In September 1624, a meeting took place at the fort where English merchants Haulen and Coningh met with the Dutch General. After discussing health issues of their president and an operation by Specx against the Javanese, they talked about Macassar. The General asked about cloves from Amboina, to which Coningh responded that the Macassarese had obtained about 160 units, of which the English received 60 in Macassar.
The English merchants complained about unfair treatment in the rice market, where their buyer was specifically forbidden to purchase rice while other nations, even slaves, were allowed to do so. Javanese merchants had reportedly been instructed not to sell to the English. The General responded that he had not given orders to discriminate, but due to rice shortages from Mattaram, there were restrictions on buying large quantities to protect poor communities.
The merchant Maenin was called to confirm that the English buyer was not only allowed to make purchases but often received more than requested. The General ordered that during the shortage, the English should be allowed to buy one unit out of three or two out of six when rice arrived.
Later, Haulen raised concerns about Dutch occupation of the islands Bessy and Sebesse in the Sunda Strait, which had prevented their ship the Charles from settling there. The General explained that these uninhabited islands were taken for their wood resources, which were needed for the city and ships, as getting wood from Mattaram was expensive.
National Archives / Archives South Holland, archive number 1.04.02, Inventaris van het archief van de Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), 1602-1795 (1811), inventory number 1083, Heren Zeventien en kamer Amsterdam, INGEKOMEN STUKKEN UIT INDIË, Kopie-dagregisters van Batavia, Kopie-dagregisters, gehouden in het kasteel Batavia, in de serie overgekomen brieven en papieren uit Indië aan de Heren XVII en de kamer Amsterdam, 1624 jan. 1 - dec. 31
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