Herewith is sent an extract from written information which Honorable, &c. the Directors of the West India Company, at Amsterdam, transmitted on the IJ"" instant to New Netheriand, our Committee in the matter of the West India Company of these parts. As mention is made in the aforesaid information of the resort to New Netherland and its trade, we, therefore, hereby request and require you to depute one or two of your Board hither by the 25"" instant, fully empowered and instructed on the whole New Netherland business, to confer thereupon with our Committee. Wherein fail not. Done 12'" March, 1650.

Draft of a Contract to convey Emigrants to New Netherland. [ From the Minute in the Eojal ArchiFes at the Hague ; File, West Indie, ]

This day, the 19"" of March, 1G50, the Committee of the Amsterdam Chamber of the West India Company on the one part, and Adriaen van der Donck, Jacob van Couwenhoven and Jan Evertsen Bout, on the other part, have mutually agreed and concluded, in the presence of their High Mightinesses' Deputies That the aforesaid Van der Donck, Couwenhoven and Bout will undertake, as they do hereby contract to charter a suitable fly-boat of 200 lasts and therein to go to sea before the first of June next, and convey to New Netherland the number of 200 passengers, of which

100 are to be farmers and farm servants, and the remaining 100 such as the Amsterdam Chamber is accustomed to send over, conversant with agriculture, and to furnish them with necessary supplies for the voyage on the condition that the aforesaid Committee of the Company shall allow the New Netherland contractors here to have, or to draw from the duties New Netherland the sum which, after this date, will be paid to the Company on freights for of four thousand guilders cash, to pay present expenses; the subject of duty, redress, and New Netherland freedoms remaining for the more full disposition of their High Mightinesses and the Directors of the West India Company.