The spheres of trade marked out for and confirmed to the company, " to the exclusion of all other inhabitants or associations of merchants within the bounds of the United Provinces," comprehended both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts of the two Americas, from the Straits of Magellan to the extreme north, and, in addition, the African coast from the Tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope. The rights and powers vested in the corporation fell short of those of actual independent sovereignty only in the particulars that the more weighty acts of the company, as declarations of war and conclusions of peace, were subject to the approval of the Dutch government, and that the officers appointed to rule distant countries, and their underlings, should be acceptable to the States-General and should take the oath of fealty to the Netherlands republic. " To protect its commerce and dependencies, the company was empowered to erect forts and fortifications; to administer justice and preserve order; maintain police and exercise the government generally of its transmarine affairs; declare war and make peace, with the consent of the StatesGeneral, and, with their approbation, appoint a governor or directorgeneral and all other officers, civil, military, judicial, and executive, who were bound to swear allegiance to their High Mightinesses, as well as to the company itself. The director-general and his council were invested with all powers, judicial, legislative, and executive, subject, some supposed, to appeal to Holland, but the will of the company, expressed in their instructions or declared in their marine or military ordinances, was to be the law of New Netherland, excepting in cases not especially provided lor, when the Roman law, the imperial of Patr'tii-- statutes of Charles V., tin- edicts, resolutions, and customs Fatherland-- were to be received as the paramount rule of action."1 corporaOne of the primary aims in the construction of this mighty maritime tion being to establish an efficient and aggressive Atlantic power in the struggle with Spain, very precise provisions were made for that purpose. ' " The States-General engaged to assist them with a million of guilders, equal to nearly half a million of dollars; and m with sixteen vessels of war and fourcase peace should be disturbed, Westchester County (Scharf, i.. 42). 1 De Lancey's Hist, of the Manors of