Charles ii proclamation regarding the royal african companyвЂ™s monopoly

He then argues that the Royal African Company had followed the Dutch strategy with great success, until вЂњthe Trade became managed under separate Interests by an open Trade, the Preservation of the English Interest on the Coast, required much greater Trouble and Charge to preserve it and so from time to time increased, to the great Hazard of its total Loss.вЂќ He ends by presenting the worst-case scenario, should the CompanyвЂ™s monopoly not be restored: Pindar begins his argument by summarizing the strategy of the Dutch on the West African coast: This involved the formation of a joint-stock company вЂњwith very great Privileges and Encouragements,вЂќ including above all a monopoly on trade the establishment by that company of вЂњfortifications and settlementsвЂќ along the coast the development of alliances with as many native вЂњkingsвЂќ as possible and, in return for exclusive trading relationships, a commitment to supply these allies with arms and вЂњpresentsвЂќ and to вЂњprotect and assist them so often as they shall be oppressвЂ™d by their Neighbors.вЂќ Offered here is one of PindarвЂ™s polemics in broadside format, bearing the title The British Interest on the Coast of Africa ConsiderвЂ™d, with the Interest of other Europeans, and the Politicks they used for Carrying on that Trade (Though Pettigrew describes PindarвЂ™s works as вЂњpamphlets,вЂќ ESTC and OCLC record this title in broadside only.) 132) According to Pettigrew, вЂњthirty of each were printed for Barbados, twenty for Antigua, ten for Montserrat, twenty for Nevis, ten for Saint Christopher, twenty to Jamaica, and thirty for VirginiaвЂќ (p. 130), produced вЂњseveral pamphlets to be written, printed, and circulated throughout London, the provinces, and the coloniesвЂ¦ as part of the companyвЂ™s attempts to compete with the separate tradersвЂ™ transatlantic propaganda machine and prevent them from increasing their foothold in the colonies.вЂќ (ibid., p. In 1708 Thomas Pindar, a merchant with interests in the Leeward Islands and, from 1703вЂ“10, Deputy Governor of the Royal African Company (Pettigrew, p. The parties to the dispute conducted an extensive and sustained propaganda campaign in support of their case, in an attempt to influence stakeholders both in Great Britain and its overseas colonies. The separate traders, their numbers strengthened by Scottish merchants following 1707 Act of Union, naturally fought to maintain the open market. It also argued that the presence of rival traders in the coastal areas was driving down the price of trade goods while inflating the price of slaves. As the termination date of the 1698 law approached, the Company petitioned for the reinstatement of its monopoly, arguing that the expense of maintaining on its own its network of coastal forts was ruinous, even as they benefited its competitors. Soon enough the separate traders came to resent the levy, and in March 1707 they unsuccessfully petitioned Parliament for its abolition. The law was to remain in effect for 13 years but softened the blow to the Company by requiring the separate traders to pay it 10% of the value of the goods they exported to Africa. In the reign of King William III, however, Parliament passed the Trade with Africa Act (IX Will III c.26, 1797вЂ“98) terminating the CompanyвЂ™s monopoly and allowing вЂњseparate tradersвЂќ to enter the market.

Docketed in type on verso.ДЄn exceptionally rare 1708 broadside arguing for the restoration of the Royal African CompanyвЂ™s monopoly on the slave trade, with substantial reference to the central role of slavery to the economy of BritainвЂ™s American вЂњplantations.вЂќ Written with a Colonial audience in mind, with copies sent to the British colonies in Virginia and the Caribbean.Д¬hartered by Charles II in 1672 and headed by his brother the Duke of York (later James II), for more than two decades the Royal African Company held a monopoly of trade with Africa. Two lines of headline type surmounting one column of text.

Letterpress broadside on laid paper, printed area 15.75вЂќh x 9.75вЂќw on a 19.75вЂќh x 15.125вЂќw sheet of laid paper, untrimmed. The British Interest on the Coast of Africa ConsiderвЂ™d, with the Interest of other Europeans, and the Politicks they used for Carrying on that Trade.

Charles ii proclamation regarding the royal african companyвЂ™s monopoly