Dele atesfromNew Assembly is advised that some Delegates from New Netherland having '^^^ Netherland. come here with power to convey from this country to that, a considerable number of farmers and other people, but that the aforesaid district being under the West India Company's jurisdiction, the Directors of said Company intend to draw some duties from the aforesaid country of New Netherland. Whereupon deliberation being had, it is resolved that the Directors of the aforesaid Company shall be heard on the aforesaid work and the gentlemen from Amsterdam are ;

allowed copy of what the above mentioned Delegates have communicated to the General Assembly (ter Gcneraliteit), and that meanwhile the aforesaid matter shall be left undisposed of. 24 March, 1650.

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: V. 381

Chamber of Groningen to the States General. [ From the Original in the Royal Archives at the Hague ; Loketkm of the States General ; Division, West Iiulische Compagnie, No. 80.]

High and Mighty Lords. We learn from a reliable source, that by your High Mightinesses' order, the Amsterdam Chamber of the West India Company is authorized to lay on a ship for Brazil and we have ;

lying at Amsterdam a lot of forty barrels of beef, each weighing 500"", well packed in iron bound barrels, which through want of opportunity cannot be cleared nor conveyed to Brazil, and even did occasion present, no one would be willing to receive the aforesaid beef unless the freight were previously paid, which it is impossible for us to do. And considering that provisions will be in the greatest demand in Brazil, we request your High Mightinesses to be pleased to order that the aforesaid forty barrels be shipped in this vessel now put on, and be therein conveyed to Brazil. Further, we duly received your High Mightinesses' letter of the 12"" instant slilo loci, that we should confer at the Hague with your High Mightinesses' Committee on the 26"" March, on the subject of the resort to New Netherland and of its trade, upon certain information transmitted by the Amsterdam Directors to your High Mightinesses' Committee for the afiairs of the West India Company, we would not willingly fail to depute thither some one of our Chamber, but inasmuch as we possess very little knowledge thereof, having never traded to that place; and as in these ham times every e.xpense must be avoided, we therefore request your High Mightinesses will be pleased to excuse us in this instance.