegen, het geen ik van mijn Eerste komest aff te souratta te Lauratta Zorgvuldig heb soeken te mijden, zoo als ik ook bij voortgang steeden sal soe„ „ken te voorkoomen alles wat in 't allerminst daartoe aanleijding geeven kan, neem ik te greetiger deese geleegentheijd waar, om uwel Edele voor te stellen off uwel Edele in Consideratie van de nauwe verbinte¬ „nissen tusschen de Rijken van Groot Brittanien en de Nederlandse Republicq, mitsgaders de goede en ongestoorde vriendschap onser wedersijdse sonve¬ „raine niet zoude kunnen goetvinden om te vernieuwen het Cartel dat den 10 November a:o 1760 tusschen onse beijde Compagnien met opsigt oprigt op de Deserteurs gemaakt is. - De gemakkelijkheijd van te kunnen Desertee¬ „ren laat niet nae, zeer te influeeren op de nodige dicipline onder de gemeene Man en het vernieuwen van deese mutueele Con„ ventie zoude booven dien voorkoomen alle misverstanden op dit stuk dat al menigmaal tot min off meer onaangenoeme onderzoeken, aanleijding gegeven heeft „ Mijn opregt - - - „ 36:3:—. 314:2:. 8f ƒ 228017:8:—. zeeven Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer E Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deesr Directie verlangen Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 Fransz: op or= pr op eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel pman bet is. Verte verlangen, Mijn Heer, om te doen voortduuren, en meer en meer te doen toeneemen de goede harmonie tusschen onse beijde Natien, en onse onderlingen vrient„ „schap in het besonder, doet mij uwel Edele met des te meer Empressement het voorstel daartoe doen, en ik zal zeer verheugt zijn indien uwel Edele kan goetvinden het zelve aan te neemen Ijk heb d' Eer van te sijn /:onder stond:/ wel dele Heer /:Lager:/ uwel Edele Gehoorsaeme en ootmoe„ „dige Dienaar /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff /:in margine:/ Souratta den 5:e Januarij 1739. Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Schild¬ „knaap, Creff van weegens de Eedele Engelse Compagnie, en Gouverneur van 't Mogols Casteel & vloot benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren Den 5e: october hebben we de Eere gehaduwel Edelens 5 te 331. 378 te onderhouden over het regt van de Edele Nederlands Compt. om haere Goederen, waar voor bij invoer te souratta: de gewoone Chol van 2½ p:r C=to voldaan is, vervolgens naer goedvinden te doen vervoeren door het geheele Mogolse Rijk zonder daar voor Eenige verdere Chol te betaelen, en wijl de vaarbae„ „re tijd meer en meer verloopt versoeken wij uwel„ Edelens door deesen op het vriendelijkst om ons soo spoedig het kan geschieden te willen begun„ „stigen, met het antwoord ons door uw Edelens daarop toegezegt bij derselver veel g'agte brieff van den 13:e octoober Jongstleeden. — Nog versoeken we uw Edelens zeer vriendelijk verloff tot de twee volgende articulen — v: om op onse werff te laeten maeken drie gemet„ „zelde waeterbakken, als eeen noodzaekelijke voorsorge teegens Brand, ten eijnde het waeter op de Noodige plaatsen tot het blussen daar van gereed te hebben. - 2:e om de plaats daar we gewoon sijn ons kruijt te bergen, en welke thans weederom soo slegt is dat we met reeden voor ongelukken bedugt sijn, - - - . „ 36:3:—. 614:24: 8 ƒ 228017:8:-. zeeven Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebie der deeser Directie te Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 2 O mransz: op or= r op den vormeld sing a deele zoo veel koopman get is. Ver toe te laeten verhelpen, overeenkomstig met het op dit onder„ „werp geschreevene door den Edelen Agtb:e Heer Gouver„ „neur en Raad van Bombaij bij derzelver heer G'eerde brieff van den 25e: Januarij 1765 wij syn met de volkoomenste Hoogagting /:onder stond:/ mijne Hee„ „ren /:Lager:/ uwel Edelen Zeer gehoorzaame, en ootmoe„ „dige Dienaeren, /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: sluijckenr, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters derntz: C: Weijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: wiardi en W: H: van Bijland, /:in margine:/ Souratta den 13:' Januarij 1779 - Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam, Schild¬ „knoop, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelse Compe: & gouverneur van D: '1 mogols Casteel & vloot; — benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren wij hebben ontvangende brieff die uwel Edelens ons den 18e: deeser de Eere aangedaan hebben te Schrijven Jn voldoeninge van het daar bij gedaene Requisiet E hebben 5
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332 378p we have the pleasure to inform Your Honors that all the water basins, reservoirs, which serve to preserve water against fire, consist of two units, one next to each of our wells, with a small basin close to each for inserting the hose of the fire engine. These reservoirs have the following dimensions: the reservoir by the large well is 45 feet long, 7½ feet wide, and 5 feet deep; the small one next to it is 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet deep; and that by the small water well is 36 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 5 feet deep; and the small one next to it is 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4½ feet deep. Both of these water basins certainly contain enough water not to be immediately at a loss in time of fire, but given the situation of the buildings in our yard, the fire engines, when positioned next to these water basins in order to be easily filled from them, cannot bring the water to all the places in the yard. And it is on account of this defect that we, by our letter of the 13th of this month, requested Your Honors for permission to construct three more small water basins, namely: One West-by-South of our aforesaid large water well, at a distance of 15 to 16 rods from the same, 6 feet long and 6 feet wide; One South-by-West of the same water well, at a distance of 14 to 15 rods, 8 feet long and 4 to 4½ feet wide; One South-East of the same water well, at a distance of 11 to 12 rods, 8 feet long and 4 feet wide; all more or less 5 feet deep according to what works out best with the height of the ground and the water level. We are very sensible, Gentlemen, of Your Honors' kind assurance to always wish to provide us with all possible conveniences, and we thank Your Honors for this hereby. We do this in particular for the promise made to us to have the necessary inspection carried out regarding the requisite repairs to the place where we are accustomed to store our gunpowder, and very kindly request that this may take place as soon as possible, so that it can be completed before the rainy season. We remain with complete respect, was subscribed: Gentlemen, lower: Your Honors' obedient and humble servants, was signed: J. v. d. Graaff, A. d. Sluijsken, J. v. d. Heijden, Corn. v. Citters Aarntz., C. Heijdeman, W. L. Pontag, E. N. Wiardi, E. W. H. v. Bijland. In the margin: Surat, the 22nd of January 1739. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam, Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honorable English Company and Governor of the Mughal's Castle and Fleet, together with the Council. Gentlemen, We have received the letter that Your Honors did us the honor to write on the 27th of January, in which Your Honors state that you cannot judge regarding the small water tanks or water basins for which we made a request in our letter of the 13th preceding, unless we transmit to Your Honors the required plans mentioned in Your Honors' letter of the 18th of the same month. We are somewhat uncertain, Gentlemen, whether we properly grasp Your Honors' meaning in this matter. We can hardly think that Your Honors, for a better assessment of this case, merely desire small ground plans of the aforesaid water basins from us; for although, as a matter of course, we did not mention the thickness of the masonry, it is nevertheless abundantly known that in order to withstand the weight of a column of 5 to 6 feet of water, a wall of 1 or at most 1½ feet in thickness, especially for such small water basins, is fully sufficient. And there is certainly no reason in the world to be conceived why or to what end we would incur useless expenses in works like these to make them thicker. For the rest, a rectangle or square is just as well and fully known from the specification of the length and breadth that we provided in our mentioned letter of the 22nd of January, as from the most precise drawings that could possibly be made of the ground plan thereof. Such a
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332 378p hebben wij het vermaak uwEdelens te informeeren, dat alle de waeter bakken /:reservooirs. /. welke dienen om het waeter te bewaeren teegen brand, bestaan in twee stux naast ieder van onse putten een, met een kleijne bakdigte bij ieder tot het inleggen van de Plang der Brandspuijt, deese reservoirs hebben de volgende moeten, het reservoir bij de groote put is lang 45 breet 7½ en diep 5 voeten de kleijne daar naast is lang 5 breet 3 en diep 4 voeten, en dat bij de kleijne waeterput is lang 36 breet 12 en diep 5 voeter en het kleijne daar naast is lang 6 breet 6en diep 4½ voeten deeze beijde waeterbakken be„ vatten wel soo veel waeter om in tijd van brand niet inmediaat verleegen te sijn dog mits de Situatie van de gebouwen op onze werff kunnen de brandspuijten alse staan naast deeze waeterbakken, ten eijnde uijt deselve met gemak te kunnen worden gevuld, het waeter niet bren„ „gen op alle de plaatsen van de werff, en het is uijt hoofde van dit gebrek, dat we uwel Edelens bij onsen brieff van den 13:e deeser hebben ver„ „sogt om verloff tot het aanmaeken van nog drie kleijne waeterbakken, te weeten - koopman fet is. - - . „ 36:3:—. 614: 24. r8ƒ 228017:8:–. zeeven Negotie Boeken ondergeteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder deeser Directie Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 Fransz: op or= r op eden vormeld ing Nadeele zoo veel Ver te Een Een w: t: Z: van voorsz: onse groote waeterput op een afstand van 15 á 16 roeden van deselve lang 6 voeten en breed 6 vaer Een Z: t: W: van deselve waeterput op een afstand van 14 a 15. roeden, lang 8 voeten en breed 4 â 4½ voeten Een Z: O: van deselve waeterput op een afstand van 11a 12 hoeden lang 8 voeten en breed 4 voeten, alle min off meer 5 voeten diep nae dat sulx met de hoogte van de grond, en het waterpas best uijtkoomt.— wij sijn saer gevoelig, Mijne Heeren, aan uw Edelen vriendelijke verzeekering, om ons steeds alle mogelijke gerieffelijkheeden te willen besorgen, # en bedanken uwel Edelens daar voor door deesen wij doen dit in het besonder voor de aan ons gedaene toezegging van het nodige ondersoek te zullen laeten doen nopens de Noodzaekelijke verhelpingen aan de plaats daar we gewoon zijn ons Buskruijt te bergen, en versoeken zeer vriendelijk dat dit soo dra mogelijk geschieden mag op dat het nog voor die Rager tijd kan worden afgedaan; wij sijn met de volmaakte agting /:onderstond:/ Wijne Heeren /:Lager:/ uwel Ede„ „lens gehoorsaeme en ootmoedige Dienaeren was ƒ 5. 333 378 /:was geteekent:/ : J: v: d: Graaff, A: d: Sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, Corn: v. Citters aarntz: C: Heijdeman, W: L: Pontag, E: N: wiardi, E W: H: v: Bijland, /:in margine:/ Souratta den 22:e Januarij 1739— Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Schildknaap, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelse Comp:e en Gouverneur van 's Mogols Casteel & vloot Benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren Twe hebben ontvangen de brieff die uw Edelens ons den 27e. Januarij de Eere aangedaan hebben te schrijven en waar bij uwEdelens betuijgen niet te kunnen oordee„ „len over de kleijne waeter tangen off water bakken, waar toe wij versoek gedaan hebben bij onsen brieff koopman - - - . „ 36:3:—. 114:2:8:ƒ28817:8:—. reeven fransz: Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebie der deeser Directie van Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 aftand Edelen de¬ zoo veel Nadeele sing vormeld eden pr op op or= iT. Verte van den 13e daar te vooren, ten zij wij aan uwEdelens laeten toekoomen, de verEijschte plans vermeld bij uw dele brieff van den 18:e derselver maand, – wij sijn eeniger maeten onzeeker, Mijne Heeren, off wij uwr Edelens meening in deesen wel vatten; - wij kunnen qualijk denken dat uwEdelens ter betere beoordeeling deezer zaak, Enkelde kleijne platte gronden van de voorsz waeterbakken van ons begeeren, want Schoon we als een Zaak die van zelve spreekt niet gemelt hebben de dikte van het metzelwerk, is het niet te min te over bekent, dat om het gewigt van een Colom van 5 â 6 voeten wae „ter te kunnen weederstaan een muur van 1 off ten hoogsten 1½ voet dikte, inzonderheijd voor zulke kleijne waeter bakken, volkoomen in staat is, en daar is zeekerlijk geen reeden ter weereld uijt te denken, waarom off tot wat eijnde, wij in werken als deeze vergeefse kosten souden willen doen om die dikker te maeken, voor het overige word een vierkont off ruijt uijt de bepaeling van de lengte en breete, die wij bij gemelde onsen brieff van den 22e Januarij daar van opgegeven hebben eeven zoo goet en volkomen gekent, als uijt de aller Nauw¬ keurigste afteekeningen die van de platte grond daar van bij mogelijkheijd te maeken is Zulk No. 5. een
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334. 3 78 a fruitless task, Gentlemen, we think, that Your Honours would not demand of us. For that reason, we would be much inclined to believe that Your Honours' true intention is to have plans with profiles of these small water cisterns, in which all particulars are indicated accurately and piece by piece, but because of the pettiness of the work we are almost certain that this too cannot be the true meaning of Your Honours' requisition, - if we are nevertheless mistaken therein, and Your Honours do indeed demand such elaborate drawings from us, then we must request permission to observe that the providing of such plans has never hitherto been demanded of us, and that besides we also have no one who could perform this; - we are nonetheless very prepared, Gentlemen, to have proper indication given of the location and placement of the three water cisterns in question, if Your Honours should think fit to send an Engineer to our yard for that purpose, but we imagine that upon further reflection Your Honours yourselves will find that such petty matters as these are very easy to judge, solely from the - - -. 36:3:—. 1014:2:8 f 28017:8:— seven Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Severe Lord Together with And The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Head Commander of this Directorate description. To the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Lord 1 2 mansz: by order from on today aforesaid ing Disadvantage so much merchant is. Further to description that we have given of them. We had very much hoped, Gentlemen, that the taking of precautions that are so reasonable and proper, and which instead of being opposed, rather deserved to be encouraged, would not have encountered such great difficulties, but above all we must complain that so very simple a request as the construction of the aforesaid three small water cisterns appears to have given cause that by Your Honours' order the execution of various ongoing daily repairs to the different buildings in our yard are hindered, such as, among others, the repairing of a leak in the house occupied by our Fiscal, the plastering of an old water well which without that assistance is about to collapse, and the placing of a wooden partition on the outside of a small house occupied by a clerk, and that instead of a piece of wall that previously stood there, which we had to have removed to prevent its collapse. We very kindly request Your Honours to have this given order 5 335 378 lifted, so that we may proceed unhindered with the aforesaid repairs, the more so as the materials already brought in readiness for that purpose are lying there spoiling. We furthermore repeat our request to have examined, as soon as it can be done, the repairs that are necessary at the place where we are accustomed to store our powder. The Lord City Governor has demanded of us, on account of the Honourable English Company, a sum of Rop: 1072:-:-, for that which he says Your Honours claim should still be paid for Tolls on the exported goods in the years 1768, 68 & 69. We do recall, Gentlemen, that in the aforesaid years there was some dispute over the valuation of the goods exported for the account of the Honourable Dutch Company, because the appraisers had estimated them higher than the true purchase cost stated for them, and according to which the toll was paid, but the Lord City Governor, to whom we showed this erroneous valuation, has since considered himself satisfied with the paid tolls on the true purchase cost; - - - - 36:3:—. 314:24:8 f 228017:8:- seven from on Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Severe Lord Together with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Head Commander of this Directorate cost; To the Right Honourable, Worshipful, Severe Lord 2 mansz: by order today aforesaid ing To the disadvantage so much merchant 6 egi Further And is. neither did we know any better until now than that the aforesaid disputes were settled thereby, and we accordingly very kindly request Your Honours to inform us of the truth of this matter; we remain with the utmost respect, underneath stood: Gentlemen, lower: Your Honours' humble and obedient Servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluysken, J: van der Sleijden, C: van Citteren Aarnoutsz:, - - - - - - in the margin: Surat, the 8th of February Anno 1739. - - - - - - -, E: N: Wiardi, - - - - - - - - To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honourable English Company and Governor of the Mughal's Castle & fleet— Together with The Council Gentlemen. We have received the letter that Your Honours did us the honour to write on the 9th of this month, and No. 5 2
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334. 3 78 een onvrugtbaar werk, mijne Heeren, denken we, dat uw Edelens van ons niet vergen. we zouden uijt dien hoofde zeer geneijgt zijn te geloven, dat uw Edelens waere meening is, om van deese kleijne waeter bakken te hebben plans met profils, waar bij alle de besonder„ heeden Naeuwkeurig en stuk voor stuk aangeweesen sijn, dog om de geringheijd van het werk houden we ons bijnae verzeekert, dat ook dit den waeren zin van uw Edelens requisiet niet sijn kan, - indien we ons nogtans daarin vergissen, en dat uwel Edelens met er daat zulke uijtgewerkte afteekeningen van ons verlangen, dan moeten we verloff verzoeken van aan te merken, dat ons het geeven van zulke plans tot nog toe nooijt is gevergt, en dat we buijten dien ook niemant hebben, die dit zoude kunnen ver„ „rigten;- we zijn niet te min zeer bereijd, mijne Heeren, om van de gelegentheijd, en plaatsing der in questie sijnde drie waeterbakken, behoorlijke aanwijsing te laeten doen, in dien uw Edelens mog¬ „ten goedvinden om ten dien Eijnde een Jngenieu op onse werff te senden, dog we verbeelden ons dat uw Edelens bij nadere overdenking zelve zullen bevinden dat zoo gezinge zaeken als deeze heel gemakkelijk te beoordeelen zijn, alleen uijt de - - -. „ 36:3:—. 1014:2:8ƒ28017:8:— zeeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens E Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deeser Directie beschrijvig. Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 mansz: op or= v. op eden vormeld ing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Ve te beschrijving die we daar van gedaan hebben, wij hadden zeer gehoopt, mijne Heeren, dat het neemen van voorsorgen die Zoo reedelijk en betaemmelijk sijn en die in steede van teegen gegaan, veel Eerder verdienden te worden aangemoedigt, geen zoo groote zwaerigheeden souden hebben ontma maar boven al moeten we ons beklaegen, dat een zoo seer eenvoudig versoek als is het aanmaeken van voorsz: drie kleijne waeterbakken, schijnt¬ aanleijding gegeven te hebben, dat door uwEdelens ordre belet worden, de volvoeringe van verscheij¬ „de onder handen Sijnde Daegelijkse reparatien aan de differente gebouwen op onse werff, als onder anderen, het verhelpen van een lek in het huijs dat door onsen fiscaal word bewoond het pleijsteren van een oude waeter put die zonder dat behulp staat in te vallen, en het setten van een houte beschot aan de buijten kant van een kleijn huijsje dat door een pennist bewoond word, en zulx in steede van een stuk muur, dat daar eertijds gestaan heeft, en we hebben moeten doen wegnemen om het in„ vallen daar van te voorkoomen, we versoeken uw Edelens Zeer vriendelijk om deese gegevene ordre 5 335 378 ordre te willen doen opheffen, op dat we onverhindert met de voorsz: verhelpingen kunnen doen voortgaan„ te meer wijl de daar toe bereeds in gereedheijd ge„ bragte materiaelen leggen te bederven. wij herhaelen voorts ons versoek om soo spoedig als G het geschieden kan, te willen doen Examineeren de verhelpingen die nodig sijn aan de plaats daar we gewoon syn ons kruijt te doen bergen De Heer Stads Gouverneur heeft ons voor Reekening van de Edele Engelsche Compe: doen afvraegen eene Somma van Rop: 1072:-:, voor het geene hij zegt, dat uwEdelens bewaeren, dat nog soude moeten worden betaald voor Thollen van de uijtgevoerde Goede„ ren in de Jaeren 1768. 68 & 69. wij herinneren ons wel, mijne Heeren, dat er in de voorsz: Jaeren eenig verschil geweest is, over de taxatie der goe„ „deren die voor Reekening van de Edele Nederland„ „se Comp:e zijn uijtgevoerd, doordien de texateurs de zelven hoger hadden geschat dan het waere inkoops kostende dat daar voor is opgegeven, en volgens welke de thol is betaald, dog de Heer stads gouverneur die me deese abusieve taxa„ tie hebben doen zien, heeft zig tzeedert met de betaalde hollen op het waere inkoops kos¬ - - - - „ 36:3:—. 314:24: 8ƒ228017:8:- reeven v. op Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder de ebr Drectie „tende Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 nansz: op or= eden vormeld sing Na deele zoo veel koopman 6 egi Ver G iS. „tende voldaan gehouden, ook hebben we tot hier toe niet beeter geweeten off voorsz: geschillen waeren daar meede afgedaan, en we versoeken uwrdebens dien„ „volgens Zeer vriendelijk ons te willen onderrigten wat hier van zij; wij sijn met de volkomens te agting /:onderstond:/ mijne Heeren, /:lager:/ wel Edelens onderdaenige en gehoorsaeme Dienaeren /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsker, J: van der sleijden, C: van Citteren aarn=tsz:, - - - - - - /:in margine:/ Souratta den 8:' februarij A:o 1739. - - – - – – –, E: N: wiardi, – - - - - - - _ -„ Aan den Heer Rawson Wart Boddan Schildknaap, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelse Comp: en Gouverneur van P Mogols Casteel & vloot— Benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren. we hebben ontvangen de brieff, die uw Edelens den 9e: deeser ons de Eere aangedaan hebben te schrijven en No. 5 2
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336 378 and whereby Your Honors are so good as to inform us that Your Honors have received reports of a very abominable conspiracy to the detriment of this city and its inhabitants; we thank Your Honors for this hereby, Gentlemen, and do so with all the more cordiality because of the very friendly motives that have moved Your Honors to communicate this to us. On our part, the necessary investigation was immediately conducted, Gentlemen, to discover whether we might be in a position to convey some further reports regarding this to Your Honors, but we have discovered nothing of the kind whatsoever. If anything of this should come to our knowledge in the future, we shall not fail to impart it to Your Honors at once. At the first occurring opportunity, we shall inform our superiors of what has been communicated to us by Your Honors concerning the aforementioned most abominable conspiracy, and since the interest of our Company, as well as our own safety, are so deeply involved therein, Your Honors will oblige us, Gentlemen, by kindly sharing with us in due time whatever further information Your Honors might deem convenient and necessary for our guidance; we are, with the most complete respect, underneath stood, Gentlemen, lower, Your Honors' humble and obedient servants, was signed, W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters Aarntsz:, C: Eijdeman, W: L: Pontag, E: N: Wiardi, and W: H: v: Bijland, in margin, Souratta the 16th of February Anno 1739. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honorable English Company, and Governor of the Mogul Castle and Fleet, Together with The Council Gentlemen, We have received the letter that Your Honors did us the honor to write to us on the 13th of this month; also Your Honors' Engineer, Captain Nicholson, has since been to our shipyard to inspect the place in which we store our gunpowder, and the location of the places where we intend to have the water cisterns made, as mentioned in our letters of the 13th and 22nd of January and 8th of February last; we do not doubt that the report his Honor has made to Your Honors thereof will correspond perfectly with the description given of it by us, and we very kindly request that Your Honors send us your resolutions thereon as soon as possible. And as proof of the right of the Honorable Dutch Company that we claimed in our letter of the 5th of October 1778, we send enclosed herewith, pursuant to and in compliance with Your Honors' desire, Gentlemen, a copy of a firman granted by King Jehan Daar-sja for the benefit of the Honorable Company to Mr. Joan Josua Keetelaar in the year 1712, in which it states, among other things: It was submitted to the King that the Dutch brought cloth and other goods with their ships to some coastal places in Hindoustan, and in turn traded indigo, textiles, saltpetre, and other merchandise, both in Agra and other places, and transported them to Souratta; thus they also lived in hope that the King's order might be given that, after the customs duty has been taken, which has been established from ancient times in Souratta at 2½ per cent, no one shall be permitted to trouble them according to that custom for anything more in Souratta and Brootchia, but that they shall remain licensed to sell their goods to whatever merchant they desire, and to transport them to whatever places they are inclined, likewise that they may purchase goods from whomever they wish, and also to be permitted to employ in their service such broker as they themselves desire at will, while no one shall be permitted to intrude into their interests without consent. These requests are all granted by His Majesty's favor, therefore the King orders that no one shall trouble them in the abovementioned matters. No. 5
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336 378 en waarbij uwEdelens zoo goet syn ons kennis te geven dat bij uwEdelens ontvangen zijn, berigten van, een zeer gruwelijke Zaemen Zweering ten naedeele van deeze stad en derzelver inwoonderen; — wij bedanken uw Edelens daarvoor door deesen, mijne Heeren, en doen dit met te meer hartelijkheijd, om de wille der Zeer vriende„ „lijke motiven die uw Edelens hebben bewoogen om ons daar van Communicatie te doen. — Bij ons is aanstonds het nodige onderzoek gedaan, Mijne Heeren, ter ontwaeringe off we in staat sou„ den kunnen Sijn, uwEdelens dien aangaande eenige nadere berichten te doen toekoomen, dog we heb„ „ben niets daar van, hoe genaamt, ontdekt. - Zoo daar van in 't vervolg iets tot onse kennisse koo„ „men mogt, zullen we niet naelaeten om het uw Edelens aanstonds te bedeelen. — Bij de Eerst voorkoomende gelegentheijd zullen we onse superieuren kennis geven van het geen ons door uw Edelens van de voorsz: aller verfoeijelijk„ „ste zaemenzweering is bedeeld, en dewijl het belang onser Comp:, zoo wel als onse Eijge veij„ „ligheijd daar bij zoo diep betrokken sijn, zul„ „len uwrEdelens ons verpligten, Mijne Heeren, met ons in der tijd te willen meede deelen het geen„ uwEdelens dienaangaande verder tot ons naarigt - - - - „ 36: 3:—. 1014:2:8ƒ28017: 8:— zeeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens E Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Tebie der deeser Directie zullen Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer d 2 nansz: op or= r. op den oormeld sing Virdeele zoo veel koopman get is. te zullen gevoegelijk en nodig agter; - wij sijn met de volkomenste agting /:onder stond:/ Mijne Heeren, /:Laeger/ uwel Edelens onderdaenige en gehoorsaeme Dienaeren /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: sluijsken, J: V: d: Heijden, C: V: Citters Aarntsz: C: eij „deman, W: L: Pontag, E: N: wiardi, e W: H: v: Bijland, /:in margin:/ Souratta den 16:e februarij A:o 1739. Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Schildknaap, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelsche Comp:, en Gouver¬ neur van 't mogols Casteel en Benevens vloot Den Raad ^ Mijne Heeren wy hebben ontvangen, de brieff die uwEdelens ons den 13e: deeser, de eere aangedaan hebben te Schrijven, ook is uwEdelens Ingeniem de Heer Mijne Heeren Captn 5. 337 378 Capitain Nicholson Zeedert op onse werff geweest, om te besigtigen de plaats waar in we ons kruijt bergen, en de gelegentheijd der plaatsen waar we voornemens zijn te laeten maeken de waeter„ „bakken vermeld bij onse brieven van den 13:e &n 22„e Ja„ „nuarij en 8:e februarij Jongst leeden; - wij twijff 2 „selen niet of het bericht dat sijn Ed: uw Edelens daar van heeft gedaan, sal volmaakt overeen„ stemmen met de door ons daar van gegevene beschrijving, en we versoeken seer vriendelijk van ons daar op hoe eerder hoe liever uw Edelens besluijten te laeten toekoomen. - en blijke van het regt van de Edele Nederland, na „se Comp:e dat we bij onsen brieff van den 5:e october 1778: hebben gereclameert, zenden wij hier in geslooten ingevolge en ter voldoeninge aan uw Edelens begeerte, mijne Heeren, een afschrift van een firman, door de Korning Jehaan Daar=sja ten behoeve van haar Edele verleend aan den Heer Joan Josua Keetelaar in het Jaar 1712. waar bij onder anderen staat. — „Is den kooning voorgedragen, dat de Hol„ „„landers Laekenen, en andere goederen oe koopman get is. - - . „ 36:3:—. 1014 2:1„287:8:- zeeven Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren: Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deeser Directie van Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 mransz: op or= r. op den vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel Verte 1 „: eenige Zeeplaatsen met haere scheepen in „ Hindoustan aanbragter, en weederom Jndigo „ Lijwaeten, salpeeter, en andere waeren, zoo in „agra als andere plaatsen negotieerde, en nae „ souratta vervoerde, zoo leefden zij meede in hoo„ „pe dat 's Koninge ordre mogte werden gegeven, „ dat nae den genoomen Thol die in souratta tot „ 2½ p:r Cto van oude tijden is vastgesteldt, niemant „naevolgens die gewoonte haar in souratta en „ Brootchia om iets meerder sal vermoogen las„ „i tig te vallen, maar gelicentieert blijven „ om haere goederen te moogen verkoopen, aan „ wat Koopman dat begeeren, en te vervoeren „ nae wat plaatsen dat geneegen sijn, item goede„ „ren moogen inkoopen van wie dat willen „ zoo meede in haeren dienst te mogen gebruij „ken zoodaenige maekelaar als zelfs nae „willekeur begeeren. - terwijl niemand zon„ „der toestemming in haere belangen zal moo„ „gen ingedrongen worden. — „Deese versoeken Sijn alle door 't Majesteijds „gunste toegestaan, dierhalven ordonneert „ den Kooning, dat niemand haar in bovengem: Zoeken No. 5
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will be able to hinder affairs. Just as clearly as it appears from this that the Noble Dutch Company in all the states of the Mughal Empire, both in its active and passive trade, pays no more than once the toll of 2½ percent, just as indisputably this appears from a firman granted 3 years earlier by the King Sja Alem for the benefit of the Company to Director Johan Grotenhuijs, of which firman a copy is also annexed hereto, and of which the article specifically mentioning this right reads as follows. It is requested that all governors and other officials up to the District of Houglij may be ordered that they shall not be permitted to demand tolls doubly, or twice; but according to custom as in Souratta continue to take 2½ percent toll. This was granted by the King. Both of these copies, which like the originals are in the Persian language, have been authenticated by our secretary on our order and can be collated against the originals, if Your Honours find this necessary, in which case we shall for that purpose appoint a committee according to custom. We do not doubt that the clarity of these proofs will most completely convince Your Honours, Gentlemen, of the abovementioned right of our Company. It is now already running into the fifth month that we have complained to Your Honours about the obstruction thereof, and the greatest part of the navigable season has therefore expired without the Company having been able to enjoy the benefit thereof. We therefore hope and expect from Your Honours' equity and justice, Gentlemen, that Your Honours will not be pleased to postpone your deliberations hereon any longer, and that Your Honours will consequently be so good as to let us have Your Honours' full answer thereto as soon as possible. For the information given to us regarding the item of rop:s 1072 mentioned in our letter of the 8th of this month, we thank Your Honours in advance, and shall inform ourselves further thereupon. We request Your Honours' permission to repair some defects in the revetment of the sluicework on the northeast side of our wharf, more broadly mentioned in our letter of the 24th of May 1773. Likewise, we request that Your Honours will give their consent to the erection of a new flagstaff on our wharf, instead of the one that now stands there and which is now entirely decayed. We are with the most perfect respect, Gentlemen, Your Honours' Very obedient Servants, was signed: W: J: V: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters Aarnsz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: Wiardi, & W: H: van Bijland. In the margin: Souratta the 22nd of February 1739. To the Honourable Rawson Hart Boddam Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Noble English Company & Governor of the Mughal's Castle & fleet; Together with The Council. Gentlemen, We have had the honour to receive Your Honours' letter of the 28th of February, containing among other things that we have misunderstood Your Honours' meaning in the letter of the 12th before that. In this letter Your Honours say, whereas for some time we have made a very accurate investigation into the nature of the hindrances that Your Honours have met in the export of your merchandise, and which Your Honours specified in your letter of the 5th of October last, it is now necessary that we see Your Honours' original firmans, by which Your Honours show that the Noble Dutch East India Company has the right to transport its goods throughout the entire Mughal Empire if it has paid upon import the duty of 2½ percent, without being obliged to pay any further duties therefor, so that we may pass an impartial judgment on the nature of the privileges that Your Honours now claim. In accordance therewith, we offered Your Honours in our letter of the 22nd of February that we would appoint a Committee to show Your Honours the original firmans proving the aforesaid privilege of the Noble Dutch Company. It has therefore solely depended on
Dutch transcription
338. 378C „zaeken zal vermoogen te vermoeijelijken. — Eren zoo duijdelijk als het hier uijt blijkt, dat de Edele Nederlandse Compe in alle de staeten van het mogalse Rijk, soo in haeren activen als passiren handel, niet meer dan eenmaal den Chol van 2½ p:r C=to betaald, even soo onweders preekelijk, blijkt dit bij een firman 3 Jaeren te vooren door de Kooning Sja= Alem ten behoeve van Haar Edele„ verleend, aan de Heer Directeur Johan Grotenhuijs van welke firman ook een afschrift hier nevens gaat, en waar van het articul dat van dit regt speciael spreekt, luijd als volgt. — „ Js versogt dat alle gouverneurs en verdere bedien„ „„dens tot het District van Houglij toe, mogen „ g'ordonneert worden, dat zij geen Chollen „ Dubbelt, off tweemaal sullen vermoogen te „vorderen; maar volgens gewoonte als in sou¬ „ „ratta 2½ p:r C=to Thol blijven neemen. . „ dit is door den Kooning toegestaan. Beijde deede afschriften, welke gelijk de oor„ spronkelijke, sijn in persiaande taal, zijn door onse secretaris ter onser ordre g'authentiseert A en kunnen teegen de oorspronkelijke worden legi koopman - - -. „ 36:3:—. 11:2:8ƒ28017:8:- reeven Negotie Boeken nneter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deesor Directie gecollationeert Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 mransz: op or= r. op eden vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel T. te gecollationeert, indien uwEdelens dit noodig vinden, in welken gevalle we ten dien Eijnde volgens gewoonte een commissie sullen benoemen. — wij twijfelen niet off de duijdelijkheijd deeser bewijzen zullen uw Edelens op het volkormenst overtuijgen Mijne Heeren, van het hier boven vermeld regt van onse Comp:; — Het loopt nu reeds in de vijfde maand dat we ons bij uwEdelens over het stremmen daar van hebben beswaart, en het grootste gedeelte van de vaarbaere tijd is mits dien verloopen zonder dat haar Edele het Effect daar van heeft kunnen genieten:- wij hoopen en verwagten daarom van uwEdelens billijkheijd, en regtmaetigheijd, Mijne Heeren, dat uw Edelens derzelver deliberae¬ „tien hier over niet langer sullen gelieven uijt„ „te stellen, en dat uw Edelens dien volgens zoo goet zullen zijn ons daarop zoo dra mogelijk uw Edelens volleedig antwoord te laeten toekoomen. - voor het aan ons gegeven bericht nopens de post van rop:s 1072:- bij onsen brieff van den 8:' deeser vermeld bedanken we uw Edelens bij voorraad, en Zullen ons daarop naeder informeeren.— wij 5 339 3 B wij versoeken uw Edelens verloff tot het repareeren van eenige gebreeken aan de beschoeijing van het Daalwerk, aan de N: O: kant van onsen werff, breeder vermeld bij onsen brieff van den 24:e maij 1773: - Jnsgelijks versoeken we dat uwEdelens hunne toestemming wil„ „len geven tot het opregten van een nieuwe vlagge mast op onde werff, in steede van de geene die er thans m staat, en die thans geheel vergaan is; — wij syn met de volmaakste agting /:onderstond:/ mijne Heeren /Lager:/ Uw Edelens Seer gehoorsaeme Dienaeren /:was geteekent:/ w: J: V: d: Graaff, A: J: sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters aarnsz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: wiardi, & W: H: van Bijland /:in margine:/ Souratta den 22:' februarij 1739. Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Schild„ „knaap, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engel„ se Comp: & Gouverneur van 's mogols toe Casteel & vloot; — Benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren wij hebben de Eere gehad te ontvangen uw Edelens legi oormeld eden - - „ 36:3:—. reeven 314:24: 8ƒ28017:8:—. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeten. Heeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder de ebr Directie brieff Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 O nansz: op or= r. op en „ sing Vardeele zoo veel koopman get is. e rte deeser berae¬ van and wijsen een in brieff van den 28:e februarij, houdende onder anderen dat¬ we uw Edelens meening bij brieff van den 12:e daar te vooren „waelijk begreepen hebben. - Bij deese brieff zeggen uwEdelens, alsoo wij zeedert eenige tijd een zeer naauwkeurig onderzoek hebben gedaan in den aard van de verhinderingen die uw delens ontmoet hebben in den uijtvoer haerer Koopmansz: en die uwelEdelens bij derzelver brieff van den 5 October Laastleeden opgegeven is het thans noodzaakelijk dat wij uw Edelens origineele firmans zien, waarbij uw Edelens vertoonen, dat de Edele Nederlandse Oost Jndischen Compt: het regt heeft om haere goederen door het geheele mogolse Rijk te vervoeren, indien se bij invoer daar voor heeft betaald de geregtig„ „heijd van 2½ p:r C=to zonder verpligt te weesen daar voor eenige verdere geregtigheeden te be¬ „taelen, op dat wij een onzijdig oordeel mogen vel„ „len van den aard der privilegien die uw Edelens thans Eijschen. Ingevolge van dien hebben me uw Edelens bij onsen brieff van den 22 febr: aangebooden, dat we een Commissie souden benoemen om aan uw Edelen de origineele firmans te laeten vertoonen, die het voorsz: voorregt van de Edele Nederlandse Comp:e bewijsen. - Het heeft mits dien alleen van N 5
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340. 378 depended on your Honors to appoint a meeting for that purpose, exactly and in such manner as was done on another occasion on 24 June 1773, and we can therefore see no other than that we have offered everything that was necessary to comply in the most complete manner with the above-written part of your Honors' letter. Your Honors further state in your letter: "And in order to prevent your Honors from having any further trouble in displaying your firmans, we request your Honors in the most friendly manner to take copies thereof, and in order to avoid all future disputes concerning the authenticity of the copies, we request that your Honors be so good as to attest the same." We confess in good faith that we did not understand the words in your Honors' aforementioned letter, "we request in the most friendly manner to take copies of the same (the firmans)", in the sense that we see from your Honors' further letter of 28 February was your Honors' real intention, namely to demand of us that we should deliver into your Honors' hands our 36:3:— 514:24:8 f 228017:8:— Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. seven. Severe Lord Together with The Council Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Chief of this Direction. original To the Honorable, Respected, and Severe Lord original firmans, so that your Honors yourselves could take copies from them. Meanwhile, we do not see that it matters who the transcriber of such documents is, provided it is otherwise sufficiently evident that the copies agree with the original documents. If therefore your Honors' intention is only, as we think, to have complete copies of these firmans corresponding with them in every part, then we have also complied with the contents and the intention of this second above-written part of your Honors' letter, by sending to your Honors copies of the aforementioned firmans authenticated by our Secretary by our order, all the more because, in order to remove all uncertainty, we offered to send the original documents so that they could be collated against them. We have therefore not, as your Honors say, merely sent authenticated copies of the firmans, but we have in effect fully complied with what your Honors requested of us. We offer your Honors this once again herewith, namely to appoint a commission to display the aforementioned original firmans 343. 378 firmans to your Honors, and to have the copies we have already sent to your Honors collated against them; and since herewith, as we have indicated, what your Honors requested of us on this subject in your letter of 12 February last is fully complied with, we request that the necessary meeting for this purpose be appointed as soon as possible; for to send our original firmans to your Honors without such a meeting, and to part with them from our hands for so long that copies could be made from them by your Honors' Persian scribe, that we neither can nor may do because of the consequences. For the same reason we cannot send all our other firmans to your Honors either, to have copies made thereof in the aforementioned manner, nor do we understand how this can be of service in the present case, until such time as we consider it necessary to derive any evidence therefrom; for just as your Honors on your side exercise the right to demand proof of the privilege 36:3:— 514:24:8 f 28017:8:— Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. Gentlemen. Together with The Council Severe Lord Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Chief of this Direction. To the Honorable, Respected, and Severe Lord of the Honorable Dutch Company that we claim, so we ought also on our side to retain the usual freedom in the manner of doing this, without being restricted therein in any way. If your Honors find that the proofs we produce are not sufficient, then it is for your Honors to point out what is lacking therein, and for us to reply further thereto. We thank your Honors herewith for the permission sent to us to erect a new flagstaff and to make the water cisterns mentioned in our previous letter. We had very much hoped that your Honors would also have found no difficulty in permitting us to secure the place where we are accustomed to store our gunpowder in at least some adequately sufficient manner against the accidents which we have to fear from it at any moment, and which could be of the most dreadful consequences for us; your Honors, on the contrary, have only granted us permission to have the ceiling and one of the walls thereof made of bamboos smeared with cow dung, both of which are such combustible materials that one cannot well
Dutch transcription
340. 378 van uw Edelens afgehangen om daar toe een bij eenkomst te bestemmen, even en zoodaenig als dat is gedaan bij een ander gelegentheijd op den 24: Junij 1773 en wij kunnen mits dien niet andere zien, off we hebben alles aangebooden wat noodig geweest is om aan het hier boven ingeschreeven gedeelte van uw Edelens brieff op de aller volkomenste wijse te voldoen, uwel Edelens n Zeggen bij derselver brieff wijders, En om voor te koomen, dat uw Edelens eenige verdere moeijte Zon„ „den hebben in het vertoonen van derzelver firmans, versoeken na uwEdelens op de aller vrindelijkste wijze, om afschriften van deselve te neemen, en om alle toekoomende geschillen te vermijden, betreffen„ en de de Eytheijd van de afschriften, versoeken wij dat uw Edelens soo goet willen sijn, om deselve te attesteeren. we bekennen ter goeder trouwe datme de woorden in voorsz uwEdelens brieff, we versoeken e op de allervriendelijkste wijse om afschriften van toe deselve (:de firmans:/ te neemen, niet hebben verstaan, in die hin als we bij uw Edelens naedere brieff van den 28:e februarij zien, dat uw Edelens werkelijke meening daar meede geweest is, en naementlijk om van ons te vergen dat we aan gt rlegie uw Edelens zouden in handen stellen onse bet, is. koopman - - . „ 36:3:—. 514:24:8ƒ228017:8:— reeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeven. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeuren Hoofd sebrieder debr Drectie oorspronkelijk Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer d 2 mansz: op or= r op n den vormeld sing Videele zoo veel te Ver ooirspronkelijke firmans, ten eijnde uw Edelens zelve daar van afschriften konden neemen „we sien ondertusschen niet, dat het iets ter zaeke doet wie de uijtschrijver van zulke stukken is, zoo het anders voldoende blijkt dat de afschriften met de oorspronkelijke stukken accordeeren, Indien dus uw Edelens intentie alleen is, gelijk we denken om te heb¬ „ben volleedige afschriften van deese firmans in allen deele daar meede overeenstemmende, dan hebben we ook aan den Inhoud, en de Intentie van dit tweede hier booven ingeschreevene gedeelte van uwEdelens brieff voldaan;, met aan uw Edelens te sen„ „den afschriften van voorsz: firmans door onsen Secretaris ter onser ordre g'authentiseert, te meer wijl we ter wegneming van alle onzeekerheijd aan„ gebooden hebben, om de oorspronkelijke stukken te senden, ten eijnde Ze daar teegen te kunnen collationeeren we hebben uw Edelens dus niet gelijk deselve zeggen, eeniglijk gesonden g'au¬ „thentiseerde Copijen der firmans, maar we hebben in Effecte volleadig voldaan aan het geen uw Edelens van ons hebben gevraagt we bieden uwel Edelens dit nogmaals door deesen aan, om naementlijk een Commissie te benoemen om de voorsz: oorspronkelijke firmans 5 343. 378 firmans aan untdelens te vertoonen, mitsgaders om teegen deselve te doen collationeeren, de copijen die we uw Edelens bereeds hebben gesonden; - en wijl hier meede soo als we hebben aangeweesen vol„ „komen word voldaan aan het geen uw Edelens op dit onderwerp bij derselver brieff van den 12:e februarij Jongst Leeden van ons hebben gevraagt, zoo versoeken we de nodige bij eenkomst daar toe, hoe eer zoo beeter te bestemmen; want om aan uw Edelens sonder sulk een bijeenkomst, toe te senden onse oorspronkelijke firmans en die soo lange uijt onse handen te geeven dat daar van door uwEdelens persiaense schrijver zoude kun¬ „nen worden afschriften gemaakt, dat kunnen we, nog vermoogen we om der gevolgen wille niet doen. - om de zelfde reeden kunnen we ook niet aan uwEdelens zenden, alle onse overige firmans ƒ om daar van in voegen voorsz: afschriften te te doen maeken, ook begrijpen we niet waar toe dit in het teegenwoordig geval kan dienstig sijn, tot zoo lange wij het selve niet noodig agten daar uijt eenige bewijsen te ontleenen want gelijk uw Edelens van hunne zijde het regt oeffenen om te vroegen het bewijs van 't privilegie . . - . „ 36:3:—. 514:24: 8ƒ28017:8:—. reeven Negotie Boeken neter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Tebieder deesr Drectie der Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 mansz: op or= v. op eden oormeld ssing adeele zoo veel koopman et is. Ver te der Edele Nederlandse Compe dat we reclameeren, zoo be¬ „hooren we ook aan onse kant de gewoone vrijheijd te be„ „houden in de wijze van dit te doen, zonder daar in op eeniger hande wijze te worden bepaald, vinden uwEde „lens dat de bewijsen die we produceeren niet voldoende sijn, dan staat het aan uw Edelens om het ontbreeken„ „de daar van aan te wijsen, en aan ons om daar op naeder te antwoorden. we bedanken uw Edelens door deesen voor het aan ons gesondene verloff tot het opsetten van een nieuwe vlagge mast, en het maeken der waeterbak„ „ken bij onse voorgaande vermeldt. we hadden zeer gehoopt dat uw Edelens ook geen Zwaerigheijd souden hebben gevonden om aan ons toe te staan datwe de plaats daar we ge„ woon sijn ons kruijt te bergen, op een ten mins„ „ten eenigermoeten toereijkende wijze mogten verzeekeren teegens de ongelukken die we alle ogenblikken daarvan te vreeden hebben, en voor ons van de allerschrikkelijks te gevolgen Zijn kunnen uwEdelens hebben ons daar en teegen allen ingewilligt om de Zoldering en een der wanden daarvan, te moogen laeten maeken van bamboesen bestreeken met koemist, dat beijde zoo brandbaere stoffen sijn, dat men niet wel 5.
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could hardly devise anything more dangerous and less suitable for securing a place where gunpowder is stored. Your Honors observe that this has not been otherwise up to now, and we acknowledge this as well; yet this reason—that we have up to this day been compelled to be exposed to such danger as is necessarily connected therewith—seems altogether insufficient to deny us so reasonable a request as to be permitted to secure ourselves against it for the future. By our letter of the 13th of January last, we requested this alone, and we also have no intention whatsoever to alter or enlarge this place in any manner. We ourselves have not spoken about this with the gentlemen commissioners, and our commissioners had no other order than to submit to their Honors' consideration that we thought it necessary, for the prevention of accidents, to erect on one side, instead of the bamboos plastered with cow dung that now stand there, a small stone wall, and that the ceiling, which is likewise only of bamboos plastered with cow dung, be made of timber overlaid 36:3:—. 314:24:8 f 228017:8:— [illegible] Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, to wit. gentlemen. Severe Lord Together with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate with To the Right Honorable, Esteemed, and Severe Lord 1 2 [illegible] [illegible] by order [illegible] today aforesaid [illegible] divide as much merchant [illegible] to Bombay with stones or whatever else may be judged sufficient to prevent fire from burning through. We remain with the utmost respect, /:was written underneath:/ Sirs, /:lower down:/ Your Honors' humble servants, /:was signed:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Huijcken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: V: Citters Adamsz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: Wiardi, and W: H: van Bijland, /:in the margin:/ Surat, the 18th of March 1734. To the Right Honorable and Most Respected Lord William Hornby, Esquire, President on behalf of the Honorable English Company and Governor of His Majesty's Castle; Together with The Council Right Honorable and Most Respected Sir, Gentlemen with 5 At the beginning of this shipping season we intended, gentlemen, to send off some trade goods belonging to the Honorable Dutch Company. To that end, in accordance with custom, we had the order granted for that purpose by the Lord Governor of the city upon his toll officials presented to the native officials who are appointed on behalf of the Honorable English Company to supervise their Honors' share in those tolls. However, these officials declared that they had orders not to permit any goods of our Company to be exported unless toll were paid on them again from then onwards. We have written about this to Rawson Hart Boddam, Esq., Chief on behalf of the Honorable English Company at Surat, and his Council, and pointed out to their Honors that the Dutch Company has the right, for its goods on which upon import at Surat the usual toll of 2½ percent has been paid and satisfied, subsequently to have them transported as it sees fit without paying any further toll for them. Of this our letter dispatched to their Honors on the 5th of October last, a copy is enclosed herewith, marked No. 1. The aforementioned Mr. Boddam and his Council wrote to us thereupon on the 13th of the same month that their 36:3:—. 614:24:8 f 228017:8:— [illegible] Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, to wit. Gentlemen. Severe Lord Together with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate To the Right Honorable, Esteemed, and Severe Lord 1 [illegible] by order [illegible] today aforesaid [illegible] divide as much merchant [illegible] Lord the Honors were taking the necessary steps to make a full investigation into the specific circumstances of the case. We allowed full three months to elapse awaiting their Honors' further reply, and not having been favored therewith up to that time, we requested by letter of the 13th of January that their Honors would be so good as to send us, as soon as it could conveniently be done, the answer that we were expecting pursuant to their letter of the 13th of October. Finally, on the 12th of February, we received a letter from the aforesaid Mr. Boddam and his Council, which, insofar as it relates hereto, is annexed in extract marked No. 2. Their Honors therein ask to see the original firmans whereby we show the right that we presently claim, and in order to prevent all further trouble in showing the firmans, to take copies thereof attested by us, so as to avoid all future disputes concerning the authenticity of these copies. The request to have copies of the firmans here clearly relates solely to future occurrences; we have not to miss No. 5
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342 378 niet wel iets gevaarlijker, en minder geschikt ter be„ „veijliging van een plaats daar kruijt geborgen word zoude kunnen uijtdenken; - uw Edelens merken aan dat dit tot hier toe niet anders geweest is, en we bekennen dit ook, dog deese reede, dat we tot heeden toe genoodsaakt geweest sin, aan zulk een gevaar als daar meede noodzaekelijk verbonden is te zijn blootgesteld schijnt ter eenemaal ongenoegzaam te weesen om ons aftespreeken, een soo Reede¬ lijk, versoek, als is om ons daar teegens voor den aanstaande te moogen beveijligen. - Bij onsen brieff van den 13:e Januarij J:o L: heb„ ben we dit alleen versogt, en we hebben ook geheel geen voorneemen om deese plaats op eeniger han¬ „de wijse te veranderen off te vergrooten, wij zelve hebben met de Heeren widdelens g'ecommitteerd daar over niet gesprooken, en onse gecommitteerd:s hebben geen andere ordre gehad, dan om hun Hr: in overweeging te geven, dat we dagten dat het ter voorkooming van ongelukken, noodig was om aan de Eene Zijde, insteede van de bamboeren bestreeken met koemist, die er nu staan, te zet„ „ten een Hteene muutje, en dat de zolder die insgelijks maar is van Bamboesen bestreeken met koemist, wiert gemaakt van hout belegt - - - - „ 36:3:—. 314:24: 8 ƒ228017:8:— reeven Negotie Boeken nneer geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeten. zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder deeser Directie met Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 be¬ mansz: op or= r. op eden oormeld sing Vi deele zoo veel koopman get, is. V te - Bombaij met staenen off wat andersints toereijkende kan worden g'oordeelt om het doorbranden te voorkoomen. wij sijn met de volkomenste agting /:onderstond:/ mijne Heeren /:Laeger:/ UwEdelens onderdae„ „nige Dienaeren /:was geteekent :/ W: J: v: d: Graaff A: J: Huijcken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: V: C:itters dernsz: C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: wiardi, & w: H: van Bijland, /:in margine:/ souratta den 18: maart 1734. Aan den wel delen Groot Agtbaeren Heer William Wornbij Schildknaap, praesident val weegens de honorable Engelsche Compaa¬ „nie en gouverneur van Sijn Maejesteits Casteel; - Nevens Den Raad wel Edele Groot Agtbaere Heer, — Heeren met 5 343 378 Met het begin van deese vaarbaere tijd waeren me voorneemens, mijne Heeren, om eenige Negotie goederen toebehoorende aan de Edele Nederlandse¬ Comp:e te versenden, we deeden ten dien Eijnde de ordre door den Heer Stads Gouverneur daar toe op sijne Chol bediendens verleend, volgens gebruij„ vertoonen aan de Jnlandse bediendens, die van weegens de Edele Engelse Comp:s gesteld sijn; om het opsigt te houden over haar Edele aandeel in die hollen; - dog deese verklaarden datse ordre had¬ „den om geene goederen van onse Comp: te laeten uijtvoeren ten zij daar van, van toen voortaan, andermaal thol betaald wierdt. — cwij hebben hierover geschreven aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Esqr:, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelse Comp: te Souratta, en Zijnen Raad, en aan hun E:e vertoont, dat de Nederlandse Comp: het regt heeft, om haere goederen waar voor bij den invoer voldaan te souratta de gewoone Chol van 2½ p:r C=to betaald is vervolgens naar goedvinden te doen vervoeren zonder daar voor eenige verdere Chol te betae¬ len; - van deese onse brieff aan Hun Ed:s afgevaar¬ „digt den 5:e October Jongst leeden legt een Copij hier nevens gemerkt N:o 1. welgem: Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad Schreeven ons daarop den 13e: van deselve maand, dat Hun . -. . „ 36:3:—. 614:24: 8 ƒ228017:8:- reeven Negotie Boeken neer geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Tebieder deeser Directie Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 pransz: op or= r. op heden vormeld sing Verdeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Ver Edr: Heer den Edelens de noodige stappen waeren neemende om een volleedig ondersoek te doen in de besondere omsta „digheeden van het geval. — volle drie maanden lieten we verloopen om hun Edelens naeder antwoord afte wagten, en tot dien tijd toe daarmeede niet begunstigt Sijnde, versog „ten we bij brieff van den 13:e Januarij dat hun Ed:a zoo goet wilden zijn, om ons soo spoedig al het gevoeglijk geschieden konde, te senden het antwoord dat we ingevolge derselver brieff va den 13:e octoober waeren verwagtende— Eijndelijk ontvingen we den 12e: febr: van meer Briev Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad „ die soo verre se hier toe betrekkelijk is in Extract hier nevens legt gemerkt N: 2. hun 1d. vraagen daar bij te Sien de oorspronkelijke firmans waar bij me vertoonen het regt dat we thans reclameeren en om ter voorkooming van alle verdere moeijt in het vertoonen der firmans, daar van afschri¬ „ten te neemen, door ons g'attesteerd, ten eijnde te vermijden alle toekoomende geschillen over de Etheijd deezer afschrifften Het versoek om te hebben Copijen der firman heeft hier baarblijkelijk alleen sijn opsigt op toekoomende voorvallen, we hebben niet te mis¬ ten No. 5 -
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in order, as we thought, to satisfy both requirements fully, offered Mr Boddam and his Council in our reply of 22 February to appoint a committee to show the original firmans demonstrating the aforementioned right, and on the same occasion we sent to their Honours properly authenticated copies thereof. We sent these copies in advance so that their Honours might in the meantime be informed of the contents of these firmans, and for their Honours' greater convenience we even inserted into our aforementioned letter the translation of that part of these firmans upon which this matter principally depends. An extract of this letter, in so far as it relates to this, lies among the appendices hereto marked No 3. By a letter written on 28 February we received the reply thereto, in the beginning of which Mr Boddam and his Council stated that we had misunderstood the meaning of their letter of the 12th preceding, for their Honours had therein requested to see our original firmans in order that copies thereof might be taken by their Honours themselves, adding that instead of granting that request, we had merely sent their Honours attested copies. We have already noted above that we had not merely sent attested copies, but that, in sending them, we had also offered to have the originals thereof presented. In our reply of 18 March, of which an extract, so far as it relates to this, lies among the appendices marked No 4, we showed this in detail to Mr Boddam and his Council, pointing out that the only difference between what their Honours had requested of us by letter of 12 February and what we had offered in our reply thereto consisted solely in this: that their Honours, instead of the copies of the firmans sent by us, wished to have copies of these firmans made themselves; yet, in our view, it did not matter who transcribes such documents, provided it otherwise sufficiently appears that the copies agree with the original documents. We repeated our aforementioned offer to appoint a committee for the presentation of the original firmans, and pointed out that without such a meeting we neither could nor were permitted to send our original firmans to let them out of our hands for so long as to allow copies to be made thereof by their Honours' Persian scribe. Mr Boddam and his Council, who, as we have noted above, had at first only asked us to see the original firmans by which we demonstrate the right in question, now extended their demands in the continuation of their Honours' aforementioned letter of 28 February to all our firmans, to have them shown to their Honours so that their Honours themselves could take copies thereof. Upon this we pointed out in our repeatedly mentioned letter of 18 March that just as their Honours on their part exercise the right to demand from us proof of the privilege of the Dutch Company that we claim, we on our part ought to retain the usual freedom in furnishing that proof, without being restricted therein in any way; that if their Honours found that the documents we undertook to produce, and of which we had already sent the copies, were not sufficient, it was then up to their Honours to point out to us what was lacking therein, so that we might reply further thereto. We had hoped that Mr Boddam and his Council would have acquiesced in these our further representations; instead, their Honours wrote to us by letter of 20 March, which is annexed hereto in extract, so far as it relates to this, marked No 5: "We remain of the opinion that without seeing all Your Honours' firmans, it is not possible to form an impartial judgment regarding the privileges contained therein; consequently we cannot proceed in investigating the claim that Your Honours now maintain to be one of their privileged firmans. Thus the matter rests and entirely depends upon Your Honours, Gentlemen, whether Your Honours are willing to provide us or not with such information as we deem necessary, that is, all Your Honours' original firmans, with permission for us to take copies thereof. We shall be enabled to continue our inquiry; but by refusing so reasonable a request, Your Honours deprive us of the means to judge their claim in accordance with the standard that Your Honours propose for yourselves, that is, their firmans."
Dutch transcription
344. 378p ten eijnde soo wedagten, volleedig aan beijde requi¬ „siten te voldoen, den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad bij ons antwoord van den 22:e februarij aan„ „gebooden, om een Commissie te zullen benoemen om te vertoonen de oorspronkelijke firmans aantoonende het voorsz: regt, en we hebben ter Zelver geleegentheijd aan hun Edelens ge¬ „sonden de afschriften daar van behoorlijk ge„ „authentiseert, we sonden deese afschriften daarom vooraff, op dat hun Wdelens intusschen van den Jnhoud deezer firmans konden weesen g'informeert, en we Jnsereerden selfs tot hun Edelens meerder gemak, in voorsz: onze brieff, de vertaeling van dat gedeelte deeser firmans waar op het in deezen voornaementlijk aankoomt Een Extract van deese brieff voor soo verre die hier toe betrekkelijk is, lagt onder de Bijlaegen deeses gemerkt No 3. Bij een brieff geschreeven den 28e: februarij ontvingen we hier op het antwoord, in het begin derselver leggende Heer Boddam, en Zijnen Raad, dat we de meening van derselver brieff En van den 12: daar te vooren kwaelijk gevat had „den want dat hun Edelens daar bij hadden gevraeg - -. . „ 36:3:—. 314:24: 8ƒ228017:8:— zeeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebie der deeser Directie ons Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 m een ta„ pransz: op or= r op eden vormeld sing oirdeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Ver rte ten onse origineele firmans te sien om daar van, door Hand Ed:se zelve, Copijen te worden genoomen, met bijvoeging dat wij in steede van dat versoek in te willigen Hun Edelens eeniglijk g'attesteerde Copijen gesonden had„ „den. - 5 wij hebben hier booven reeds aangemerkt, dat we niet eeniglijk g'attesteerde Copijen hadden geson„ „den; maar dat wij bij het zenden daar van tevens hadden aangebooden om de origineelen daar van te doen vertoonen. - Bij ons antwoord van den 18:e maart, waarvan een Extract zoo verre het hier toe betrekkelijk is, legt onder de bijlaegen gemerkt No: 4. hebben we aan den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad, dit omstan„ „dig vertoond, met aanwyzing dat het eenigste onderscheijd tusschen het geen hun Edelens bij brief van den 12 febr van ons hadden gevraagt, en het geen we daar op bij ons antwoord hebben aenge„ „booden alleen hier in bestond, dat hun Edelens insteede van de Copijen der firmans door ons ge„ „sonden, zelve Copijen van deeze firmans wilden doen neemen, dog dat het naer ons insien niets ter zaeke deed, wie de uijtschrijving van zulke stukken doet, Zoo het anders voldoende blijkt dat de afschriften met de oorspronkelijke stukken accordeeren, we herhaelden voorsz: ons aanbod om 5 345. 3787 om een Commissie te benoemen tot het vertoonen der oor„ „spronkelijke formans, en weesen aan, dat we sonder sulk een bijeenkomst, onse oorspronkelijke firmans, niet kon„ „den nog vermogten te senden, om die soo lange uijt onse handen te geeven, dat daar van door hun Edelens persiaanze schrijver. konden werden afschriften gemaakt. — De Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad, die soo als we hier boven hebben aangemerkt, ons eerst alleen hadden gevraagt te sien de origineele firmans waar bij we het regt, in questie, vertoonen, strekten bij het vervolg van voorsz: hun Edelens brieff van den 28:e: februarij, nu derzelver Eyjschen uijt tot alle onse firmans om die aan hun Edelens te doen vertoonen, op dat hun Edelens zelve daar van Co„ „pijen konden nemen. — Hier op hebben we bij meerm: onsen brieff van den 18:e maart aangeweesen, dat gelijk hun Edelens van hunne zijde het regt oeffenen om van ons te vraegen, het bewijs van het privilegie van de nederlandse Comp: datwe reclameeren, we van onze kant behoorden te behouden de gewoone vrijheijd in het doen van dat bewijs, sonder daarin op eenigerhande wijze te worden bepaalt; — Dat soo hun Edelens vonden dat de stukken die we aannaemen te produceeren en waar van we reeds de afschriften gesonden hadden niet voldoen¬ „de waeren, het dan aan hun Edelens stond om ons - . „ 36:3:—. 514:2:8ƒ28017:8:- reeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. leeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deeser Directie het Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 Hun an een legt bet iS. koopman zoo veel Virdeele sing oormeld den v. op op or= mansz: te het ontbreekende daar van aantewijsen, ten eijnde door ons daar op naeder te worden geantwoord we hadden gehoopt dat den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad, in deeze onse naedere vertoogen zouden hebben berust, insteede van dien schreeven hun Edelens ons bij brieff van den 20: maart die in Extract hier nevens legt, zoo verre zo hier toe betrekkelijk is gemerkt No: 5. wij sijn steedts van gedagten; dat sonder alle uwEdelens firmans te sien, het niet mogelijk is een onzijdig oordeel te formeeren betreffende de voorregten daar in begreepen; gevolglijk kunnen we niet voortrae„ „ren in de navorsching van den Eijsch die uw Edelen thans staande houden, een van derzelver gepri¬ viligeerde firmans te Sijn, - dus rust de Zaak op en hangt ten Eenemaal aff, van uw Edelens, mijne Heeren, off uw Edelens ons willen voorsien of niet, met zoodaenige informatien als we nodig oordeelen, dat is, alle uw Edelens originee¬ „le firmans, met ons toetestaan Copijen van desel„ ve te neemen, Sullen wij in Staat gesteld sijn om ons ondersoek voort te setten, dog met het weijgeren van soo een radelijk versoek, ontneemen uw Edelens ons de middelen om te oordeelen over derzelver Eijsch, overeenkomstig met de regelmaat die uw Edelens sig selven voorstellen, dat is derzelver firmans 5
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346. 378p firmans, this further insistence and repetition of the demands made by letter of 28 February seemed to indicate waiting for a further reply; nevertheless, Mr. Boddam and his Council proceed to say: nevertheless, we are constantly willing to support Your Honours in all the privileges that Your Honours' Company actually enjoyed at the time we took possession of the Mughal's Castle and fleet, in accordance with the assurances given to Your Honours at that time by our Chief. After having laid this foundation, whereby Their Honours restrict the maintenance of our privileges solely to those that our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mughal's Castle and fleet, Mr. Boddam and his Council continue by saying: Since, by the very unilateral appearance of your firmans, which Your Honours have thought fit to present, we can form no judgment whatsoever regarding their claim as a privileged firman, we shall therefore also not consider it in that light; it is consequently only 36:3:—. 314:24:8 ƒ228017:8:— [illegible] Trade Books [illegible] undersigned found such outstanding [illegible] A Short [illegible] and leaves, Secondly. Gentlemen. Right Honorable Sir Alongside The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate necessary To the Right Honorable Right Worshipful Sir [illegible] necessary to decide whether Your Honours actually enjoyed this privilege at the time we took possession of the Mughal's Castle and fleet. And to that end Their Honours state that they have conducted all necessary investigation, and that the result has convinced Their Honours that the privilege we presently demand was not granted to us at that time, and that therefore a claim so greatly detrimental to the rights and revenues of the Mughal cannot be granted by Their Honours either. Herewith, not only has the state of the dispute been greatly anticipated, but through it we are also finally denied the right to the privilege that we reclaim, and that on two entirely unsustainable grounds: namely, that we require the right of possession, and that we did not possess it at the time specified by Their Honours above; and we therefore do not doubt that Your Right Worshipful Honours will find that it is with very fair reason that we presently address Your Right Worshipful Honours directly; 347. What Mr. Boddam and his Council call a very unilateral appearance of our firmans, whereby they cannot form any judgment regarding our claim as a privileged firman, are undoubtedly the extracts of the firmans which, as we have noted above, were entered in our letter of 22 February and literally correspond with the old translation we possess of them. Yet it is evident from the foregoing that we have grounded our right not on these translations—which Mr. Boddam and his Council call very unilateral, without however pointing out any defect therein whatsoever—but on the original documents which we have offered to produce. As regards the aforesaid restriction of the guarantee of the privileges of the Noble Dutch Company by limiting the maintenance thereof solely to such privileges as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mughal's Castle and fleet, such 36:3:—. 614:24:8 ƒ28017:8:—. [illegible] Trade Books undersigned found such outstanding A Short [illegible] and leaves, Secondly. Gentlemen. Right Honorable Sir Alongside The Council Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate runs To the Right Honorable Right Worshipful Sir [illegible] 3787 [illegible] runs directly contrary to the clear and literal contents of this guarantee: Mr. John Spencer Esq. and his Council, after having declared beforehand the reasons that moved Your Right Worshipful Honours at that time to secure satisfaction for themselves by force of arms, state in the letter written to us to that end by Their Honours on 18 February 1759: We avail ourselves of this opportunity to give Your Honours notice thereof; and we faithfully assure Your Honours that the execution of these measures will in no way infringe or diminish any privileges in trade or otherwise that the Noble Dutch East India Company or Your Honours yourselves have acquired in Surat; which solemn declaration was subsequently most emphatically confirmed by Your Right Worshipful Honours yourselves in Their Honours' much esteemed letter of 25 January 1765, with the assurance of Your Right Worshipful Honours' constant endeavors to preserve the privileges of the European Nations in Surat entirely inviolable. It is consequently all acquired privileges No. 5.
Dutch transcription
346. 378p firmans, dit naeder aandringen, en herhaelen der vorderin¬ „gen gedaan bij brieff van den 28:' februarij scheen aan te duijden het inwagten van nog een naeder ant„ „woord; niet te min gaan de Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad voort mette zeggen; alegter Sijn wij steeden gewillig om uw Edelens te ondersteunen in alle de voorregten die uwEdelens Comp: daede¬ lijk genoot, tijdens wij possessie hebben genomen van 's Mogols Casteel en vloot, overeenkomstig met de verzeekeringen die uw Edelens des tijdes door onzen Cheff zijn gedaan. - Nae deezen Grond te hebben gelegt, waar door hun Edelens het handhaeven van onse privilegien alleen bepaelen tot de zulke die onse Comp e daede„ „lijk genoot ten tijde dat de Edele Engelsche Compe. bezit genoomen heeft van 's Mogols Casteel & vloot, vervolgende Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad met te Zeggen; Alsoo wij door den zeer eenzijdigen schijn uwer firmans die uw Edelens goetgevonden hebben voor te dragen, geenig oordeel kunnen formeeren over derzelver Eijsch als een gepriviligeerde fir¬ „man, zullen wij het ook daarom in dat dagh„ „ligt niet beschouwen, Het is gevolglijk alleen - -. . „ 36:3:—. 314:24: 8ƒ228017:8:— reeven Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Jebie der deesr Directie noodzaekelijk Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 mansz: op or= r. op eden oormeld sing Nideele zoo veel koopman bet, is. e ans d desel¬ pri¬ Edelen twae„ a in del mans o noodzaekelijk om te beslissen, off uw Edelens werka„ „lijk dit privilegie hebben genooten, tijdens wij besit hebben genoomen van 's Mogals Casteel en vloot. en dien Eijnde Zeggen hun Edelens dat deselve alle noodzaekelijk onderzoek, gedaan hebben en dat het resultaat Hun Edelens overtuijgt heeft, dat het voorregt dat we thans vorderen aan ons des tijdes niet is toegestaan geweest, en om dat daarvn door hun Ed: ook niet kan worden toegestaan, een pretentie zoo grootelijks nae„ „deelig aan de regten en inkomsten van den mogol. - Hier meede is dus niet alleen zeer geantici¬ „peert op den staat des geschils, maar ons word daar door ook finaal ontzegt, het zegt tot het privilegie dat we reclameeren, en Zulx op twee ten eenemaal onbestaanbaere gron„ „den, naementlijk, daar op, dat ons het posses„ „sie regt noodig is, en dat we dat ten tijde door hun Edelens hier boven bepaald niet hebben gehad, en wij twijffelen mits dien niet off uwel Edele Agtb:s, sullen bevinden dat het met heele billijke reeden is dat we ons thans Direct 5 347. Direct aan uwel Edele Agtb: addresseeren; — Het geen den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad noe„ „men een zeer eenzijdige schijn onser firmans, waar„ „door ze geen oordeel kunnen formeeren over onsen Eijsch als een gepriviligeerde firman, zijn buijten twijfel de uijttrekselen der firmans die soo als we hier boven hebben aangemerkt in onsen brieff van den 22:e februarij ingeschreven zijn en letterlijk overeenkoomen met de oude vertaeling die we daar van hebben, Dog het is uijt het voorenstaande kenbaar, dat we niet op deese vertaelingen die de Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad Zeer eenzijdig noemen zonder nogtans het gebrekkige daar van in eenig deel aan te wijzen, maar op de oor„ „spronkelijke stukken, die we aangebooden hebben te produceeren ons regt hebben gegrond wat aangaat de voorsz: beenging van de guarantie der voorregten van de Edele Nederlandse Compe met het handhoeven daarvan te bepaelen alleen tot zulke voor¬ „regten, die onse Comp:. daedelijk genoot ten tijde dat de Edele Engelse Comp: bedit genomen heeft van 's mogals Casteel en vloot, Zulx - - - „ 36:3:—. 614:24:8ƒ28017:8:-. reeven Negotie Boeken ondergeteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebrieder deeser Directie loopt Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 3787 mansz: op or= 1v. op eden oormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte selve teel verken loopt regtstreeks aan teegens den duijdelijken en let„ terlijken inhoud deeser guarantie: De Heer Johan Spencer Esq: en Zijnen Raad, nae vooraf te hebben verklaart de Reedenen die uwel Edele Agtb:e ter dier tijd bewoogen om sieg door geweld van waepenen satisfactie te besorgen, seggen bij de brieff door hun Edelens den 18e. februarij 1759. ten dien Eijnde aan ons geschreeven. wij bedienen ons van deese gelegentheijt om uwel Edelens daar van kennis te geven; en wij verzeekeren uwel Edelens getrouwelijk, dat de uijt „voering deezer maatzegulen in generleij wijze zal krenken off verminderen, eenige voorregte in den Handel of andersints, die de Edele Ve¬ Compe. of uw Edelens „derlandse oost Jndische zelve te Souratte hebben verkreegen; - welke plegtige verklaering naederhand door uwel Edel Agtb:s zelve bij hun Edelens zeer geeerde brieff van den 25e: Jann: 1765. op het naedrukkelijk is bekragtigt met verzeekering van uwel Edele Agtbr: Bestendige pogingen, om de voorregte van de Europeese Natien in Souratta gezeel onschendbaar te bewaeren. - Het Zijn bijgevolg alle verkreegene voor regten No. 5.
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rights that are guaranteed to us thereby, and not only those which our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mughal castle and fleet; and it is therefore also of no relevance whether our Company actually enjoyed the privilege in question at that time, other than that it all the more corroborates the reality of this right. It is unknown to us what evidence appeared to Mr. Boddam and his Council in the investigation that their Honours conducted, and of which they say that the result has convinced their Honours that we were not at that time in possession of the right that we currently reclaim. If the written orders that the town governor continually granted to his servants upon the export of the Company's goods are preserved at the Chol chamber, which we do not know, these can already provide very good proof of the actual possession of this right. Moreover, had we been asked about it, we could have provided Mr. Boddam and his Council with a very decisive proof demonstrating the actuality of the possession of this right, which must be found in their Honours' 36:3:— 614:24:8 f 228017:8:— [illegible] Trade Books The undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly [illegible] Strict Lord together with the Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Netherlands Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of the Honorable Directorate. To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Strict Lord 0 2 [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] aforementioned [illegible] advantage as much merchant it is [illegible] rights own archives. In the year 1762, we had the misfortune of falling into a dispute with the town governor, and the unrest over this rose so high that we resolved to request the mediation of the English Chief and Council at Surat therein, who also accordingly took this upon themselves. In that capacity, the town governor presented to their Honours several points that he said he had to our charge, and made therein, among others under Article 6, literally the following complaint: The Dutch merchandise, such as sugar, spices, etc., which Gorrenram Pandool and Mantcher, their brokers, buy from them and resell to the merchants in the town, are transported by the said brokers under the name of the Dutch Company without paying Chol, thus retaining for themselves the amount of the export duties that the merchants pay them, which, being highly unjust and tending to the great detriment of the Government, cannot be permitted. On our part, it having been noted in response that our brokers had been questioned on this and that they had denied the abovementioned accusation, the English Chief and Council, as mediators, replied thereto in their letter of 19 September 1762: On the sixth, the Nabob proves his accusation through the testimony of Caljaandas Persotemdas and Critkendas, two brokers of known credit and means, who each declare in particular that they bought Dutch goods from Your Honour's brokers Pandool and Mantcher at high prices, in consideration that these gave them permission to export the said goods free of duty, for which they otherwise would have had to pay 5 percent to the Government, and that according to their estimation or valuation; and should more evidence be required, the Nabob adds thereto that he can produce the same. Both this complaint of the town governor, which was sent to us by the gentlemen mediators translated into English, as well as the aforementioned answer from their Honours themselves, prove 36:3:— 614:2:8 f 28017:8:— [illegible] Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly gentlemen Strict Lord together with the Council Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Netherlands Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of the Honorable Directorate. To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Strict Lord 1 2 and [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] aforementioned [illegible] detriment as much merchant it is [illegible] most clearly both the right itself and the actual exercise thereof, since it speaks for itself that we must have possessed and exercised this right, or our brokers could not, according to the content of the town governor's complaint, have abused it. This is further evident from the continuation of the mediators' aforementioned letter, wherein their Honours say: From this it appears that the Government has suffered greatly through these unjust practices, and that according to equity, reparation thereof ought to be made; but as it would cost very much time and endless trouble to make up the account thereof exactly, the Nabob and all others who have an interest in these revenues will have to rely on Your Honour's word of honor to prevent their brokers from doing so in the future. This proposal of the gentlemen mediators, according to which this point was subsequently settled, was acquiesced in on both sides, and their Honours took the guarantee upon themselves for the settlement itself, as appears from their letter of
Dutch transcription
348. 378 regten die ons daar door sijn geguarandeert, en niet alleen de zulke die onse Comp: daedelijk genoot ten tijde de Edele Engelsche Compe: besit genomen heeft van 's mogols Casteel en vloot - en het doet ook daarom niets ter zoeke, off onse Comp:s het voorregt in questie, ter dier tijd daedelijk heeft genooten, dan alleen, dat het de weesentlijkheijd van dit regt te meer bekragtigt. Het is ons onbekent wat, bewijsen den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad voorgekomen Sijn in het onderzoek dat hun Ed hebben gedaan, en waarvan deselve zeggen dat Het resultaat hun Edelens heeft overtuijgt: dat wij des tijdes, niet geweest sijn in het besit van het regt, dat we thans reclameeren; Soo de Schriftelijke ordres die de Heer stads gouverneur telkens bij het uijtvoeren van 's Comp: Goederen op Zijne bediendens verleend bij de Chol kamer worden bewaart het geen wij niet weeten, kunnen deese reeds een heel goet bewijs van de daedelijke bezitting van dit regt uijtleveren, we souden booven dien soo we daar over waeren gevraagt, de Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad nog een heel beslissent bewijs hebben kunnen geven dat de Daedelijkheijd van de posses¬ aan de hand „sie van dit regt aantoond, en in hun Edelens - - - - „ 36:3:—. „614:24: 8ƒ228017:8:—. reeven Negotie- Boeken Ondergeteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Iacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeuren Hoofd Gebieder de ebr Directie Eijgene Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 fransz: op or= 1v. op eden oormeld sing Vardeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte egten Eijgene archiven moet te vinden zijn- In het Jaar 1762. hadden we het ongenoegen van met de Heer Stads Gouverneur in verschil te gezaeken, en de onlusten daar over steegen zoo hoog datwe te raede wierden, de mediatie van den Heer Engelse Chefff en Raad te Souratta, daar in te versoeken die dezelve ook ingevolge van dien op sig naemen, Jn die qualiteijt gaff de Heer Stads gouverneur aan hun Edelens over verscheijde poincten die hij zeijde tot onse lasten te hebben. en deed daar bij onder anderen bij articul 6, woordelyk de volgende klagte. De Hollandse Koopmanschappen als Zuijker, specerijen, Etc: die Gorrenram Pandool, en Mant¬ cher húnne maekelaars van hen koopen, en wederom aan de Kooplieden in de stad verkoo¬ pen worden door gem: maekelaars onder de naam van de Hollandse Compte: vervoerd, Zon¬ „der Chol te betaelen, behoudende zij dus voor hen zelve het bedraegen van de uijtgaan „de regten, die de kooplieden hen betaelen, het welk ten hoogsten onregtvaardig Sijnde en tot groot naedeel van de Reegeering strekkende, niet kan toegestaan worden- van 5 349. 378 van onze zijde daar op aangemerkt sijnde dat onse maekelaars hier op waeren ondervraagt, en datse bovengem: beschuldiging hadden ontkent, hebben de Heer Engelsche Cheff, en Raad, als mediateurs daar op g'antwoort, bij derselver brieff van den 19:e September 1762, op het sesde de Nabab bewijst zijne beschuldiging door het getuijgenis van Cal¬ „jaandas Persotemdas, en Critkendas twee maeke„ „laars van een bekent Credit en vermoogen, dewelke ieder in 't besonder verklaeren, dat zij Hollandse goederen gekogt hebben van uw Edele maekelaars Pandool & Mantcher tot hooge prijsen, in Consideratie, dat deese hen de permissie gegeven hebben om gem: goederen tot vrij uijt te voeren, van dewelke Zij andersints aan die J Regeering 5 p:r C=to souden hebben moeten betaa„ len, en sulx volgens haere Estimatie, off evaluatie en bij aldien er meer bewijsen worden ver Eijscht voegt de Nabab daar bij, dat hij deselve kan produ¬ „ceeren — Zoo wel deede klagte van den Heer Stads gou¬ „verneur, die ons door de Heeren mediateurs, in het Engels vertaald, zijn toegesonden, als het voorsz: antwoordt van hun Edelens Zelve bewij¬ - - - „ 36:3:—. 614:2:8ƒ28017:8:— reeven Negotie Boeken neer geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deebr Drectie „sen Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 en mansz: op or= pr. op eden oormeld sing adeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte bewijsen op het duijdelijkst beijde het regt zelve en de daedelijke oeffening daar van, wijl het van zelve spreekt, dat we dit regt moesten hebben en oeffenen of onse maekeldars konden nae den inhoud der klag¬ te van den Heer Stads gouverneur, daar van geen misbruijk hebben gemaakt. - Nog naeder blijkt dit uijt het vervolg van der Heeren mediateurs voorm: brieff, waar bij hun Edelens Zeggen. Hier uijt blijkt dat de Regeering door deese onregtvaardige practiken, grootelijks heeft geleeden, en dat volgens billikheijd, daarvan reparatie Soude moeten geschieden, maar alsoo het seer veel tijd en eene Eijndeloose moeijte sou¬ „de kosten, de Reekening daarvan Exact op te mae„ „ken, sullen de Nabab, en alle anderen, die bij dae „se inkomsten belang hebben zig op uw Edelens woord: van Eere moeten gerusten, om voorte¬ „koomen dat hunne maekelaars zulx in het vervolg niet meer doen. - In dit voorstel van de Heeren mediateurs waar nae vervolgens dit point is afgedaan, is van weerskanten berust, en over de afdoening zelve hebben Hun delens de guarantie op zig genoomen blijkens derzelver brief van den N 5
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350 378 the 24th of September 1762. All of this demonstrates the right that we currently claim so clearly and indisputably that we can hardly comprehend how anyone could have called the same into question. Our Company, in the meantime, has remained deprived through this whole sailing season of the use thereof, which has caused very great damage to its trade, and we therefore very politely request your Honour that your Honour will be so good as to cause all further hindrances therein to be lifted through your intercession, and thereby to restore the breach that has therewith been made to the privileges of the Dutch Company. If your Honour should find it necessary, besides and apart from the firmans mentioned in the annexes No. 3, also to see all the remaining firmans that have been granted to us in proof of the right in question, we have, apart from what we have pointed out on this subject above, no reasons not to display either one or the other of these firmans, and we would also finally rather have offered this to Mr. Boddam and his Council 36:3:— 614:24: 8ƒ228017:8:— Treeven Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Stern Gentleman Together with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate offered To the Right Honourable Stern Gentleman 0 2 and same same same fransz: by or= f. on present aforementioned ing Disadvantage so much merchant is. er Far to offered, than, by standing upon the extreme right, to lose time uselessly, if this could still have taken place after the receipt of their Honours' letter of the 20th of March. As for the remaining firmans that were given for other purposes, these can be of no service whatever in the case in question. We simultaneously take this opportunity to request your Honour's permission that we may somewhat better secure the place where we are accustomed to store our gunpowder against the accidents that we have to expect from it every day. The same is enclosed on three sides between walls of brick and mortar, and on the fourth side thereof there is only a wall of bamboo smeared with cow dung, of which the ceiling is also made. We have requested Mr. Boddam and his Council to be permitted to have the necessary repairs done to it, and their Honours were also so good as to send a committee for the inspection thereof. To these gentlemen commissioners we have submitted for consideration that we thought it was necessary, in order 351. 378 in order to prevent accidents, to enclose the aforementioned fourth side also with a small stone wall, and that the ceiling were made of wood covered with stone or whatever else could be judged sufficient to prevent it from burning through; however, the aforementioned Mr. Boddam and his Council have written to us in reply that they regretted to be under the necessity of having to refuse their Honours' permission thereto. We do not in the least doubt the goodwill of Mr. Boddam and his Council in this matter, and even very gladly trust that their Honours, who are fully persuaded by the sent committee of the danger to which we are thereby exposed, would not have denied us this request had it been in their Honours' power; we only hope that your Honour will yourself find no difficulty therein, the more so as our intention is not to enlarge or in any way alter this storage place of our powder 36:3:— 614:24:8ƒ228017:8:- Treeven Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. Stern Gentleman Together with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate To the Right Honourable Stern Gentleman iven tie gue mansz: by or= 1f. on the Aforementioned sion Disadvantage so much merchant is. Far to The translation of this letter into English is bound in here behind to enlarge or in any way alter, and that it is very indifferent to us how it is provided for, as long as it may be done in such a manner as someone skilled in the matter shall find to be sufficient to secure us for the future against so great a danger. We have the honour to be with the most perfect esteem beneath stood Right Honourable Great Respectable Gentleman & Gentlemen lower your Right Honourable Great Respectable humble and obedient servants was signed W. J. v. d. Graaff, A. J. Ruijcken, J. v. d. Heijden, C. v. Citters son of A., C. Heijdeman, W. L. Contag, E. H. Wiardi, and W. H. v. Bijland, in the margin Surat the 30th of April 1789. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honourable English Company and Governor of the Mughal Castle and fleet Together with The Council My
Dutch transcription
350 378 den 24:e September 1762. Dit alles toond het regt dat we thans reclameeren zoo duijdelijk en onbetwisbaar aan, dat we quaelijk begrijpen hoe men het zelve heeft kunnen in twijfel trekken, onse Comp:s is ondertusschen hier door deeze geheele vaarbaere tijd verstooken gebleeven van het gebruijk daarvan, dat aan der¬ zelver handel heele groote schaeden heeft toe„ „gebragt, en we versoeken uwel Edele Agtb: daarom seer gedienstig, dat uwel Edele agtb: soo goet willen sijn om door derzelver tusschen komst alle verdere verhinderingen daar in, te doen opheffen en daar door te herstellen den inbreuk die daarmeede aan de voorregten van de Nederlandse Compe: is gedaan. Zoo uwelEdele agtb:e het mogten nodig vinden om buijten en behalven de firmans vermeld bij de bijlaegen No: 3. ook te Zien alle de overige firmans die ten bewijse van het regt in questie aan ons zijn verleend, hebben we buijten het geen we op dit onderwerp hier boven hebben Aangeweesen, geene redenen om niet soo wel de eene als de andere deeser firmans te doen ver¬ „toonen, en we souden ook dit Eijndelijk de Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad, liever hebben - - -. - „ 36:3:—. 614:24: 8ƒ228017:8:— Treeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder deesr Directie aangebooden Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 en zelve lve lve fransz: op or= v. op heden vormeld ing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet, is. er Ve te aangebooden, dan met ophet uijterste regt te blijven staan, nutteloos tijd te verliesen, zoo dit nae den ontvangst van hun Edelens brieff van den 20=e maart nog had kunnen geschieden - wat de overige firmans aangaat die tot andere Eijndens gegeven syn, deeze kunnen in het geval in questie van geen dienst altoos sijn — wij nemen deese gelegentheijd tevens waar om uwel Edele agtb=e verloff te versoeken, dat wij de plaats daar we gewoon sijn ons kruijt te bergen, wat beeter moogen doen verseekeren teegens de ongelukken die we alle daegen daar van te wagten hebben; Het selve is van drie Zijden tusschen muuren van Steen en Kalk beslooten, en aan de vierde Zijde daar van is alleen een want van Bamboesen bestreeken met koemist, waar van ook de zoldering gemaakt is; - we hebben aan den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad versogt om daar aan de nodige verhelpinge te moogen laeten doen, en hun Edelens Sijn ook soo goet geweest, om ter besigtiging, daar van, een Commissie te senden; - aan deese Heeren g'committeerdens hebben we doen in overweeging geeven, dat we dagten dat het ter 5 351. 378 ter voorkoming van ongelukken noodig wan¬ de voorsz: vierde zijde ook met een steene muurtje te besluijten, en dat de zoldering wierd gemaakt, van hout belegt met steen - „ints of wat anders „ toereijkende kon worden g'oor„ deeld om het doorbranden te voorkoomen, dog welgem: Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad, hebben ons hier opgeschreeven, dat het hun leedt deed van onder de noodzaekelijkheijd te Sijn van hun Edelens toestemming daar toe te moeten weijgeren; — wij twijffelen geensints aan de goedwilligheijd van den Heer Roddam en Zijnen Raad in deesen, en vertrouwen selfs seer gaarne, dat hun Edelens die door de gesondene commissie volkomen sijn over„ „reed van het gevaar, waaraan we hier door Sijn blootgesteld, ons dit versoek was het in hun Edelens vermoogen geweest, niet souden hebben ontzegt, alleen hoopen we dat uwel¬ „Edele agtb:r zelve daar in geen zwaerigheijd zullen vinden te meer ons voorneemen niet is, om deese bergplaats van ons kruijt - - . „ 36:3:—. 614:24:8ƒ228017:8:- Treeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder deeser Directie Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer iven tie gue mansz: op or= 1v. op den Voormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman get, is. Verte te De Translaat van deese brieff in Engelsch is hier agter ingebonden te vergrooten off op eenigerhande wijse te veran„ „deren, en dat het ons seer om het eeven is, hoe het word besorgt als het maar geschieden mag op sulk een wijse als iemand des kundig sal bevinden genoegsaam te sijn om ons voor Zoo éen groot gevaar; voor den aanstaande te beveijligen; - wij hebben de Eer met de vol„ „maakste agting te sijn /:onderstond:/ wel Edele groot Agtbaere Heer & Heeren /:Laeger:/ uwel „Edele groot agtbaeres onderdaenige, en gehoo „saeme dienaeren /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff A:d J: Ruijcken, J: v:d: Heijden, C: v: Citters aanz: C: Heijdeman, W: L: Contag, E: H: wiardi, en W: H: v: Bijland, /:in margine:/ Souratta den 30e April 1739. Aan den Heer Rawson Hart Boddam Schildknaap, Cheff van weegens de Edele Engelsche Compe. en Gouverneur van 't Mogols Casteel en vloot Benevens Den Raad Mijne 5
English
352. 378 Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of Netherlands India, together with Director and Head of this Directorate, and The Council Strict Sir, Gentlemen. Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A brief and late, Secondly. 614:2:. 8f ƒ 228017:8:— letters - - - - „ 36:3:—. In reply to the letter with which Your Honors favored us on the 20th of March last, we deemed it necessary, Gentlemen, regarding the dispute concerning the duty-free export of the Company's goods, to address ourselves to the Governor and Council in Bombay, who recently honored us thereupon with their answer; containing that Their Honors accept the offer that we made to Your Honor in our letter of the 18th of March. We therefore request Your Honors, Gentlemen, to let us know when it will be convenient for Your Honors that we appoint a committee to show Your Honors, in accordance with our aforementioned letter, the original firmans, against which may then be collated the copies that we have already sent to Your Honors thereof; Likewise, the aforementioned Governor and Council have written to us that they have no objections to the restoration of our gunpowder magazine, in such a manner that it may be sufficiently secure for the purpose of preserving our gunpowder, free from accidents or damage, provided that this is done under the usual arrangement and supervision, to which we very gladly agree; and Your Honors will greatly oblige us, Gentlemen, by To the Honorable, Respected, Strict Sir 0 ƒ pransz: op or= 1v op zeden aforementioned sing 8a deele as much merchant it is. Turn over by giving the necessary orders in accordance therewith, so that it may be carried out. We have the honor to remain with complete esteem, it was signed: Gentlemen, lower: Your Honors' humble and obedient servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Huijsken, J: v: d: Sleijden, C: v: Citters Aarntz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: Wiardi, & W: H: v: Bijland. In the margin: Surat, the 31st of July 1739. To Mr. Rawson Hart Boddam, Esquire, Chief on behalf of the Honorable English East India Company and Governor of the Mogul's Castle and Fleet, and The Council Gentlemen, We were honored with Your Honors' letter of the 24th of this month. In accordance with Your Honors' polite offer, leaving to us the determination of the day for the comparison of our original firmans against the copies which we sent to Your Honors with our letter of ƒ 5 the 353. 378 Bombay the 22nd of February last, we have the honor to communicate to Your Honors that we have appointed for this purpose the day of Saturday, the 28th of this month, and that for that end there will appear in the garden of the Honorable English Company at about 10 o'clock in the morning on our behalf Messrs. Huijsken, van der Sleijden, and van Citters, in the hope that the aforementioned day and hour will be convenient to Your Honors; We have the honor to remain with true esteem, it was signed: Gentlemen, lower: Your Honors' obedient and humble servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, H: J: Huijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters Aarntz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E: N: Wiardi, and W: H: van Bijland. In the margin: Surat, the 27th of August 1739. To the Honorable, Most Respected Sir William Hornby, Esquire, President on behalf of the Honorable English East India Company, and Governor of His Britannic Majesty's Castle and Fleet, and The Council Honorable, Most Respected Sir & Gentlemen, -. - „ 36:3:—. 614:24:. 8 ƒ 228017:8:— Letters Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A brief and late, Secondly. Gentlemen: Strict Sir and The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of Netherlands India, together with Director and Head of this Directorate To the Honorable, Respected, Strict Sir 1 2 sign m take to of and we t e to T. merchant it as much disadvantage sing aforementioned present pr op op or= mransz: We have been favored with Your Honor, Most Respected, and Honors' highly esteemed letter of the 8th of July last, and thank Your Honor, Most Respected, and Honors hereby for the kindness that you have had in communicating to us the instruction sent to Mr. Boddam and his Council to concur with our offer made to Their Honors in our letter of the 18th of March last; likewise we thank Your Honor, Most Respected, and Honors for the permission granted to us to make the necessary repairs to our gunpowder chamber; The presentation of the firmans took place on the 28th of August, and we had at the same time given to the members of our assembly who presented them the necessary instructions Gentlemen to enter into a conference thereupon, if necessary, with the commissioners of Mr. Boddam and his Council; however, the said gentleman commissioners declared that they were instructed to do nothing other than to collate the original firmans against the copies thereof sent by us; Having waited until now in vain for the further necessary answer thereto, we caused Mr. Boddam to be spoken to on the matter this morning, who informed us that His Honor had already sent to Your Honor, Most Respected, and Honors the translations that His Honor had caused to be made of the aforementioned firmans, and awaited thereupon the answer from Your Honor, Most Respected, and Honors. 3
Dutch transcription
352. 378 Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebre der deesr Drectie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Leeren. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. 614:2:. 8f ƒ 228017:8:— reeven - - - - „ 36:3:—. op de brief waar meede uw Edelens ons op den 20:e maart Jongstl: hebben begunstigt hebben wij het nodie g'agt, Mijne Heeren, om ons nopens de questie over het solvrij uijtvoeren van 's Comp. s Goederen ons te addresseeren aan den Heer gouverneur en Raad te Bombaij, die ons onlangs met derselver daar op vereerd antwoord hebben eretigt; houdende dat hun Edelens aanneemen, de aanbieding die we uw Hde bij onsen brief van den 18:e maart hebben gedaan wij versoeken wirdelens uijt dien hoofde; mijne Hee¬ ren, om ons te doen weeten wanneer het uw Ed: sal geleegen komen, dat we benoemen een Commis¬ fie, om aan uw Ed: ingevolge van voorsz onsen brieff, de oorspronkelijke firmans te vertoonen „teevens waar teegens als dan kunnen worden gecolla¬ tioneerd, de afschriften die we uw Ed: bereedts daar van hebben gesonden; Heer „ Nog hebben welgen: Gouverneur en Raad, ons „geschreven, datse geene teegenwerpingen he, en „hebben, tot het weeder herstellen van ons Kruijt ma„ quazijn, in dier voegen dat het Selve genoegsaam zeeker kan zijn, voor het oogmerk oms ons Kruijt te bewaeren, vrij voor toevallen off schade mits dat zulx gedaan word onder de gewoone schikking, en opzigt, waar in we Veer gaarne bewilligen, en uw Ed:le sullen ons seer verpligten Mijne Heeren met Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 ƒ pransz: op or= 1v op zeden Voormeld sing 8a deele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte met ingevolge van dien, de nodige ordre te willen stellen, op dat het kan worden volvoerd. wij hebben de Eere met volmaakte agting te sijn /:onderstond:/ Wijne Heeren /:Lager:/ uw Ed:s onder„ daenige en gehoorsaeme Dienaeren (:was geteekentd W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Hluijsken, J: v: d: Sleijden, C: v: Citters Aarntz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, E. N: Wiardi, & W: H: V: Bijland /:in margine:/ Souratta den 31: Julij 1739. Aan den Heer Rarson Hart Boddam schildknaap, Cheff van weegens de 5oost Indische Edele Engelsche Comp: & Gouverneur van 's Magols Casteel en vloot Benevens Den Raad Mijne Heeren wij sijn verherd geworden, met uw Ed:e brief van den 24e. Deeser Jngevolge uwEd: beleefde aanbieding, met aan ons overtelaeten, het bepaelen van den dag tot het vergelijken van onse origineele hirmans teegens de Copijen die we umidelens nevens onsen brieff van ƒ 5 den 353. 3 78 Bombaij den 22:e: februarij Jongst Leeden hebben toegesonden, hebben wede Eer uw Edelens te communiceeren dat we daar toe hebben geschikt den dag van Zaturdag den 28e: Deeser, en dat ten dien Eijnde in de Edele Engelsche Comp: Thuijn teegens 10 uuren Smorgens van onse¬ Zijde Sullen verschijnen, de Heeren, Hluijsken, van der Sleijden, en van Citters, — in hope dat de voormelde dag en nu bij uwr Edelens Conveniabel sal sijn; wij hebben de Eere, met waare agting te Sijn /:onderstond:/ Mijne Hearen /:Lager:/ uw Edelens gehoorsaeme, en ootmoedige Dienaeren (:was„ geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, H: J: Huijsken, J: V: d: Heijden, C: V: Citters Aarntz:, C: Heijdeman W: L: Sontag, E. N: wiardi, en W: H: van Bijland, /: in margine:/ Souratta den 27:' Aug:s 1739. Aan den WelEdele Groot Agtb: Heer William Hornbij, Schildknaap, Praesident van weegens de Honoroble oostndische Engelsche Compe. , en Gouverneur Brittannagche van sijn ^ Majesteijds Casteel & vloot Nevens Den Raad wel Edele Groot Agtbaere Heer & Heeren -. - „ 36:3:—. 614:24:. 8 ƒ228017:8:— Treeven Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren: Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deesr Directie d Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 2 teeken m ernem aan van en wij t e te T. koopman bet zoo veel Nadeele sing oormeld eden pr op op or= mransz: wij sijn begunstigt, met uwel Ed: groot agtb:r en Ed: veel g'Eerde van den 8e: Julij Jongst Leeden en be¬ „danken uwelld groot Agtbr., en Ed: door deesen voor de goedheijd die deselve gehad hebben om ons te be¬ deelen, de aan den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad gesondene Instructie om te berusten in ons en aanbieding, aan hun Ed. gedaan, bij onsen brieff van den 18e: maart Jongstleeden, Insgelijk be¬ danken wij uwelEd: groot agtb: en Ede: voor 't aan ons verleende verlof tot het doen der nodige verhelpingen aan onse kruijt kamer; de productie der Fvimans is geschied, den 28e: augustus, en we hadden ter Zelver tijd aan de Leeden onser vergaedering die deselve heb¬ -- ben verthoond, de nodige Instructie gegeven Heeren om met de Commissarissen van den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad, daar over des noodig zijnde, in conferentie te treeden dog gem: Heeren Commissarissen, hebben ver¬ „klaard, datse tot niets anders gelast waeren dan tot 't Collationeeren der origineele pin„ mans teegen de door ons daar van gesondene Copijen; Tot hier toe te vergeefs gewagt hebbende nae 't verder nodig antwoord daar op, hebben we heeden morgen, den Heer Boddam daar over doen onderhouden, die ons heeft doen wee¬ „ten dat sijn Ed: bereeds, aan uwel Ed:e groot aggtb: en Ed: had gesonden, de vertaelingen die sijn Ede. van de voorsz firmans had doen maken, en daar op het antwoord van uwel Ed: groot Agtb: en Ed: 3
English
354. 378 Your Honors were expecting; — we do not doubt that these translations will have been found to agree with those that were inserted by us in our letter to Mr. Boddam and his Council, written on the 22nd of February, as we otherwise believe we may hold ourselves assured that Mr. Boddam would have set a further meeting. We trust therefore that the right of our Company which we reclaim will hereby have been shown to Your Right Honorable and Honorable Lordships in the most complete manner, and as we have now already been interrupted in the exercise thereof for an entire good monsoon, we hope all the more that Your Right Honorable and Honorable Lordships will be so good as to cause these impediments to cease as speedily as possible. We have the honor to be with the most complete high esteem, underneath stood: Right Honorable and Worshipful Sir and Sirs, lower: Your Right Honorable Lordships' very humble and obedient servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden, C: v: Citters Aarnoutsz:, C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, d: N: Wiardi, and W: H: v: Bijland. In margin: Surat the 13th of September 1739. To Mr. Robert Gambier, Esquire, Chief, together with the Council at Broach. -. . „ 36:3:—. 614:2:. 8fƒ 228017:8:- [illegible] trade books undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. seven. Worshipful Sir together with the Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate. Right Honorable To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Stern Sir 1 ƒ [illegible] disadvantage so much merchant it is. Turn over Right Honorable Sir Sirs. In place of the deceased Mr. Jacob Ygerman Bocquet, Mr. Willem Lodewijk Sontag departs hereby as First Factor of our residency at Broach. We have the honor to give Your Honors notice thereof by this, and very kindly request you to show the aforesaid Mr. Sontag all possible services and kindnesses which he might come to request of Your Honors in the service of his masters, which we shall endeavor to acknowledge upon all occasions. We have the honor to be with special esteem, underneath stood: Right Honorable Sir and Sirs, lower: Your Honors' obedient and humble servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden - - - - - - - - - - - -, E: N: Wiardi and - - - - - - -. In margin: Surat the 6th of October 1739. And 5 355. 378 To the Right Honorable and Worshipful Sir William Hornby, Esquire, President on behalf of the Honorable English Company and Governor of His Majesty's Castle and Fleet, together with the Council, at Bombay. Right Honorable and Worshipful Sir and Sirs, It is now already going into the second year that the Noble Dutch Company has in fact been prevented by Your Honors' Chief at Surat, Mr. Boddam, and his Council, in the name and on behalf of the Noble English Company, from the toll-free export of its goods, to which it is entitled by virtue of its privileges. We have shown this right in detail to Your Honors in our letter of the 30th of April last past, and the enclosures sent therewith, and in a further letter written on the 13th of September we have informed Your Honors that we have had the original firmans exhibited as mentioned in our previous [illegible], . - . „ 36:3:—. ƒ614:24:8ƒ228017:8:— [illegible] trade books undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly! seven. Worshipful Sir together with the Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies, as well as Director and Chief Commander of this Directorate aforementioned To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Stern Sir 1 ƒ [illegible] disadvantage so much merchant it is. Turn over reported, had them exhibited through a commission to the gentlemen who were commissioned for that purpose by Mr. Boddam and his Council. We have on the same occasion demonstrated the grounds upon which we believed we might hold ourselves assured that those parts from the said firmans upon which the matter here principally depends were found to agree with the translations thereof which were inserted in our letter to Mr. Boddam and his Council written on the 22nd of February. And we think therefore that nothing remains that can delay Your Honors in your deliberations upon this subject. But as we have received no answer thereto up to now, we repeat for that reason, and in order to prevent that the Noble Dutch Company, which by the aforesaid impediments has already suffered much disadvantage, may not be brought any further damage by the further lapse of time, hereby once again and most emphatically, our very friendly request that Your Honors namely [illegible] A ƒ N 5
Dutch transcription
354. 378 Ed: was verwagtende; — wij twijffelen niet of deeze vertaelingen, zullen zijn bevonden, overeenstem„ mende met de geene die door ons daar van sijn g'insereert in onsen brieff aan den Heer Bodda¬ en sijnen Raad, geschreeven den 22 februarij wije we ons anders meenen te mogen verzeekert houden, dat de Heer Boddam een nadere tzaemen„ „komst soude hebben vastgesteldt wij vertrouwen mitsdien dat het zegt van onse Comp. dat we reclameeren, uwel Ed: groot agtb: en Ed: hier door op het volkomenst zal gebleeken sijn en wijl we nu Reeds een geheele goede mons¬ son, in de Excercitie daar van Sijn g'interrumpeert zoo hoopen we te meer dat uwel Ed: Groot Agtb:e en Bd. o Soo goet Sullen Sijn om deeze beletzelen, Zoo spoedig mogelijk te doen ophouden, wij hebben de Eer met de volkomenste hoogagting te sijn /:onderstond:/ wel Edele Groot agtbaere Heer en Heeren, /:Lager:/ uwelEd Groot Agtb: Zeer on„ „derdaenige en gehoorsaeme Dienaeren /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Sluijsken J: v:d: Hleijden, C: v: Citters aarntz: C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontag, d: N: Wiardi, en W: H: v: Bijland, /:in margine:/ Souratta den 13:e' September 1739 Aan den Heer Robbert Gambier Schildknaap, opperhoofd, Nevens Den Raad te Brootchie -. . „ 36:3:—. 614:2:. 8fƒ 228017:8:- reeven Negotie-Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeven. lestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Iacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd ebieder deesr Drectie wel Edele Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ mansz: op or= v. op den oormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte wel Edele Heer Heeren. Jn steede van den overledenen Heer, Jacob Ygerman Bocquet, vertrekt bij deesen als Eerste Factoor van onse Residentie te Brootchia den Heer Willem Lodewijk Sontag, wij heb„ ben de Eer uwel Ede. en Ed. daar van door deesen ken¬ nis te geven, en versoeken deselve seer vrienden lijk om voorsz. Heer Contag te bewijzen alle mogelijke diensten en goedheeden, die hij uwelEd: en Ed: mogt komen te versoeken in den dienst zijner meesteren, het geen we bij alle gelegentheeden Zullen Tragten te Erkennen. wij hebbende Eer met bysondere agting te sijn /:onderstond:/ wel Edele Heer en Heeren /:Lager:/ uwelEde: Gehoorsaeme, en ootmoedige Dienaeren (:was geteekent:) W: J: v: d: Graaff: A: J: Hluijsken, J: v: d: Heijden - - - - - - – – – – – –, E: N: mardi en - - - - - - - /:in margine:/ Souratten den 6:e: October 1739. En 5 355. 3 78 Aan den wel Edelen Groot Agtbae„ ren Heer William Hornbij Schildknaap, praesident van wee¬ gens de Honorable Engelsche Comp: en Gouverneur van Sijn Najesteijds Casteel & vloot Nevens Den Raad, te Bombaij Wel Edele Groot Agtbaeren Heer En Heeren Het gaat nu Reeden in 't tweede Jaar, dat de Edele Nederlandse Comp. , door uwel Ed Cheff te Souratta den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad, uijt naamen van weegens de Edele Engelsche Comp: met er daad is belet, den Tholvrijen uijtvoer haeren goederen waar toe deselve uijt hoofde van haere privilegien is gezegtigt, we hebben dit Regt aan uwel: Edelens omstandig verthoond bij onsen brieff van den 30e. April Jongst leeden, ende daar bij gesondene bijlaegen, en bij een naedere brieff geschreeven den 13e: September hebben we aan uwEdelens Kennis gegeven, dat me - de oorspronkelijke firmans hebben doen verthooven bij onze voorige ver¬ . - . „ 36:3:—. ƒ614:24:8ƒ228017:8:— reeven 15. op mransz: Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden! zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Jebie der deeser Directie „meld Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ rste op or= den oormeld ing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet is. V rte vermeld, door een Commissie hebben doen ve¬ thoonen, aan de heeren die door den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad, ten dien Eijnde Sijn g'committeerd, woe hebben ter zelven gelee„ gentheijd aangeweesen, de gronden waar op we meenden ons te moogen verzeekert houden, dat die gedeeltens uijt gem: fir¬ „mans, waar op het hier voornaementlijk aankoomt, Zijn bevonden overeentes te m men, met de vertaelingen daar van die in onsen brieff aan den Heer Boddam en Zijnen Raad geschreeven den 22e: februari Zijn g'insereert, en we denken mits dien dat er niets resteert, dat uwel Ed:s in derzelve deliberatien op dit onderwerp kan ophoude dan wijl we daar op tot nog toe geen antwoord ontvangen hebben herhaalen we uijt dien hoofde, en ter voorkooming dat de Edele Nederlandse Compe die mits de voorsz belettelen bereeds veel naedeel gelee„ den heeft door verder verloop van tijdt geen meerdere schaede mag worden toegebragt, door deesen andermaal en op 't nadrukkelijkst, ons Zeer vriendelijk versoek, dat uw Edelens naementlijk hoe Een ƒ N 5
English
356 378 Examined A: de Tille. All the better, please send the necessary orders to the repeatedly mentioned Your Honours Chief at Souratta, Mr. Boddam, and his Council, to rectify the infringement committed by Your Honours upon the aforementioned privilege of the Honourable Netherlands Company; the evidence that the Honourable Netherlands Company undoubtedly possesses the right we claim causes us to expect with confidence from Your Honours' fairness that Your Honours will be so good as to comply with this without further delay; we have the honor to be with the most complete high esteem, underneath stood, Right Honourable Grand Respected Sir & Sirs, lower, Your Right Honourable Grand Respected's very humble servants, was signed: W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Pluijcken, J: v: d: Sleijden, C. V: Citter aantz:, C: d: teijdeman, W: L: sontag, E. N: wiardi, & W: H: v: Bijland, in margin: Souratta the 27th of November 1749. Agreed E: A:s Wiardi, Secretary. NB: The further letter destined for Bombay is not entered here because a change will be made in it. 36:3:—. ƒ614:24: 8 ƒ28017:8:- written Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding A short and late, secondly. gentlemen: Rigorous Sir Together with The Council Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of Netherlands India, as well as Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate. To the Right Honourable Respected Rigorous Sir mansz: by order on the aforementioned distribution detriment as much merchant is. Turn over 3 357. 378 The Honourable William Hornby Esq:r President for affairs of the Honourable English East India Company, and Governor of his Royal Majesty's Castle &c. Council at Bombay Honourable Sir & Sirs: With the beginning of this navigable season we were of intention to export some merchandises belonging to the Noble Netherlands Company. In consequence of which we did according to custom lay before the inspectors who are ordered by the Noble English Company to take care of their share in the customs, the order the Nabob had granted for that purpose upon his custom house officers. But they declared that they had got orders not to let any of our Company's goods be exported if henceforth the customs were not paid 36:3:—. 614:2:8 ƒ28017:8:— pransz: Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding A short and late, secondly. gentlemen. Together with The Council Rigorous Sir Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of Netherlands India, as well as Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate. another To the Right Honourable Respected Rigorous Sir ƒ To by order on the aforementioned distribution detriment as much merchant is. Turn over 8 O another time. We wrote hereabout to Rawson Hart Boddam Esqr, Chief of the Noble English Company at Surat, and his Council, and represented to them that the Netherlands Company had the right to export her merchandises at her pleasure, if by importation she has paid the customary duty of 2½ percent, without being obliged to pay any more customs thereof. From this letter of the 5th of October last, we send a copy herewith, marked No. 1. Mr. Boddam and his Council sent us their answer the 13th of the same month, that they were taking the necessary steps to make a formal enquiry into the particular circumstances of the case. Three months passed without receiving any further answer, and not being favoured with any at that time, we requested by our letter of the 13th of January that they would be pleased to send us as speedily as possible the answer we waited for according to their letter of the 13th of October. At last we received upon the 12th of February from Mr. Boddam 5. 358. 37 Boddam & Council the letter which, in as much as it is relative hereto, lies in abstract herewith, marked No. 2. By the same they demand to see our original Farmans, whereby we represent the right we now claim, and to prevent all further trouble in producing the Farmans they request to take copies of them, attested by us, to obviate all future disputes regarding the authenticity of the copies. The request to have copies of the Farmans is visibly only with respect to future occurrences; we have, notwithstanding that we might, as we thought, satisfy both demands, offered to Mr. Boddam & Council by our letter of the 22nd of February to send a committee to show the original Farmans proving the aforesaid right, and at the same time we have sent them the copies properly attested. We did send these copies beforehand, that they might in the meantime be informed of the contents of these Farmans, and for their greater convenience we inserted 36:3:—. 614:2: 8 ƒ28017:8:–. written Trade Books the undersigned found such outstanding A short and late, secondly! gentlemen. Rigorous Sir Together with The Council Willem Jacob Van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of Netherlands India, as well as Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate. To the Right Honourable Respected Rigorous Sir 1 ƒ mransz: by order on the aforementioned distribution detriment as much merchant is. Turn over in
Dutch transcription
356 378 Nagezien A: de Tille. Een zoo beeter, de nodige beveelen gelieven te senden aan meerm: wwldelens Cheff te Souratta den Heer Boddam en zijnen Raad, om te herstellen de door hun Edelens in 't voorsz voorregt van de E: Nederlands Compe. gedaenen inbrenk de blijkbaarheijd dat de Edele Nederlandse Comp: ontwijffel„ „baar toekoomt het regt datwe rekla„ meeren doet ons van uw Ed. billikheijd met vertrouwen verwagten, dat uwEdelens soo goed sullen sijn, daar aan sonder ver¬ der uijtstel te voldoen; - wij hebben de Een met de volkomenste hoogagting te sin /:onderstond:/ wel Edele Groot agt„ baere Heer & Heeren /:Lager:/ uwel Ed. groot Agtbe: seer onderdaenige Dienaa¬ „ren, /:was geteekent:/ W: J: v: d: Graaff, A: J: Pluijcken, J: v: d: Sleijden, C. V: Citter aantz: C: d: teijdeman, W: L: sontag, E. N: wiardi, & W: H: v: Bijland /:in margine:/ Souratta den 27e November 1749 Accordeerd E: A:s WiardiCer NB: &E nader voor Bom: brij bestemde brif is hier niet ingeschreeven om dat daarin my verander „ning zal gemaekt worden - -. . „ 36:3:—. ƒ614:24: 8ƒ28017:8:- reeven Negotie Boeken oneer geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren: Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebiedr deesr Directie Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 mansz: op or= v op den Voormeld sing Vardeele zoo veel koopman get is. Verte 3 357. 378 The Hon=ll William Hombij Esq:r President for affairs of the Honourable English East India Companij, and Geernour of his Roijal Maijestijs Castle &a. Council at Bombay Honourable Sir & Sirs: With the beginning of this navigable seasonr wel weze Af Inten„ tion to Export somes Merchan deses, belonging to the Noble Netherland os, veeven Company. In consequence of which we aid according to use lay before the inspectors who are ordered bij the Noble English Company to take care for their share in the customs, the order the Nabab had granted for that purpose upon his custom houte officers. But they declared that they had get orders, not to let any of our Companys geeds be exparted, of net from hen„ cefouth the Customs werel paid . - „ 36:3:—. 014:2:8ƒ28017:8:— pransz: Negotie Boeken nneter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deeser Directie another Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer ƒ To op or= „v. op id den oormeld sing Vadeele zoo veel koopman bet ted Verte iS. 8 O another time. die waete here about te Rawson Hard Boddam Esqr Chiet of the Noble English Company at Surats, and his Council, and represented to them that the Nitherland Company had the right to export hir Merchandises to het goed leking, ik by import stre he paid the Customany dertyg af 2½ procen„ without being obliged to payany more customs thereof. From this letter of the 5=ten October last, we- sind a Capy herewith, marked N. o 1. Mr. Boddan and his Council send us their answer the 13th of the same month that they ware taking the necessary steps to make a formal Enquirij into„ the particular circumstances of the case. Three months passed without receiving any further answer, and not being favourd with any at the time; dwe requested by ovr Letter of the 13th January that they would be pleased to sind us as speedy as pos „sible the answer we waited for accurding to their letter of the 13th October. — Al last we received upon the 12th February from Mr. Boddan 5. 358. 3 7 Boddam & Council the letter which in as much as she is relative here to lies in abstract herewith, marked N. o 2. By the same they demand to see our Original Phermaunds, where by we re present the right we now claim, and to prevent all further trouble in producing the Phirmaunds theij request to take copies of them, attested by us, to obviate all future disputes, regar„ „ding the autherticity of the Copies. The request to have copies of the Thirmaunds is visibly only with re„ „spect to future occurences; we have notwithstanding that we might, as we thaught, satisfy to both dimands, offered to Mr Boddam & Council by our Letter of the 22d February to send a Committee to show the original Phirmaunds, proving the aforesaid right, and at the same time we have send them the Copies properly attested. We did send these Copies before hand, that they might in the mean time be informed of the Contents of these Phirmaunds, and to their greater Commoditij we inserted - -. . „ 36:3:—. 614:2: 8 ƒ228017:8:–. reeven Negotie Boeken nder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden! leeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebieder deesor Directie Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ mransz: op or= op ro den vormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel ko man S. Verte in
English
in the aforesaid letter of ours, the translation of that part of those farmans upon which the most material point of this affair rests. An extract of this letter, so far as it relates hereto, is annexed herewith, marked No. 3. By a letter written on the 28th of February, we received the answer thereto. At the beginning of the same, Mr. Boddam and Council state that we had much mistaken the meaning of theirs, dated the 12th of February, for they had requested thereby to see our original farmans and take copies of them themselves, adding that instead of complying with their request, we had only sent them attested copies. We have already observed hereinbefore that we have not only sent attested copies, but that we have at the same time offered to lay the originals before them. By our answer of the 18th of March, of which an extract, so far as it relates hereto, is annexed herewith, marked No. 4, we have circumstantially demonstrated this to Mr. Boddam and Council, with representations that the 359. 378 Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, together with the Council. Right Honorable Sir, seven. Trade Books, the undersigned found such outstanding, a short and late, namely: mansz: written 614:24: 8 ƒ 228017:8:–. . -. . „ 36:3:—. so much merchant disadvantage aforesaid sing only difference between their demand in the letter of the 12th of February and our proffer in our answer consisted solely in this: that instead of the farman copies we did send them, they wished to take copies thereof themselves; but that to our minds it was of no consequence who transcribed these documents, so long as it appeared that the copies were in accordance with the originals. We reiterated our offer to appoint a committee to show our original farmans, and we represented that without such a meeting we could not and might not let our original farmans out of our possession for so long until their clerk had made copies of them. Mr. Boddam and Council, as we have observed hereinbefore, at first demanded only to see the original farmans whereby we represent the right in question, but now, in the subsequent part of their aforesaid letter of the 28th of February, extended their demands to seeing all our farmans so that they might take copies thereof themselves. well To the Right Honorable, Venerable, and Severe Sir, ƒ on or- 1v. on the in 9th is. to e We have hereupon represented to them by our letter of the 18th of March that just as they on their side claimed the right to demand from us the proofs of the privileges of the Noble Netherlands Company to which we lay claim, so too we ought to have the customary liberty in the manner of producing them, without being limited in any way; that if they thought the proofs we undertook to produce, and whereof we had already sent the copies, were not satisfactory, it then depended on them to point out what was lacking, so that we might answer accordingly. We were in hopes that Mr. Boddam and Council would have rested satisfied with these our further remonstrances. Instead of this, they wrote to us by letter of the 20th of March, of which an extract is annexed herewith so far as it relates hereto, marked No. 5: "We are still of opinion that without seeing all your farmans, it is not possible to form an impartial judgment 360. 3 B Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, together with the Council. Right Honorable Sir, seven. Trade Books, the undersigned found such outstanding, a short and late, namely: 614:24: 8 ƒ 228017:8:– seven - - - - „ 36:3:—. merchant This second urging and reiteration of the demands made by the letter of the 28th of February appeared to intimate waiting for another answer, notwithstanding that Mr. Boddam and Council proceed by saying: "However, we are still willing to support you in all the privileges which your Noble Company actually enjoyed at the time of our of the privileges contained therein. Consequently we cannot proceed in the investigation of the claim you now assert to be one of your farman privileges. Thus the affair rests, and it depends, gentlemen, entirely on yourselves whether or not you will furnish us with such information as we deem requisite, that is, all your farmans. By your allowing us to take a copy of them, we shall be enabled to pursue our inquiry; but by your refusing so reasonable a request, you deprive us of the means of judging your claim according to the standard you propose yourselves, that is, your farmans." taking To the Right Honorable, Venerable, and Severe Sir, 1 ƒ mansz: on or- 1v: on today aforesaid sing disadvantage so much 6th far is. : taking possession of the Mogul's castle and fleet, agreeable to the assurances which were then made to you by our Chief." After having laid this foundation, whereby they limit the maintenance of our privileges only to such as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mogul's castle and fleet, Mr. Boddam and Council proceed, saying: "As we cannot, from the very partial view of your farmans which you have thought proper to exhibit, form any judgment of your claim as a farman privilege, we shall therefore not consider it in that light. It is consequently only necessary to determine whether you actually enjoyed this privilege at the time of our taking possession of the Mogul's castle and fleet." To that purpose they say they have made every necessary inquiry, and that the result has convinced them that the privilege we now claim was
Dutch transcription
in the afore said our letter the Translation of that part of those Phirmaunds, where the most material point of this affair rest on an abstract of this letter for as much as se is relative hereto lies herewith, marked N:o 3. By a litter written the 28th February, we received the answer hereupon. To the beginning of the same Mr. Boddam & Council says, that we havel much mistaken the meaning of theirs, dated the 12th February, for that they had requis =ted thereby to see our Original Phirmaunds, and take Copies of them themselves, adding, that in stead of complejing with their request, we had only send them attested copies. We have already observed hen before, that not only we have send attested Copies, but that at the same time we have offered to lay the originals before them. By our answer of the 18th March of which an abstract, in as much, as it is relative hereto, liese herewith, menked No 4. we have circumstancially -- demonstrated this to Mr Boddan & Council, with representations, that the 5 359. 378 Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Sebieder deesr Directie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeren. Negotie Boeken nneter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeten. mransz: reeven 614:24: 8ƒ228017:8:–. . -. . „ 36:3:—. zoo veel koopman Nadeele oormeld sing the only difference in their demand by Letter of the 12th February, and vi proffer by our answer, consisted only that they instead of the Phirmaund Copies we aid send them, wanted to take Copies thereof themselves, Buk that to our thoughts it did nothing to the purpose who was the transeri¬ ber of these pieres, it it appeard only that the Cipies were according to the Originals. doe reiterated our offer to appoint a Committee to shou our Original Phirmaunds, and we repre„ sented that without such a meeting we could not might not give our Original Phirmaunds so long out of our power, till their mounsie had made Copies of them. Mr. Boddam & Council as we have obser¬ ved here before, demanded at first only to see the original Phirmaunds where bij we represent the right in queskon, extended now in the following part 0„ of the aforesaid their letter of the 28th February their demands to see e all our Phirmaunds that they might take Copies there of themselves. wel Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer ƒ op or= 1v. op den in 9e iS. te e we have hereupon rprel„ sented to them by our letter of the 18th March, that even as they from their side did up the right to de„ mand from is the paorts of the priviledges of thee Noble Nether„ land Company we lay claim to that even so wve ought to have the usual liberty in the manner of producing them, without being in any manner limited; that it they thought the proofs we undertock to produced, and where of we had already send the Copies, were not satisfactory, it than depended from them to point out ectat was wanting, that we might answer accordingly. we were in hopes that M. r. Bod„ dam & Council should have rested in these our nearer remonstrances. — Instead of this they wrote us by Letter of the 20th March, of which an Abstrach lies herewith in as much as it is it relative hereto, marked N:o 5. toe are still of opinion, that without seing all ijour Phirmaunds, it is not possible to form an impartial judgemen 5 of 360. 3 B Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deeser Directie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeven. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. 614:24: 8ƒ228017:8:- zeeven - - - - „ 36:3:—. koopman This secondurging and reitera¬ „tion of the deemands done by letter of the 28th February appeared to intimate the stay for another answer, notwith„ „standing M:r Boddam & Council. pro„ ceed with saying: However we are still willing to support you in all the priveledges which your Noble Company actually enjoyed at the time of our of the Priveledges contained therein, Consequently we cannot proceed in the investigation of the claim, you now assert to be one of your Chirmaund Priveledges, Thus the affair rests & it depends, Gentlemen, entizely en your selves wheter or nut you will fur„ nish us with such Information as we dum requisite, that is, all your Phirmaunds. By your allowing us to take a Copy of them, we shall be en abled te pursue our Enquiry, but by your refusing so reasonable a request, you de prive us of the means of yudging of your claim, according to the standard you propose your selves, that is your Phirmaunds. taking Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ mansz: op or= 1v: op heden Voormeld sing da deele zoo veel 6e Verte iS. : taking possession of the Moguls Castle & Fleet, agreable to the assurances which were then made you by our Chief. After having laid this foundation whereby the limct the maintenance of our Priveledges only to such as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mogul's Castle & Fleet, Mr. Boddam & Council proceed, saying, as we cannot from the very partial vieuw of your Phirmaunds which you have thought propers to exhibet, form any judgement of your claim as a Phirmaund Priveledge, we shall therefore not consider it in that light. It is consequently only necessary to determine, whether you a ctually enjoyed this priveledge at the time of our taking possession of the Moguls Castle & Fleet To that purpose they say, to have made, every necessary enquiry, and that the result has Convinced them, that the Preveledge we now claim, was 5.
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was not allowed us at that time, and that therefore they cannot admit a pretension so highly prejudicial to the Mughal's rights and revenues. Herewith they not only have anticipated the state of the question, but they also finally deny us the right to the privilege we now claim, and that upon two entirely inconsistent foundations, namely, that the right of possession is necessary for us, and that we did not enjoy the same at the time fixed by their letter. We therefore do not doubt, but you yourselves will find that it is entirely with just reason that we address ourselves directly to you, Gentlemen. What Mr. Boddam and Council term a very partial view of our firmans, whereby they cannot form any judgment of our claim as a firman privilege, are doubtless the abridgments of the firmans, which, as we said here before, are inserted by our letter of the 22nd February, agreeing literally with the ancient translations merchant aforesaid 36:3:— 614:2:8 ƒ 228017:8:– trade books undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly gentlemen. Right Honorable Sir, together with the Council, Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate. To the Right Honorable, Esteemed, and Respected Sir ƒ op or- today prejudice so much to we are in possession of. But it is notorious from what is written above, that we have not grounded our right upon these translations which Messrs. Boddam and Council term very partial, without their pointing out to us the defective part of the same, but upon the original pieces, which we have offered to produce; concerning the aforesaid limitation in the maintenance of our noble Company's privileges by limiting the maintenance thereof only to such privileges as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mughal's Castle and Fleet, the same is entirely against the plain and literal contents of this guarantee. Mr. John Spencer and Council, after having first declared the motives that induced you at that time to procure yourselves satisfaction by force of arms, say in the letter of the 12th February 1759, written to us to that purpose: We take this opportunity to apprise you, Gentlemen, of this intention; and we faithfully assure you, that the measures pursuing will in no shape interfere No 5 8 Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Commander-in-Chief of this Directorate, together with the Council. Right Honorable Sir, gentlemen. Trade books undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. 614:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:—. 36:3:—. Aforesaid merchant is. interfere with or lessen any privilege in trade, or otherwise, that the Noble Dutch East India Company or yourselves are entitled to at Surat. Which solemn declaration has been ratified afterwards in the most energetic manner by yourselves in your most esteemed letter of the 25th January 1765, with assurances of your constant study to preserve inviolable the rights of the European nations settled in Surat. It is in consequence all our acquired privileges which were guaranteed us thereby, and not only such as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company took possession of the Mughal's Castle and Fleet, and it is for that reason nothing to the purpose if our Company actually enjoyed this privilege at that time, other than that it confirms the more the reality of this right. It is unknown to us what proofs did occur to Messrs. Boddam and Council in the inquiry they have made and of which they say the result has convinced them, that the privilege we To the Right Honorable, Esteemed, and Respected Sir merchant so much prejudice op or- we now claim was not allowed us at that time. If the written orders which the Nawab grants upon his customhouse officers at any time our Company's goods are exported, are preserved at the customhouse, which we do not know, they may produce a very good proof of the actual possession of that right. Besides, we could have produced a very convincing proof to be found in their own muniments, which demonstrates the actual possession of this right. In the year 1762 we had the displeasure to get into a dispute with the governors of this town, and the discontent mounted to such a pitch that we resolved to ask for the mediation of the English Chief and Council at Surat, which they accepted. In that capacity they received from the Nawab a list of several demands against us, and amongst others he made, by the 6th article, verbatim the following complaint: Dutch goods, such as sugar, spices, etc., which Goverdhan Pandool and Manchar, their brokers, purchase from them and sell again No 5 6.
Dutch transcription
361 3787 was not allowed us at that times, and that therefore they Cannot admit a pretention so higly prejudicial to the Moguls rights and revenues. Herewith they not only have anticipated upon the state of the question, but they also finally denie us the right to the Priveledge we now claim, and that upon two entirely in consistent foundations, namely, that the right of possession is neces„ sary for cs, and that we did not enjoy the same at the time fixed by their letter die therefore don't doubt, but you yoursilves will find that it is interely with yust reason that we address our selves dire Atly to you, Gentlemen. — what Mr. Boddam & Council term a very partial view of our Phirmaunds whereby they cannot form any judgement of our claim as a Phirmaund Prive„ ledge are doubtless the abridgements of the Phirmaunds, which as we said here before are insented bij our letter of the 22d: Februarij, agreeing litterally with the autient translations S. koopman oormeld sing . - - . „ 36:3:—. „614:2: 8 ƒ228017:8:–. reeven op Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deeser Directie wel Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer ƒ mansz: op or= heden Nadeele zoo veel e te we are in possession of. But it is notorious from the above written, that we have not grounded our right upon these Transla„ „tions which M:rs Boddai & Council term very partial, without theij point out to us the defective part of the same, but upon the Original pieces, which we have offered to produce; Concerning the aforesaid limitation in the maintenance of our noble Companys Priviledges bij limiting the maintenance there of only to such priveledges as our Companij actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company tock pos¬ „session of the Moguls Castle & Fleet the same is enterely against the plain & litteralle Contents of this guarantie. Mr. John Spencer & Council atter having first declared the motives that induced you at that time for procuring your selves satisfaction by force of Arms, say in the letter of the 12th February 1759, written to us to the pur„ poses. We take this opportunity to apprize you, Gentlemen, of this intention; and we faithfully assure you, that the measures pursuing will in no shape intestenen No 5 8 362 378C Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebiederdeeser Directie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeren. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. reeven 614:2: 8ƒ28017:8:—. 1v. op - - - „ 36:3:—. Voormeld pman iS. interfere with op lessen any Prweledge in Trade, or otherwise, that the Noble Netherland Cast India Company op your selves are intitled wat surat. which solemn declarakon has been ratifyd afterwards in the most en ergical manner by yourselves in your most esteemed letter of the 25th January 1765, with assurances of your Constant stridy to preserve inviolable the rights of the European Nations settled in surat It are in Consequence all our acquired Priveledges which were qua¬ ranted us thereby, and not only such as our Company actually enjoyed at the time the Noble English Company taak possession of the Moguls Castle & Fleet, and it aves for that reason nothing to the purpose if our Company actually enjoyed this Priveledge at that time, than only that it confirms the more the reality of this right Jt is een known tousschat procfs di d oceur te Ms. Boddam & Council in the enquiry they have made and of which they say the result has Convinced them, that the Priveledge we Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 ƒ ns pe F Verte be koop zoo veel Nadeele sing e den op or= mansz: we now Claim was not allowed us at that time. If the written ordres which the Nabob grants upon his Custom house officers at any time our Companijs goods are exported, are preserved at the Custom house, which we do not know, they may produce a very good proof of the effectual possession of that right. Besides we could have produced a verij adjudging proof to be found in their own muniments, which demonstra„ tes the actually possession of this right. In the year 1762 we had the displiasure to get into a dispute with the Governors of this town and the discontent mounted to such a pitch that we resolved to ask for the medi„ „ation of the English Chief & Council at surat, which the accepted. In that quality they received from the Nabob a list of several diemands- against us, and amongst others he madel by the 6th. Article, verbally the following Complaint. Dutch Goods, such as Sugar, spices &ca, which Gouer„ ram Pandool and Mantcher their Brokers purchase from them and sell again N 5. 6„ e
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363 3787 again to Merchants in the Town, they the said Brokers, export in the name of the Dutch Company, customs-free, appropriating to themselves the amount of the export duty as the Merchants pay it them, which being highly unjust and a great prejudice to the sarkar, cannot be allowed. From our side being remarked thereupon that our Brokers had been examined, and that they denied the abovementioned accusation, the English Chief and Council as Mediators answered thereupon by their Letter of the 19th September 1762. To the 6th, the Nabob supports this Charge by the written Testimony of Calliandass Pursotemdass and Tricumdass Pragdass, two Brokers of known Credit and wealth, who severally declare that they have bought Dutch Goods from your Brokers Pandool and Mantchur at advanced Prices in Consideration of them giving them a Burtea for exporting said goods free of Customs, on which, otherwise, they must have paid the Government 5 per Cent that is merchant 36:3:— seven 514:2:8 f 28017:8:— 15. on Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly gentlemen Right Honorable Sir Along with The Council Willem Jacob van de Graaff Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief of this Directorate and To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Valiant Sir 1 f mansz by order the aforementioned settlement Divide so much Turn over and on their arbitrary valuation, and if more proofs be required, the Nabob adds, they can be produced. Both this complaint of the Nabob, which was sent to us in an English Translation by the Gentlemen Mediators, and their aforementioned answer plainly prove both the right and the effective exercise thereof, since it speaks for itself that we must have had this right and exercised the same, or else our Brokers could not have, according to the tenor of the Nabob's Complaints, made an abuse thereof. Still more does this appear from the continuation of the aforesaid Letter from the Gentlemen Mediators, wherein they say: It appears from hence that the Government has been great sufferers by this unjust proceeding and that in equity reparation ought to be made, but as it will require much time and almost endless trouble to have such an account properly adjusted, the Nabob and all others interested in this Revenue must depend No. 5 364. 378 Willem Jacob van de Graaff Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch Indies as well as Director and Chief of this Directorate Along with The Council Right Honorable Sir gentlemen Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly Fransz seven 1014:2:8: f 28817:8:— per on by order 36:3:— merchant This all proves as plainly as indisputably the right we now Claim, so that we cannot Conceive how it could be called in question. In the meantime our Company has been deprived thereby of its use during this whole navigable Season, which has occasioned great losses to her trade, and therefore we kindly request of you, that you will be pleased by your interposition to cause all impediments thereon to be removed, and reinstate this encroachment which has been made thereby upon the prerogatives of the Dutch Company. In this proposal of the Gentlemen Mediators, after which this point is finished, it rested from both sides, and regarding the adjusting itself, they have taken the Guarantee upon them, according to their letter of the 24th September 1762. depend on Your Honors, Gentlemen, to prevent your Brokers doing the like in future. f S To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Valiant Sir 11 f 0 matter aforementioned settlement Divide so much that is Turn over If besides the Farmans mentioned in Schedule No. 3, you find it necessary to see all the other Farmans granted us as a proof of the right in question, we have, besides what we have demonstrated herebefore upon this subject, no reasons not to show the one as well as the others of these Farmans, and we should at last rather have offered this to Mr. Boddam and Council, than, by remaining upon the absolute right, uselessly lose our time, if this could have been done after the receipt of their Letter of the 20th March. Concerning the rest of the Farmans, which were granted for other purposes, they can be of no service in the affair in question. We at once embrace this Occasion to request your Permission that we may somewhat better secure the place where we usually keep our Gunpowder against the misfortunes which we may daily expect. The same is enclosed on three sides between walls of Brick and Chunam, and the fourth side thereof is only a wall of Bamboo patched over with Cow dung, of which to the Roof 5
Dutch transcription
363 3787 again to Merchants in the Town, they the said Brokers, export in the name of the Dutch Company, Customs free, appro„ prieting to themselves the amount of the export duty as the Merchants pay it them, which being higly unjust and a great prejudice to the sarear, can not be allowed. From our side being remarked there upon that our Brokers had been examined, and that they demed the above mentioned accusation, the English Chief and Council as Mediators answered thereupon by their Letter of the 19th September 1762. To the 6th. the Nabob supports this Charge by the written Testimony of Calliandass Pursotemdass & Tricumdass Pragdass¬ two Brokers of known Credit and wealth, who severally declare; that they have bought dutch Goods from jour Brokers Pandool and Mantchur al advanced Prices in Consideration of them giving them a Burtea for exporting said goods free of Customs on which, otherwise, they must have paid the Government 5 p. Cent bet is. koopman -. „ 36:3:—. zeeven 514:2:8ƒ28017:8:— 15. op Negotie Boeken ondergeteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Ven Korte en laat, Teweeden. zeeren. Gestrenge Heer Benevens Den Raad Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebre der decebr Directie & Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ mansz: op or= den oormeld ssing Vardeele zoo veel Verle & on they arbitrary valucation, and it more procts be required the Nabobs adds, they can be produced. As well this complaint of the Nabob which was send us in an English Translation by the Gentlemen Mediators as their afore mentioned answere plainly prooeses, both the right and the effectual excercise thereof, since it speaks of it self that we need to have had this right and Exercise the same, or else our Brokers could not have according to the tenour of the Nabobs Complaints made an abuse thereof. Yet more this appears from the sequel of the aforesaid Letter from the Gentlemen mediaters, whereby they say: It appears from hence that the Government has been great sufferers by this unjust proceeding and that in equity reparation ought to be made, but as it will require much time and almost endless trouble to have such an account properly ad„ Justed, the Naboband all others interested in this Revenue must de pend No 5 364. 378 Willem Iacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebieder deeser Directie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeren. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Fransz: reeven 1014: 2:8:ƒ28817:8:- pr op op or= - -. . „ 36:3:—. koopman This all procss as plainly as indisputably the right we now Claim, that we cant Conceive how it could be cald in question. In the mean evile our Company has been reprived thereby of its use during this whole navigable Saison, which has occa¬ sioned great losses to her trade, and therefore we kindly request of you, that you will be pleased by yours interposition to Causel all impedi„ ments thereon to be raised, and veenstate this encroachement which has been made thereby to the prero„ gatives of the Netherland Company 1 In this purposal: of the Gui„ Hemen Mediatons after which this point is finishd, is rested from buth sides, and about the adjusting it selt, they havel takeer the Guarantee upon then, according to their letter of the 24:ten September 1762. depend on Yjour Honour Gentlemen, to prevent your Brckers daing the like in future. ƒ S Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 11 ƒ 0 eden voormeld ssing Vardeele zoo veel bet is. Verte If besides the Thirmaunds mentioned by the schedule N. 3, you find it neces„ sary to see all the other Phirnaunds granted us as a proof of the right in question, we have besides what we have demonstrated here before repon this subject no reasons not to shou the one as well as the others of these Phirmaunds, and we should at last rather have offered this to Mr. Boddam & Council, than by remaining upon the ultimatur right, lose needless our times, if this could have been done after the receipt of their Letter of the 20th March, Concerning the rest of the Chirmaunds which were granted to other purposes the Can't be of no service in the affair in question. die at once embrace this Occasion to request your Permission that we may some what better secure the place where we uesually keep our Gun„ powder against the misfortunes which we may daily expect. The same is inclo„ sed from three sides between walls of Brick & Chunam, and the fourth side thereof is only a wall of Bamboe patch'd over with Cowdeing of which to the Roef 5
English
365. 378p Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Head Ruler of this Directorate, together with The Council. Right Honorable Sir, seven. Trade books the undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. mransz: 1014:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:— seven 1v. on - -. . „ 36:3:—. As much merchant is made. We have requested leave from Mr. Boddam and Council to make the necessary repairs thereon, and they have been so kind as to send a Committee to examine it. To the Gentlemen of this Committee we have submitted for consideration that we thought it was necessary to prevent all misfortunes to enclose the fourth side likewise with a wall of Brick and Chunam, or of such other materials as could be judged sufficient to prevent burning through it, but Mr. Boddam and Council answered us hereupon that they were sorry to be under the necessity of refusing us their consent. We in nowise doubt the willingness of Mr. Boddam and Council in this, and eagerly trust that, having been entirely persuaded by the Committee of the dangers to which we are exposed, they would not have refused us this request if it had been otherwise in their power; only we are in hopes that you will not find any difficulty in it, the more as our intention is not to enlarge or to make any changes To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Stern Sir 0 ƒ 2 on or= today aforementioned sing Disadvantage it is. Turn over changes to this repository of our gunpowder, and that it is all equal to us how it is provided for, if it be done only in such a manner as one or other skillful person shall find sufficient to secure us in the future against such a great danger. We have the honor to remain with a perfect esteem, understood, Honorable Sir and Sirs, lower, Your most obedient, humble servants, signed: W. J. van de Graaff, A. J. Cluysk, J. v. d. Heijden, C. van Citters Aarnzoon, C. Heijdeman, W. L. Sontag, E. N. Wiardi, and W. H. G. van Bijland, in the morning, Surat, 30th April 1779. 5 3787 Translation Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch East Indies, as well as Director and Head Ruler of this Directorate, together with The Council. Right Honorable Sir, seven. Trade books the undersigned found such outstanding a short and late, secondly. nansz: 6014:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:— seven 1v. on -. . „ 36:3:—. Gentlemen! We received your letter of the 13th instant. Your Engineer, Captain Nichelson, has since been at our Bunder to examine the place where we keep our gunpowder and the situation of the place where we intend to make the tanks, reservoirs, mentioned in our letters of the 13th and 22nd of January and 9th instant. We do not doubt but the report he has given you of it is exactly in conformity with our description, and we request that you will send us your resolution thereupon, the sooner the better. In proof of the Noble Netherlands Company's right, which we reclaimed by our letter of the 3rd of October 1778, we have, in consequence of your desire, Gentlemen, enclosed a copy of a firman granted on behalf of our Honorable Company by King Jahandar Shah in the year 1712 to the Director, Mr. Joan Josua Ketelaar, wherein among other things it is mentioned: "It having been represented to His Majesty that the Dutch import on their ships from several other ports to Hindustan cloth and sundry other articles, which they afterwards Rawson Hart Boddam, Esq., Chief for affairs of the Noble English East India Company and Governor of the Mogul's Castle and Council. and fleet and Council. negotiate To the Right Honorable, Worshipful, and Stern Sir 1 ƒ 366. on or= today aforementioned sing Disadvantage as much merchant it is. Turn over 30 negotiate at Agra and other places for indigo, piece goods, and saltpeter, which they transport to Surat, wherefore they have prayed the King to issue orders that after the customs duty is paid in Surat, which from ancient times has been fixed at 2½ per cent, no person after this custom shall make any further charge or demand upon them, either in Surat or at Broach, but they shall have free liberty to dispose of and vend their effects to whom they please and transport them wheresoever they choose, also to purchase what they like, and to employ such brokers or agents in their service as they think proper, and no one shall intermeddle in their affairs without their approbation. All which His Majesty has been pleased to grant; in consequence, the King's orders are that nobody shall make any difficulties for them in the abovementioned." When, as plain as it appears from this, that the Noble Netherlands Company does not pay the custom of 2½ percent on its trade more than once in all the states of the Mogul Empire, even so incontestably it appears from a firman granted three years before by King Shah Alam to the Director Joan van Hoornhuijs on behalf of our Honorable Company, and of which firman we also send a copy, the article regarding particularly this right is as follows: "It is requested that all Governors and other officers No. 5.
Dutch transcription
365. 378p Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India„ mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebieder de ebr Drectie Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeven. Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. mransz: 1014:2:8ƒ28017:8:— zeeven 1v. op - -. . „ 36:3:—. Zoo veel koopman is made. We have requested leave from Mr Boddam & Council to make the necessary reparations thereon, and the hare been so kind te sende Committee to the examinations thereof. To the Gentlemen of this Committee we have geven in te Consideration, that we thaught it was necessary to prevent all misfortunes to in compass the fourth side likewise with a wall of Brick & Chunam, or of such other materials as could be judged sufficient to prevent the burning thro it, but Mr: Boddam & Council answered us hereupon, that they were Serry to be under the necessity to refuse us their consent. dve in nowise don 't doubt of the willingness of Mr. Boddain & Council in this, and eagerly contide that they having been en terely persuaded by the Committee of the dangers to which we are exposed, should not have refused us this requist if it had been otherwise in their power; only we are in hopes that you won'2 find any difficulty in it, the more as our Jntention- is not to enlarge or to make any Changements Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 ƒ 2 op or= heden oormeld sing Nardeele bet is. Verter Changements to this repository of our gunpowder, and that it is all equal to us how it is provided for, if it be done only in such a manner as one or other Skilfull person shall find sufficient to secure us in the future againsts Sucha greatdanger. we have the honour to remain with a perfeit Esteem /: understood:/ Honour able Sir & Sirs /:lower:/ Your most Obedient Humble servants /:sig„ ned:/ W:m J:s van de Graoff. A: I: Cluijsk J: v: D: Hleijden, C:s van Citters Aarn zoon C: Heijdeman, W: L: Sontog, E: N:s Wi„ ardi & w: H: G: van Bijland /:e morgen surct 30th April 1719 5 3787 Translation Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeuren Hoofd Iobie der deesr Drectie Benevens Den Raad lestrenge Heer zeeven. Negotie Boeken neer geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. nansz: 6014:2:8 ƒ28017:8:— zeeven 1v. op -. . „ 36:3:—. Tentlemen! Wes received your letter of the 13th Instant. Your Engineer Cap:n Nichelson has since been of ous Bunder to examine the place where we keep our gun powder and the situation of the place where we intend to make the tanks /:reser voors:/ men „tioned bij our letters of the 13th & 22:e Januarij & P=th Instant We dan 't doubt but the report he has geven you of it is exactlij conform with our description and we request that you wall send us the sooner the better your resolved there about. In proof of the Noble Netherlands Companij's right Which we reclaimed bij our letter of the 3th Octobr 1778. , We have in consequence of yjour desire, Genllemen, inclosed a Copij of a phit= „man in behalf of our Hon=le. companij granted bij the King Ichaan Daansja in the Jaer 1712. to the Directore M:r Ioan Iosua Betelaar, where amongst others is mentioned. It having been re presented to his majesty, that the Dutch im= „port on their ships from several other ports to Indostan, „cloth and sundag other articles, which they, afterwards Rawson Htart, Boddam Esqr chief for affairs of the Noble Engelsh, last Indien Companij & Governor of the Moguls Castle & verleet & Council. negotiate Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ 366. op or= eeden oormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet, is. Verte 30 „negotiate at Agra and other places, for Indigo, „picee goods and salpeter which theij transport to surat wherefore the ij have prayd the King to Issue ouders that after the daannee is paijd in Surat, which from „antient times has been fixd to 2½ per C=to no person „after this Custom shall make anij further Charge „or demand upon them ecther in surat of at Broach but they shall have free libertij to dispose of and vend their Effects to Whom they please and trans= „port them where soever theij Chuse, allso to purchase „what thea, like, and to Emploij such Brokers or „agents in their service as they, think proper and „no me shall intermeddle in their affairs, without their „approbation. " „ all which het Majesty hasbeen pleased „to grant in consequence the king, orders are that „nobodij shall make them anij difficultnest in „it abode mentioned. Wen as plain at it appears from this, that the Noble Aetherlands Company don 't pay more then once the Custom of 22. percent of her trade in all the states of the Mogul Empeze, even so uncontrolable it appears from a phirman granted theree Jears before bij the King Tja Alem to the Directore John Rotenhuijs in behalf of our Honble Company and of which phirman we allso send a Cope, the article recjarding, particular this right is as following. Is requested that all Governous and other officirs N 5.
English
367. 378 Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate, along with The Council. Honorable Sir, Gentlemen. Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. 1014:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:— seven - - . „ 36:3:—. merchant it is. „officers till the district of Hooghly may be ordered, that „they shall have no authority to exact the custom „twice. But that as usual they shall take 2½ per cent „custom even as in Surat. „That is granted by the King. — Both these copies being conform to the original in the Persian language, are attested by our secretary at our order, and may be compared to the originals if you find it necessary, in which case we shall according to custom send a commission for it. We don't doubt but the clearness of these evidences will perfectly convince you Gentlemen of the above-mentioned right of our Honorable Company. It is very near five months that we complained to you about the stop put to it, and the greatest part of the navigable season is past without that we have been able to enjoy the effect of it. We therefore hope and expect from your equity and justice that you won't any longer delay your deliberations hereabout and that you will accordingly be pleased to send us your complete answer hereupon. For the notice you have given us about the article of rupees 1072.-. mentioned in our letter of the 8th instant, we return our thanks provisionally, and we shall further inquire after it. We request your permission for the reparation of some wants to the pile-work at the north-east side of our Bandar mentioned at large by our letter of the 24th May 1773. Likewise we request that you will give your consent to To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir „ mansz: by order 1st on today aforementioned loss Disadvantage so much Turn over Surat 22nd February to set a new flagstaff at our Bandar instead of the old one, which is entirely mouldered away. We are with the most perfect esteem - Gentlemen, your most obedient humble servants (:was signed:/ W. J. van de Graaff, A. I. Sluysken, I. van der Sleyden, Corn:s van Citters son of Aaron, C. Meydeman, W. L. Lontag, E. N. Wiarda & W. H. G. van Bylandt, /:lower down:/ for the translation /was signed:/ Corn:s van Citters son of Aaron. E: N: Wiarda Audited No 5 Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate, Willem Jacob van de Graaff, To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir, along with Severe Sir, Gentlemen. Trade Books undersigned Outstanding and Short and late, Secondly. found such mansz: 15th on seven 101:2:1 ƒ 287:8:- - - - . „ 36:3:—. it is. The Council ƒ 3 B3r by order today aforementioned loss Disadvantage so much merchant Turn over 3 Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, along with Gentlemen. Trade Books undersigned The Council Severe Sir To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir 1 „ Willem Jacob van de Graaff, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate x 378 found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Fransz: by order 1st on seven 614:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:—. - - - - „ 36:3:—. today Aforementioned loss Disadvantage so much merchant it is. Turn over 3 Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate, along with Gentlemen. Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short Willem Jacob van de Graaff, The Council Severe Sir To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir 2 378 and late, Secondly. mansz: by order 15th on seven 1014:2:8: ƒ 28017:8:— - - - - „ 36:3:—. today Aforementioned loss Disadvantage so much merchant it is. Turn over Not 368. Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate, Willem Jacob van de Graaff, along with The Council Severe Sir Gentlemen: Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. nansz: per on seven 1014:2:8 ƒ 28017:8:- by order - - . „ 36:3:—. merchant it is. To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir 1 ƒ 378 today aforementioned loss Disadvantage so much Turn over Account of Sold Sugar Regulated according to the intention of the Lords Masters to that end received here Model Sugar Year 1778, November: Per the ships Stavenisse & Lands Welvaren Brought - - - - - - - lb. 1894132:—:- ƒ 131748:15:8. For freight of 1894132 lb. at 3:12: current light money - - - - - „ 68188: 15: — „ 2 Years' interest on the purchase costs being ƒ 131748:15:8 at 4½ per cent per year is - - „ 11857: 8:— „ 5 Per cent insurance or risk of the aforementioned capital - - - - - - - - „ 6587: 9:— 5 Per cent insurance on the value of the ships, each ship of 150 feet calculated at ƒ 100000: amounts for the 189413 200000th ship to ƒ 189413:—: - - -. „ 9470:13:— „ 2 Per cent expenses on the dispatch of rupees from Surat to Batavia on a sum of ƒ 242179:4:8 - - - - - - „ 4849: 11:8 „ 5 Per cent risk on the very same rupees - - - - - „ 12123:19:— 2 Per cent Surat charges, in the storing and shipping of the several parcels calculated on ƒ 131748:15:8:— — „ 2634: 19:8 Total lb. 1894132:—: ƒ 247461:10:8 In the Notary Office Surat Rupee Full 5 378 at Surat in the year 1779 since the encumbrance of the charges, expenses, etc., and according to the Credit By sold lb. 1718356 3/8: ƒ 242479:4:8 „ Validated deficits „ 130316:¾- „ —:—:— „ 2½ Per cent King's Toll „ 45459 1/8:- „ —:—:— Per loss 2 1/8 per cent Rupee 4982: 6:— -- mansz: 15th on seven ƒ 614:24:8 ƒ 28017:8:–. by order 6 today aforementioned Disadvantage So much merchant - - - . „ 36:3:—. Total lb. 1894132:—— ƒ 247461:10:8 on 10th November Anno 1779: Trade Books undersigned found such Outstanding A Short and late, Secondly. Gentlemen. 369 along with The Council Severe Sir Willem Jacob van de Graaff, Extraordinary Councilor of the Dutch Indies, together with the Director and Chief Ruler of this Directorate, 2- P: J: Huijsten To the Right Honorable, Worshipful and Severe Sir 0 2 78th .. „ loss it is. Turn over ƒ 9 13: —: No. 29. No. 5
Dutch transcription
367. 378 Willem Iacob Van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Hebieder decebr Directie Benevens Den Raad lestrenge Heer zeeren. Negotie Boeken nneter geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. 1014:2:8ƒ28017:8:— reeven - -. „ 36:3:—. koopman bet is. „officers till the district of Houglij may, be ondered, that „theij shall: have no authoritij to exact thee daannee „tivice. But that us useial they, shall take 2½. p:r Cent „Custom ever as in surat. „ Thaf is granted bij theking. — Both these Copijs being conform to the Original in the persian langrage, oue attestee bij our secretarij at ous onder„ & may be Compareet to the Originals if you find it neces „saraj, en which case we shall according, Cuttom send â com „mission for it. We don't doabt but the Clearness of these evedences will perfectlij convinc you Gentlemen of the above mentioned right of our Hon=de Compagnij. - It is very near fice months that we Complaind to you about the stop put to it, and the greatest part of the navigable season is past Without that we have been able to enfor, the effect of it We therefore hope en expect from your Equity & Justice that you won't any longer delay your deliberations here about & that you will accordingle, be pleasd to send us your Compleat anlwer here upon. - For the notree you have geven us about the article of ro/a 1072. -. mentioned in our letter of the 8=te Instant. We retonden our thanks provisionnalle, and we shall further en quests after it. We request your permission for the reparation of some wants to the spile work at the North last side of our Bunder mentioned at large by our letter of the 24t may 1773. Likewise we request that you will give your Consentment to Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer „ mansz: op or= 1r. op eeden oormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel Verte Surat 22en February to setey a neu flag staf as our Bunder in stead of the old one, who is enterli mouldered away. We are With the most perfect E steem - Gentlemen ajour most obedient Hamble servants (:was getekend:/ W. J. van de Graaff, A. I. Sluijsken, I. van der sleijden, Corn:s van Citters aann:t zoon, C. Meijdeman, W. L. Lontag; E. N. Wardi & W. H. G. van Bijland, /:lager:/ voor de Translatie /was getekend:/ Conn:s van Eittersaar ws zoon. E: N: WiardsCe Aaudeerd No 5 Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebie der de ebr Drectie Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer Benevens Gestrenge Heer Heeren. Negotie Boeken ondergeteekenden Openstaande en Korte en laat, Teweeden. vonden zoodanige mransz: 15. op zeeven 101:2:1ƒ287:8:- - - - . „ 36:3:—. bet is. Den Raad ƒ 3 B3r op or= heden oormeld sing Nardeele zoo veel koopman Verte 3 Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India Benevens zeeren. Negotie Boeken ondergeteekenden Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 „ Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Gebie der deeser Directie x 378 vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Fransz: op or= 1r. op zeeven 614:2:8ƒ28017:8:—. - - - - „ 36:3:—. heden Voormeld Ssing Nardeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verte 3 Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebie der deesor Directie Benevens zeeren. Negotie Boeken ndergeteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 2 378 en laat, Teweeden. mransz: op or= 15. op reeven 1014:2:8:ƒ28017:8:— - - - - „ 36:3:—. ge den Voormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel koopman bet is. Verter Not 368. Raad Extra Ordinair Van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd sebie der deesr Directie Willem Jacob Van de Graaff. Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer zeeren: Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. nansz: pr op zeeven 1014:2:8ƒ28017:8:- op or= - - . „ 36:3:—. koopman bet is. Aan den Wel Edelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 1 ƒ 378 eeden voormeld sing Nadeele zoo veel Verte Rekening van Verkogte zuijker Gereguleerd na de Jntentie der Heeren Meeste ten dien Einde alhier Ontfangend Model Zuijker A„o 178 8„ 96r: Per De schaepen Stavenisse & Lands Verdon Aangebragt - - - - - - - lb. 1894132:—:-ƒ 131748:15:8. Voor Kagt van 109 4132: 8: a 3:12: Crto l: s - - - - - „ 68188: 15: — „ 2: Jaaren Jontarest op het Jnkoops Kostende „ 11857:8: off ƒ 131748:15:8: 4:½ prC„ s: jars is. - „ 5: P:rCo Assuaantie off risico van Gemald „ 6587: 9: 5: p„rC„o Assurantie van de Waarde der scheepen ijder Schip Van 150: Voet gecnsculaerd op ƒ 100'000: komt voor 189413 200000. Schip op ƒ189413:—: „ 2: p„r C„o onkosten Op de verzending da ropijen van souratta na Batavia Op Een somma van ƒ242'179:4:8. - - - - - - „ 4849: 11:8 „ 5: P„rcC„t risico van Even Gem:t kopijen - - - - - „ 12123:19 2: 1: souratse Ongelden, bij het op en afslaan van de verthiehden parthijen gerekant op ƒ131748:15:8:— — Capitaal - - - - - - - - „ 2634. 19 8. Somama lb: 189 '½132:—: ƒ247461:10:8: In't Nots: Comptoir Souratta Roij -- -. „ 9470:13:— Heel 5 378 tot Souratta in Anna 79„ sins het beswaaren der Lasten, Ongelden Eust: en Na het Credit Cleder 8b„ 1718356 3/8: ƒ 242479:4:8 Oeer Verkogte „ Gevalideerde Minderheeden „ 130316:¾- „— —:—:— - „ 2½: P„r C„ J: Konings Chol „ 45459 1/8:-„ —: —: — - 7m P„r Verlies 2: 1/8: p„r C„o R=:m 4982: 6:— -- mransz: 15. op zeeven ƒ614:24:8ƒ28017:8:–. op or= 6 eeden oormeld Nardeele Zoo veel koopman - - - . „ 36:3:—. Somma lb. 189'4132:—— ƒ247461:10:8 a 10„' November A„o 1779: G Negotie Boeken onder geteekenden vonden zoodanige Openstaande Een Korte en laat, Teweeden. Heeren. 369 Benevens Den Raad Gestrenge Heer Willem Jacob van de Graaff. Raad Extra Ordinair van Nederlands India mitsgaders Directeur en Hoofd Iebreder de eor Directie 2- P:J: Huijsten Aan den WelEdelen Agtbaaren Gestrengen Heer 0 2 78en .. „ sing bet is. Verte ƒ 9 13: —: No29. No. 5