Comiug HOW to the third point of trade and commerce ; the Company ought either to carry it on itself or allow private persons to prosecute it, since serious and lengthy disputes have arisen on the subject among the Chambers to the sensible deterioration of the Company. 'Twere well an end were at once put to these disputes, yet with such circumspection that, the trade being regulated for the present according to the actual condition of the conquests, might, in case of essential change therein, be hereafter modified according to the urgency of affairs. If now your High Mightinesses have to learn distinctly from the respective opinions of each

Chamber, the reasons they will produce in support of their pretension, nevertheless, to express our opinions in general terms and without prejudice to any Chamber, it appears to us, under correction, that exclusive of the West India islands and continent, which, up to the present time, have been always frequented by private traders according to certain regulations from your High Mightinesses and the commission of the respective Chambers granted for that purpose ;

the remaining places within the Charter where the Company maintains government, forts or quarters, ought to be considered under two divisions, some being of a nature not to demand any cultivation or population, affording simply trade others again, where the lands must ;

necessarily be first improved by agriculture and population if they are to render any return of moment. The first division includes all the places situate on the North Coast of Africa, from Cape Verde south unto Cape Lopes Gonsalvo, where hides, gum, wax, elephants' teeth, grains of paradise and chiefly Guinea gold are obtained in trade which wares are brought by Blacks ;