He was also chief custom-house officer and had power to inspect vessels and their cargoes, sign their papers, and confiscate all goods introduced in violation of the Company's regulations. This most responsible of all the offices in the new government was held during Director Minuit's entire administration by the above-named Jan Lampo who was a native of Cantelberg. It should be stated also, that when the Schout-Fiscaal acted as prosecuting officer he retired from the bench. It will be seen that this Council acted in a twof'old capacity, as an Executive Council, and as a Court of Justice. When, later, inferior tribunals were established, its members were not amenable to them. On extraordinary occasions it was usual to adjoin some of the principal inhabitants, or Public Servants, pro hac vice, to the Council by its own vote, who then had an equal voice in the decision of the matter in question.''

Such was the nature of the body by which executive, legislative, and judicial authority was exercised, not only on Manhattan Island, and in the Caunty of Westchester, but in all parts of New Netherland.

The new government began vigorously. The Governor and Council first laid out and commenced the erection of a regular fortification on the extreme southern point of Manhattan Island. The engineer was Krijn Frederickje, and it was begun in 1626, was not finished in July 1627, as de Rasieres tells us, but was probably completed at the end of 1627. Its predecessor, though called a fort, was simply a stockaded trading house. This, however, was a regular work of four bastions, entirely fiiced with stone.'