Cape Council of Policy
442
1671-02-21
Minute details
- Entry number
- 442
- Date
- 1671-02-21
- Year
- 1671
English translation
Although, with the arrival of the Bunschoten flute here on the 7th stanti with rice and other provisions for this Cape circumnavigation, our speculations had been to some extent to detain it in this waterway and employ it for the annual dispatch to the island of Mauritius, primarily from the understanding that this bottom could carry away a greater or even a heavier load, but now having experienced that the said vessel, according to the reports of various skippers who inspected it, was deemed unsuitable for use in such heavy waterways due to its antiquity and leakiness; It was found good in Rade to alter this our intention, and, the said whistle being relieved, to send it from here to the island of Mauritius at a more convenient time, in order to embark there a cargo of ebony that is lying in wait there, and then to depart with it for Batavia. And instead of that, to detain the small hooker ship d'Grundel, along with another suitable hooker that might appear here from the homeland at short notice, the first to write at the appropriate time in accordance with Their Noble Lords Superiors, dated 5 September ao. Passado, to trade a quantity of slaves, to be sent to the Majottes, and to hold the second here until such time as we may have become properly informed of the apparent rupture between the Crown of France and our State, in order then, if necessary, to depart further with advance notice, either to India or to the homeland. However, this should no longer be maintained here (except at certain intervals), as the appearance of war might resurface.
And taking into consideration that Her Honour, the aforementioned at the meeting of the Lords on the 17th and 28th of August in the year Passado held in Amsterdam, according to the printed regulations at the point of the freemen planned, where in the end it was also decided that whatever they may have prospered in India will be obliged to be converted into money, and the same be reported to the E. Compe. on the spot, to be counted on exchange, in order to be returned to them money for money in the homeland with the ordinary advance of 4 percent, as was also observed according to the evidence of some bills of exchange in Batavia, it is understood in accordance with peers at the Council that whoever henceforth any money here in the Compes. If cash were to be collected to remit to the fatherland, the aforementioned clause of 4 percent and specie for specie would also be inserted in the bills of exchange to be issued to them.
In accordance with the resolution of the 16th of this year, for the specific reasons stated therein, having been arrested by the Council to reinforce this garrison with a considerable number of soldiers from the expected Dutch ships, and although the concerns about the small force of soldiers here until now seem to have been somewhat alleviated in the event of an enemy attack, new difficulties are emerging, in the event of which such forces could be deployed for proper resistance, partly that this old fort itself was found to be by no means sufficient to ward off the slightest European enemy, and partly that the The point made in the new fortress, as far as it is currently completed, will not be particularly effective, nor will it be able to defend itself.
And notwithstanding our Lord Majors, by their successive letters previously issued, have ordered that the further construction of the aforementioned fortress be halted until further notice, the Honourable Commissioner, however, proposed in Council that, given these two evils, it would be best to choose on one side, for the sake of Her Honor. not to violate the order and otherwise not to be beyond the postuijij of defense, and therefore considered it inexpedient that one tries to bring the new and costly work that has been begun into such a state, so that it could defend itself, but in such a way that, insofar as Her Honor might subsequently resolve to complete it, the said advances could also be guaranteed, especially since it was completed in full with the 300 heads to be raised and without any notable costs from the E. Compe. could happen:
Whereupon, after various discussions and due consideration of the relevant matters, as well as careful examination of a certain model, made provisionally by the surveyor here at the request of the Honourable Commissioner, finally agreed upon in common It has been decided and confirmed that, in accordance with the aforementioned project, the westernmost point, along with two more curtains, the walls of which have already been raised above the common ground, will be raised up to a height of 6 feet with clip stones, just like the work that has begun, and furthermore, with palisades and an earthen wall, these two points will be enclosed from behind the inner polygonal corners of the nearest adjacent bulwarks, whereby this work will not only be made defensive, but will also be so extensively constructed that, subsequently, upon completion of the fortress, no labor will be wasted, but will be so advanced that it will be noticeably visible in the further construction. may come to pass; it remains to the Commander and the Council here to raise and secure the aforementioned work as much as necessary, to serve for the most essential and necessary defense, provided that the garrison personnel will use the work, and that to ease their efforts, two half-caps of arrack will be distributed daily, just as the aforementioned Commander and the Council are authorized to take from the ships passing here as much cannon, powder, and live ammunition, as well as other war ammunition, as they deem necessary for the new work.
After the same meeting the Honourable Commissioner had informed how the eleven return ships present, both from Batavia and Ceylon at least, had become mostly sailable, and that it was consequently hoped to make a journey as soon as possible, His E. then requested, whether the Honourable The Commander and the Council of this fortress might also have some reasons why it should be postponed, and furthermore, if His Eminence and the Council still had any matters to bring before them that His Eminence might require, and the unanimous answer being no, it was decided to set sail with the fleet next Monday, in God's name, and to continue the journey to the ports of the fatherland.
Thus done and resolved in the Fortress of Good Hope on the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] PR. HACKIUS. 1671.
[Signed:] JOAN SN. VELTERS.
[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] J. GRANAAT.
And taking into consideration that Her Honour, the aforementioned at the meeting of the Lords on the 17th and 28th of August in the year Passado held in Amsterdam, according to the printed regulations at the point of the freemen planned, where in the end it was also decided that whatever they may have prospered in India will be obliged to be converted into money, and the same be reported to the E. Compe. on the spot, to be counted on exchange, in order to be returned to them money for money in the homeland with the ordinary advance of 4 percent, as was also observed according to the evidence of some bills of exchange in Batavia, it is understood in accordance with peers at the Council that whoever henceforth any money here in the Compes. If cash were to be collected to remit to the fatherland, the aforementioned clause of 4 percent and specie for specie would also be inserted in the bills of exchange to be issued to them.
In accordance with the resolution of the 16th of this year, for the specific reasons stated therein, having been arrested by the Council to reinforce this garrison with a considerable number of soldiers from the expected Dutch ships, and although the concerns about the small force of soldiers here until now seem to have been somewhat alleviated in the event of an enemy attack, new difficulties are emerging, in the event of which such forces could be deployed for proper resistance, partly that this old fort itself was found to be by no means sufficient to ward off the slightest European enemy, and partly that the The point made in the new fortress, as far as it is currently completed, will not be particularly effective, nor will it be able to defend itself.
And notwithstanding our Lord Majors, by their successive letters previously issued, have ordered that the further construction of the aforementioned fortress be halted until further notice, the Honourable Commissioner, however, proposed in Council that, given these two evils, it would be best to choose on one side, for the sake of Her Honor. not to violate the order and otherwise not to be beyond the postuijij of defense, and therefore considered it inexpedient that one tries to bring the new and costly work that has been begun into such a state, so that it could defend itself, but in such a way that, insofar as Her Honor might subsequently resolve to complete it, the said advances could also be guaranteed, especially since it was completed in full with the 300 heads to be raised and without any notable costs from the E. Compe. could happen:
Whereupon, after various discussions and due consideration of the relevant matters, as well as careful examination of a certain model, made provisionally by the surveyor here at the request of the Honourable Commissioner, finally agreed upon in common It has been decided and confirmed that, in accordance with the aforementioned project, the westernmost point, along with two more curtains, the walls of which have already been raised above the common ground, will be raised up to a height of 6 feet with clip stones, just like the work that has begun, and furthermore, with palisades and an earthen wall, these two points will be enclosed from behind the inner polygonal corners of the nearest adjacent bulwarks, whereby this work will not only be made defensive, but will also be so extensively constructed that, subsequently, upon completion of the fortress, no labor will be wasted, but will be so advanced that it will be noticeably visible in the further construction. may come to pass; it remains to the Commander and the Council here to raise and secure the aforementioned work as much as necessary, to serve for the most essential and necessary defense, provided that the garrison personnel will use the work, and that to ease their efforts, two half-caps of arrack will be distributed daily, just as the aforementioned Commander and the Council are authorized to take from the ships passing here as much cannon, powder, and live ammunition, as well as other war ammunition, as they deem necessary for the new work.
After the same meeting the Honourable Commissioner had informed how the eleven return ships present, both from Batavia and Ceylon at least, had become mostly sailable, and that it was consequently hoped to make a journey as soon as possible, His E. then requested, whether the Honourable The Commander and the Council of this fortress might also have some reasons why it should be postponed, and furthermore, if His Eminence and the Council still had any matters to bring before them that His Eminence might require, and the unanimous answer being no, it was decided to set sail with the fleet next Monday, in God's name, and to continue the journey to the ports of the fatherland.
Thus done and resolved in the Fortress of Good Hope on the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] PR. HACKIUS. 1671.
[Signed:] JOAN SN. VELTERS.
[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] J. GRANAAT.
Original Dutch transcription
Alhoewel bij de paresse van ‘t fluitje Bunschoten alhier op den 7en stanti met rijst en andere provisien voor desen Caapsen ommeslagh g’arriveert, onse speculatien al eenigsints waeren geweest om ‘t selve in dit vaerwater aan te houden, ende tot de jaarlijxe besendingh nae ‘t eijland Mauritius t’ emploijeren, ten principaelen uijt insichte dat die bodem een grooter last dan wel een hoecker zoude cunnen wegvoeren, maer nu ondervonden hebbende, dat genoemde scheepje, volgens d’ rapporten van verscheijde schippers die ‘t selve gevisiteert hebben, door outheijt ende leckte ondienstig werdt g’oirdeelt29 in so een swaer vaerwater gebruijckt te werden; soo is in Rade goet gevonden, dese onse intentie t’ altereren, ende ‘t genoemde fluijtje ontlost zijnde, eenelijck ter bequaemer tijt van hier naer ‘t eijland Mauritius te versenden, omme aldaer een laeding ebbenmoten, die ginder in vorraet leggen t’ embarcqueren, en30 soo voorts daermede nae Batavia te vertrecken. Ende in plaats van dien ‘t hoeckerscheepje d’ Grundel , nevens noch eenen bequaemen hoecker, die in ‘t corte uijt het vaderland alhier verschijnen mogte, aan te houden, den eersten omme t’ zijner tijt in conformite met Haer Edle. onse Heeren Superioren aenschrijvens dato 5en Septembris ao. passado, tot het negotieren van een quantiteijt slaven, naer de Majottes te versenden, ende den tweden alhier ter rhede te houden tot der tijt en wijle dat wij van d’ apparente rupture tussen de Croon Vranckrijck ende onsen Staat eens regt kundigh zouden mogen geworden zijn, omme alsdan denselven, des nodigh zijnde, met preadvertentie, ‘t zij naer India off wel nae ‘t vaederlandt voort aff te depecheren, welcke hoecker egter niet langer alhier, (ten waere bij eenige intervallen) sal dienen aangehouden te werden, als ter tijt en wijle d’ apparentien tot den oorlogh wederom souden mogen comen te cesseren.
Ende in consideratie genomen, dat Haer EdIe. voornt. ter vergaederinge van d’ Heeren 17en op den 28 Augusti anno passado binnen Amsterdam gehouden, volgens de gedruckte reglementen op ‘t poinct van de vrijluijden beraamt, daerbij in ‘t eijnde oock hadden gelieven t’ arresteren, dat ‘t geene zijlieden in India mogten hebben geprospereert, sullen gehouden zijn in gelt te converteren, ende ‘t selve aen d’ E. Compe. ter plaatse bescheijden zijn, op wissel te tellen, omme haer in ‘t vaederland gelt om gelt met d’ ordinaris advance van 4 per cento weder te werden goet gedaen, gelijck oock zulx naer blijck van eenige wisselbrieven op Batavia mede g’observeert wert, is ingevolge, van gelijken bij den Raad verstaen, dat degene die voortaen eenige penningen alhier in ‘s Compes. cassa mochten comen te tellen omme nae ‘t vaederlandt te remitteren, mede in derselver te verleene wisselbrieven voors. clausule van 4 per cento en specie om specie zal werden g’insereert.
In conformite der resolutie van den 16en deser uijt bijsondere motijven daerin vermelt, bij den Raad g’arresteert zijnde omme uijt de verwacht werdende Patriase schepen dit guarnisoen met een aensienlijck getal soldaeten te verstercken, en alhoewel daerdoor de becommeringe van de geringe macht der soldaten tot nog toe hier aengehouden, bij overval van een vijand wel eenigsints schijnen verlicht te werden, so comen sich egter nieuwe swaericheden, ten reguarde waer men sodanigen macht tot behoorlijke resistentie souden cunnen emploijeren, te vertoonen, eensdeels, dat dit oude fortje uijt sijn zelven bevonden wert geensints suffiçant te wesen omme den geringsten Europiaensen viand aff te cunnen weeren, ende andersints, dat de opgemaeckte punt in de nieuwe fortresse, voor so veel als deselve tegenwoordig voltrocken leijt, mede niet bijsonders effectueren, jae zijn selven niet sal cunnen defenderen.
Ende niet jegenstaend[e] onse Hren. Majores bij derselvervoor dato gedaene31 successive aenschrijvens, voor alsnog den vorderen opbouw van de gemelde fortresse bevolenhebben32 tot naerder ordre gestaekt te houden, soo heeft d’ E. Hr. Commissaris echter in Raade geproponeert off men uijt dese twee quaeden niet en behoorde ‘t best te kiesen, aan d’ eene zijde, omme Haer Edle. ordere niet t’ overtreden ende andersints mede niet buijten postuijre van defensie te zijn, ende derhalven voor ondienstich aensagh, dat men het begonnen nieuwe ende costelijcke werk in sodanigen staat tracht te brengen, ten eijnde het zijn zelven soude cunnen defenderen, doch in dier voegen, dat, bij so verre Haer Edle. naemaels tot het voltrecken van dien mogten resolveren, d’ gemelde avancementen mede daerin te staade conden comen, te meer omdat ‘t selve met de te lichtene 300 coppen allenxkens voltrocken ende buijten eenige naemwaerdige costen van d’ E. Compe. zoude cunnen geschieden:
Waerop, naer verscheijde redecaevelingen ende behoorlijke overweginge van ‘t geene ter materie dienende was, mitsgaeders naeuwe examinatie van seker model, ter ord’re van d’ E. Hr. Commissaris, door den landmeter alhier bij provisie gedaen maeken, eijndelijck met gemeijn advijs is g’arresteert ende besloten, dat, in conformite van ‘t gemelde project, de westelijckste punct, nevens nog twe gordijnen waervan de mueren albereets boven de gemeene gront opgehaelt zijn, nog tot op de hoogte van 6 voeten met clipsteenen, gelijck het begonnen werck, opgehaelt, en vorders met pallisaden ende een aerde wall dese twee punten van agteren uijt de binnenste poligoonhoecken van d’ naest aengelegene bolwercken besloten sullen werden, waerdoor dan niet alleenich dit werk voor zijn selven defensijff gemaeckt, maer oock soodaenigh g’extrueert wert, dat naemaels bij ‘t voltrecken van de fortresse daeraen geen vergeeffsen arbeijd besteet, maer so verre g’avanceert zal wesen, dat het in den vorderen opbouw mercklijck te stade can comen; blijvende aen den Hr. Commandeur ende den Raad alhier gediffereert het voors. werck so verre te verhoogen en vast te maeken als vereijst wert, om te dienen tot d’ meeste ende nootsaekelijcke defensie, mits tot den arbeijt gebruijcken zall het guarnisoensvolcq, ende dat aen die, tot soulaes van hare moeijten, daegelijx twe halff mutsjens aracq sal werden uijtgereijckt, gelijck dan oock ten dien eijnde voorn. Commandeur ende den Raad g’authoriseert wert uijt d’ hier passerende schepen so veel stucken canon, cruijt en scherp, alsmede andere ammonitie van oorlog te mogen lichten, als deselve zullen oirdelen ten behoeve van ‘t nieuwe werck nodich te hebben.
Naedat terselver vergaederinge door d’ E. Hr. Commissaris te kennen gegeven, hoe d’ aenwesende elff retourschepen, so van Batavia als Ceijlon althans meest zeijlvaerdich waeren g’worden, ende gevolgelijck van meijninge was, so drae doenlijck, reijs te maeken, Soo geeft Zijn E. in omvraege, off den Hr. Commandeur en de Raadt deser fortresse oock eenige redenen mogten hebben, daerom zulx soude behooren te werden uijtgestelt, en wijders, off Zijn E. en de Raadt noch eenige saeken hadden voor te dr[a]gen daerop Zijn E. sentiment ende ord’re mogte van noden wesen, ende daerop gesaementlijck van nee g’antwoort zijnde, is vast gestelt Maandagh aenstaende, in Godes Naame met de vlooth t’33 zee te nemen ende d’ reijs voort te setten nae de havenen van ‘t vaederlant.
Aldus gedaan ende geresolveert in de Fortresse de Goede Hoope ten dage en jaere voors.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] PR. HACKIUS. 1671.
[Signed:] JOAN SN. VELTERS.
[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] J. GRANAAT.
Ende in consideratie genomen, dat Haer EdIe. voornt. ter vergaederinge van d’ Heeren 17en op den 28 Augusti anno passado binnen Amsterdam gehouden, volgens de gedruckte reglementen op ‘t poinct van de vrijluijden beraamt, daerbij in ‘t eijnde oock hadden gelieven t’ arresteren, dat ‘t geene zijlieden in India mogten hebben geprospereert, sullen gehouden zijn in gelt te converteren, ende ‘t selve aen d’ E. Compe. ter plaatse bescheijden zijn, op wissel te tellen, omme haer in ‘t vaederland gelt om gelt met d’ ordinaris advance van 4 per cento weder te werden goet gedaen, gelijck oock zulx naer blijck van eenige wisselbrieven op Batavia mede g’observeert wert, is ingevolge, van gelijken bij den Raad verstaen, dat degene die voortaen eenige penningen alhier in ‘s Compes. cassa mochten comen te tellen omme nae ‘t vaederlandt te remitteren, mede in derselver te verleene wisselbrieven voors. clausule van 4 per cento en specie om specie zal werden g’insereert.
In conformite der resolutie van den 16en deser uijt bijsondere motijven daerin vermelt, bij den Raad g’arresteert zijnde omme uijt de verwacht werdende Patriase schepen dit guarnisoen met een aensienlijck getal soldaeten te verstercken, en alhoewel daerdoor de becommeringe van de geringe macht der soldaten tot nog toe hier aengehouden, bij overval van een vijand wel eenigsints schijnen verlicht te werden, so comen sich egter nieuwe swaericheden, ten reguarde waer men sodanigen macht tot behoorlijke resistentie souden cunnen emploijeren, te vertoonen, eensdeels, dat dit oude fortje uijt sijn zelven bevonden wert geensints suffiçant te wesen omme den geringsten Europiaensen viand aff te cunnen weeren, ende andersints, dat de opgemaeckte punt in de nieuwe fortresse, voor so veel als deselve tegenwoordig voltrocken leijt, mede niet bijsonders effectueren, jae zijn selven niet sal cunnen defenderen.
Ende niet jegenstaend[e] onse Hren. Majores bij derselvervoor dato gedaene31 successive aenschrijvens, voor alsnog den vorderen opbouw van de gemelde fortresse bevolenhebben32 tot naerder ordre gestaekt te houden, soo heeft d’ E. Hr. Commissaris echter in Raade geproponeert off men uijt dese twee quaeden niet en behoorde ‘t best te kiesen, aan d’ eene zijde, omme Haer Edle. ordere niet t’ overtreden ende andersints mede niet buijten postuijre van defensie te zijn, ende derhalven voor ondienstich aensagh, dat men het begonnen nieuwe ende costelijcke werk in sodanigen staat tracht te brengen, ten eijnde het zijn zelven soude cunnen defenderen, doch in dier voegen, dat, bij so verre Haer Edle. naemaels tot het voltrecken van dien mogten resolveren, d’ gemelde avancementen mede daerin te staade conden comen, te meer omdat ‘t selve met de te lichtene 300 coppen allenxkens voltrocken ende buijten eenige naemwaerdige costen van d’ E. Compe. zoude cunnen geschieden:
Waerop, naer verscheijde redecaevelingen ende behoorlijke overweginge van ‘t geene ter materie dienende was, mitsgaeders naeuwe examinatie van seker model, ter ord’re van d’ E. Hr. Commissaris, door den landmeter alhier bij provisie gedaen maeken, eijndelijck met gemeijn advijs is g’arresteert ende besloten, dat, in conformite van ‘t gemelde project, de westelijckste punct, nevens nog twe gordijnen waervan de mueren albereets boven de gemeene gront opgehaelt zijn, nog tot op de hoogte van 6 voeten met clipsteenen, gelijck het begonnen werck, opgehaelt, en vorders met pallisaden ende een aerde wall dese twee punten van agteren uijt de binnenste poligoonhoecken van d’ naest aengelegene bolwercken besloten sullen werden, waerdoor dan niet alleenich dit werk voor zijn selven defensijff gemaeckt, maer oock soodaenigh g’extrueert wert, dat naemaels bij ‘t voltrecken van de fortresse daeraen geen vergeeffsen arbeijd besteet, maer so verre g’avanceert zal wesen, dat het in den vorderen opbouw mercklijck te stade can comen; blijvende aen den Hr. Commandeur ende den Raad alhier gediffereert het voors. werck so verre te verhoogen en vast te maeken als vereijst wert, om te dienen tot d’ meeste ende nootsaekelijcke defensie, mits tot den arbeijt gebruijcken zall het guarnisoensvolcq, ende dat aen die, tot soulaes van hare moeijten, daegelijx twe halff mutsjens aracq sal werden uijtgereijckt, gelijck dan oock ten dien eijnde voorn. Commandeur ende den Raad g’authoriseert wert uijt d’ hier passerende schepen so veel stucken canon, cruijt en scherp, alsmede andere ammonitie van oorlog te mogen lichten, als deselve zullen oirdelen ten behoeve van ‘t nieuwe werck nodich te hebben.
Naedat terselver vergaederinge door d’ E. Hr. Commissaris te kennen gegeven, hoe d’ aenwesende elff retourschepen, so van Batavia als Ceijlon althans meest zeijlvaerdich waeren g’worden, ende gevolgelijck van meijninge was, so drae doenlijck, reijs te maeken, Soo geeft Zijn E. in omvraege, off den Hr. Commandeur en de Raadt deser fortresse oock eenige redenen mogten hebben, daerom zulx soude behooren te werden uijtgestelt, en wijders, off Zijn E. en de Raadt noch eenige saeken hadden voor te dr[a]gen daerop Zijn E. sentiment ende ord’re mogte van noden wesen, ende daerop gesaementlijck van nee g’antwoort zijnde, is vast gestelt Maandagh aenstaende, in Godes Naame met de vlooth t’33 zee te nemen ende d’ reijs voort te setten nae de havenen van ‘t vaederlant.
Aldus gedaan ende geresolveert in de Fortresse de Goede Hoope ten dage en jaere voors.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] PR. HACKIUS. 1671.
[Signed:] JOAN SN. VELTERS.
[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] J. GRANAAT.