This was an exceedingly trifling return on a capitalization of nearly three millions of dollars, and it is no wonder that the practical-minded merchants who controlled the company began to look in a decidedly pessimistic spirit at the whole New Netherland undertaking, and as time went by conceived a fixed indifference to the local welfare of such barren and unprofitable settlements. On the other hand, the company was earning magnificent sums in prize money from its captures of the enemy's merchant ships, and was drawing handsome revenues from the newly conquered dominions in South America and the West Indies. The contempt in which New Netherland came to bo hold because of its unproductiveness is strikingly illustrated by the selections of men to manage its a flairs. Van Twiller, who succeeded Minuit, was a mere coarse buffoon; and Kieft, who followed Van Twiller, was a cruel and vulgar

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despot, who from the first regarded his position as that of sovereign lord of the country, and proceeded to rule it by his arbitrary will, dispensing with a council. , It is sufficient to contrast these selections of rulers for New Netherland with the choice of Prince Maurice of Nassau for governor of the Province of Brazil, to appreciate the comparatively low and scornful estimation placed upon the North American realms in the inner councils of the West India Company after due experience in their attempted exploitation. According to an explicit " Eeport on the Condition of New Netherland," presented to the States-General in 163S, the company declared that up to that time it had suffered a net loss in its New Netherland enterprise; that it was utterly unable to people the country; and that " nothing now comes from New Netherland but beaver skins, minks, and other furs." Closely following the submission of this significant report came a new departure in policy as to colonization, which had far-reaching effects, and under which before long a tide of immigration began to roll into our section.