Cape Council of Policy
492
1674-05-02
Minute details
- Entry number
- 492
- Date
- 1674-05-02
- Year
- 1674
English translation
By Governor Isbrand Goske and2 d'E. Mr. Extraordinary Raet of India Sijbrand Abbema exhibits and summarizes the matter contained in the letter from the Cape [with] the boat d' Posthoorn in dated 17th. September ao. passo. aen d'E. Gentlemen Majores written to the Patria concerning the dismantling of the old fortification with the reasons and circumstances therefor, as well as taking a closer look at how 'since that time the new fortress has been brought into such a position that with the combined garrison it will not only be much better [than the old and new fort] to be defended together, but at the same time it will bring great relief to the garrison people, who do hard work every day, but have to keep watch at night, so that. as long as the old fort is held standing it must also be occupied and in addition it would be easier for the separated force to fall upon the arrival of any enemy, in view of the insecurity of the old fort, to also capture the new fortress. Everything has been seen and considered for a very useful and urgent purpose, with a view to preventing the dangers that had to be caused and the expenses that would have to be incurred to keep it standing, the municipality. The better to demolish the old fort entirely and dismantle its walls, provided, however, that the dwellings and other commodities, apart from those already threatened with collapse due to unforeseen circumstances, will be preserved in their entirety, as long as other structures are built in the new fort.
Furthermore, the orders of the Directors, in accordance with the secret matters contained in their E. letter of October 15th, 1915, have been seriously considered and summarized. written from The Hague on the principal regulations of the return fleet, stating, among other things, that if they should arrive here either combined or separated, they should have to make the most of the shortest possible time for refreshments and water draws, and to do so as quickly as possible, as one cannot know what signals our enemies might make of this or bring to the attention of the Cape, especially since their signal to St. Helena has failed, and the ships there are not in any security, so that after having enjoyed refreshments as before, they will have to sail from there, whether combined in one fleet or otherwise those ships that might have arrived there previously or separately and that the others had to follow as quickly as possible whether they were combined or separate depending on the circumstances etc. deliberation was then led, or, while the flute ship d'Beemster reached the fleet approximately the length of Mauritius and arrived here on the 25th of the preceding month of April and within a few days would be able to be sailing again according to the letter of Her Honor. aforesaid. The order inserted above stipulates that only the sea will be allowed to depart, or that the majority of the remaining fleet will be detained after the ships seen today under the coast, which apparently constitute the majority of the remaining fleet. This is in view of the defenselessness of the common flute ship d'Beemster, and considering the danger that it would be subjected to if it departed alone. Therefore, in the interest of the E. Comp., the common flute ship d'Beemster has been unanimously resolved to detain the ships here inland and, for greater security, to allow them to depart, whether the remaining ships arrive in the meantime or not.
The same applies to the safety and security of the aforementioned. The return ships at this point have been considered more closely and it has been considered that by strengthening the two capital ships present, Tidoor and Zirickzee, they can be more certainly protected against any unexpected enemy attack. Therefore, despite Tidoor and His Excellency Councillor Sijbrand Abbema having been in readiness for several days and only due to the contrary wind being delayed in the voyage, it has been resolved to keep both ships here until the aforementioned return fleet, or indeed the majority of it, whether combined or separate, will depart from here.
Thus it is arrested and resolved on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] SIBRT ABBEMA.
6
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] LIEVEN KAKELAER.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
Furthermore, the orders of the Directors, in accordance with the secret matters contained in their E. letter of October 15th, 1915, have been seriously considered and summarized. written from The Hague on the principal regulations of the return fleet, stating, among other things, that if they should arrive here either combined or separated, they should have to make the most of the shortest possible time for refreshments and water draws, and to do so as quickly as possible, as one cannot know what signals our enemies might make of this or bring to the attention of the Cape, especially since their signal to St. Helena has failed, and the ships there are not in any security, so that after having enjoyed refreshments as before, they will have to sail from there, whether combined in one fleet or otherwise those ships that might have arrived there previously or separately and that the others had to follow as quickly as possible whether they were combined or separate depending on the circumstances etc. deliberation was then led, or, while the flute ship d'Beemster reached the fleet approximately the length of Mauritius and arrived here on the 25th of the preceding month of April and within a few days would be able to be sailing again according to the letter of Her Honor. aforesaid. The order inserted above stipulates that only the sea will be allowed to depart, or that the majority of the remaining fleet will be detained after the ships seen today under the coast, which apparently constitute the majority of the remaining fleet. This is in view of the defenselessness of the common flute ship d'Beemster, and considering the danger that it would be subjected to if it departed alone. Therefore, in the interest of the E. Comp., the common flute ship d'Beemster has been unanimously resolved to detain the ships here inland and, for greater security, to allow them to depart, whether the remaining ships arrive in the meantime or not.
The same applies to the safety and security of the aforementioned. The return ships at this point have been considered more closely and it has been considered that by strengthening the two capital ships present, Tidoor and Zirickzee, they can be more certainly protected against any unexpected enemy attack. Therefore, despite Tidoor and His Excellency Councillor Sijbrand Abbema having been in readiness for several days and only due to the contrary wind being delayed in the voyage, it has been resolved to keep both ships here until the aforementioned return fleet, or indeed the majority of it, whether combined or separate, will depart from here.
Thus it is arrested and resolved on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] SIBRT ABBEMA.
6
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] LIEVEN KAKELAER.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
Original Dutch transcription
Door den Gouverneur Isbrand Goske en2 d’E. Hr. Extraordinary Raet van India Sijbrand Abbema vertoont en in Raade gere[su]meert zijnde de materie vervat by den brief van de Caap [met] het bootje d’ Posthoorn in dato 17e. September ao. passo. aen d’E. Heeren Majores na ‘t Patria geschreven rakende het demanteleren van d’oude fortificatie met de redenen en omstandigheden daertoe dienende, mitsgaders daerop nader ingesien hoe ‘tsedert dien tijt de nieuwe fortresse in zoodanigen postuir is geb[racht] dat met het t’ samen getrocken guarnisoen niet alleen veel be[ter] als ‘t oude en nieuwe fort t’ samen te defenderen wesen sal, m[aer] daer neven een groote verligtinge toebrengen aen’t guarnisoensvolcq, die dagelijcx swaren arbeyt doende, echter des nagts [haer] wagten moeten waarnemen, mitsgrs. soo lang het oude fort stae[nde] gehouden wert ooc beset dient en oversulcx door de gescheijden magt bij aancomste van eenigen vijand te ligter vallen soud[e], ten opsigte d’ incusticance van’t oude fortje, de nieuwe fortres[se] mede te vermeesteren, Soo is alles ingesien en overwogen zijnde voor een gansch dienstige en hoognodige sake aengesien to[t] prevenieringe van voorgeroerde periculen en d’oncosten die daeraen dienden te werden gedaan om hetselve staande te houden het gem. oude fort hoe eer soo beter in ‘t geheel te demolieeren en van zijne wallen t’ontmantelen behoudens nogtans dat de woonplaatsen en verdere commoditeijten, buijten de[geene] welcke reets door bouvalligheijt dreijgen te storten, onderwijl sullen gehouden werden in’t geheel, soo lange in’t nieuwe for[t] andere gebout zijn.
Wijders in serieuse aenmerckinge genomen en geresumeert zijn[de] de ordres bij d’ Hren. Bewinthebberen gevolgmatighde tot de secrete saken, vervat bij Haar E. missive van 15en. October ao. passo. geschreven uijt ‘s Gravenhage ten principale tot reglement van de retourvloot, luijdende onder anderen in desen voegen dat ‘t sy d’selve soo geconbineert3 off gesepareert alhier souden mogen aencomen, met te verversen en waterhalen soo kort sullen hebben te maken en daermede soodanig te spoedigen als eenigsints mogelijck wesen sal, alsoo men niet can weten wat desseijnen onse vijanden daer op souden mogen comen te maken of op d’selve aen d’Caap attenteren, bijsonderlijck dewyl haer desseijn aen St. Helena soowel4 is gesuccedeert, ende d’schepen daer in geen securijteijt zijn leggende, sulcx sullen sij na genoten vervarsingh als vooren daer van daen voorts hebben t’ seijl te gaen, ‘t sij geconbineert in een vloot of anders die schepen die daer vooraff of gesepareert souden mogen aengecomen sijn en dat d’andere mede soo haest mogelijck ‘t sy geconbineert ‘t sy separ[aet] hadden te volgen na gelegentheyt van saken &a. is daerop [in] deliberatie geleijt, off, terwijl het fluijtschip d’ Beemster ontrent d’ lengte van Mauritius van d’ vloot geraackt en den 25 des affgeweken maents April alhier aengecomen en binnen weijnige dagen weder sullende connen seijlvaerdig wesen naer den letter van Haer Edle. voorgen. ordre hier boven g’insereert, alleen door zee sal laten affgaen, dan of wel op te houden na de sche[pen] die heden onder de wal gesien en apparent ‘t meerderdeel van de resterende vloot sullen wesen, waer op dan ingesien de weerlo[os]heijt van gem. fluijtschip d’ Be[e]mster en geconsidereert het gevaer dat deselve alleen vertreckende soude onderworpen wesen, Soo is, ten meesten dienst van d’E. Comp. met eenparige voisen geresolveert gem. fluijt d’ Beemster na de schepen alhier onder ‘t lant sijnde op te houden en tot meerder securiteijt gesamentl. in comp. te laten vertrekken ‘t sij dan dat d’ resteerende tussen wijle haer op doen of niet.
Gelijc dan ooc mede op de beveijling en securiteijt van voortz. retourschepen te deser rhede nader geleth en reflectie genomen zijnde dat door de versterckinge van de twee aenwesende capitale schepen Tidoor en Zirickzee deselve tegen eenigen onverwagten overval van vijant sullen sekerder konnen blijven bewaert, Soo is onaengesien Tidoor met d’E. Hr. Extraordinary Raet Sijbrand Abbema all eenige dagen in gereetheijt gelegen en alleen door contrarie wint in de voortganc van de reijs gestuijt is, geresolveert deselve beijde bodems soo lange alhier aen te houden totdat d’ voors. retourvloot5 off immers ‘t meerder deel van d’selve, ‘t sij geconbineert off separaat van hier sal comen te vertrecken.
Aldus g’arresteert en geresolveert ten dage en jare als booven.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] SIBRT ABBEMA.
6
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] LIEVEN KAKELAER.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
Wijders in serieuse aenmerckinge genomen en geresumeert zijn[de] de ordres bij d’ Hren. Bewinthebberen gevolgmatighde tot de secrete saken, vervat bij Haar E. missive van 15en. October ao. passo. geschreven uijt ‘s Gravenhage ten principale tot reglement van de retourvloot, luijdende onder anderen in desen voegen dat ‘t sy d’selve soo geconbineert3 off gesepareert alhier souden mogen aencomen, met te verversen en waterhalen soo kort sullen hebben te maken en daermede soodanig te spoedigen als eenigsints mogelijck wesen sal, alsoo men niet can weten wat desseijnen onse vijanden daer op souden mogen comen te maken of op d’selve aen d’Caap attenteren, bijsonderlijck dewyl haer desseijn aen St. Helena soowel4 is gesuccedeert, ende d’schepen daer in geen securijteijt zijn leggende, sulcx sullen sij na genoten vervarsingh als vooren daer van daen voorts hebben t’ seijl te gaen, ‘t sij geconbineert in een vloot of anders die schepen die daer vooraff of gesepareert souden mogen aengecomen sijn en dat d’andere mede soo haest mogelijck ‘t sy geconbineert ‘t sy separ[aet] hadden te volgen na gelegentheyt van saken &a. is daerop [in] deliberatie geleijt, off, terwijl het fluijtschip d’ Beemster ontrent d’ lengte van Mauritius van d’ vloot geraackt en den 25 des affgeweken maents April alhier aengecomen en binnen weijnige dagen weder sullende connen seijlvaerdig wesen naer den letter van Haer Edle. voorgen. ordre hier boven g’insereert, alleen door zee sal laten affgaen, dan of wel op te houden na de sche[pen] die heden onder de wal gesien en apparent ‘t meerderdeel van de resterende vloot sullen wesen, waer op dan ingesien de weerlo[os]heijt van gem. fluijtschip d’ Be[e]mster en geconsidereert het gevaer dat deselve alleen vertreckende soude onderworpen wesen, Soo is, ten meesten dienst van d’E. Comp. met eenparige voisen geresolveert gem. fluijt d’ Beemster na de schepen alhier onder ‘t lant sijnde op te houden en tot meerder securiteijt gesamentl. in comp. te laten vertrekken ‘t sij dan dat d’ resteerende tussen wijle haer op doen of niet.
Gelijc dan ooc mede op de beveijling en securiteijt van voortz. retourschepen te deser rhede nader geleth en reflectie genomen zijnde dat door de versterckinge van de twee aenwesende capitale schepen Tidoor en Zirickzee deselve tegen eenigen onverwagten overval van vijant sullen sekerder konnen blijven bewaert, Soo is onaengesien Tidoor met d’E. Hr. Extraordinary Raet Sijbrand Abbema all eenige dagen in gereetheijt gelegen en alleen door contrarie wint in de voortganc van de reijs gestuijt is, geresolveert deselve beijde bodems soo lange alhier aen te houden totdat d’ voors. retourvloot5 off immers ‘t meerder deel van d’selve, ‘t sij geconbineert off separaat van hier sal comen te vertrecken.
Aldus g’arresteert en geresolveert ten dage en jare als booven.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] SIBRT ABBEMA.
6
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] LIEVEN KAKELAER.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.