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Chapter 640 Manager Cohen
There are two most famous East India companies in later generations, the British (Great Britain) East India Company and the Dutch (United) East India Company. The two companies were founded at different times. The British East India Company was founded earlier in 1600. The Dutch East India Company came later, founded in 1602.

The purpose is similar. Initially, it was to open up maritime trade routes, occupy more spice producing areas, and obtain more profits. However, in terms of organizational structure and operation, although they all have authorization and equity participation from their respective national governments, there are obvious differences.

The British East India Company was more like a later public company, with shareholders receiving one vote for every £500 invested. The company holds a general meeting of shareholders in April every year to elect 4 directors to form the board of directors, who elect the president and vice president.

The Dutch East India Company was a purely unlisted private company, which did not issue shares and had no fixed headquarters. It is jointly composed of chambers of commerce in six cities: Amsterdam, Zeeland, Hollen, Enkhuizen, Delft and Rotterdam. The chambers of commerce in each region select their own directors to manage the company, a total of 60 people.

These directors are lifelong, with 20 places in Amsterdam, 12 in Zeeland, and 7 in each of the other four cities. In daily business activities, 60 directors are selected from these 17 directors to form the board of directors to make specific decisions, which is called a 17-person meeting. The board of directors holds meetings from time to time every year.

The chambers of commerce in the six cities are the six branches of the company, and are headed by the directors of their respective branches. Only the Communications Affairs Bureau in The Hague is directly led by the 17-member meeting.

In 1610, the Dutch East India Company added an Indian Bureau and Committee, and its headquarters was established in Jakarta, which was later renamed Batavia. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is at the same level as the previous six divisions and reports directly to the Conference of 17.

In case the company suffers a loss, it will be deducted from the capital contribution of the 60 directors until all deductions are made. Each director must invest at least 6000 Dutch guilders, and the Dutch government is authorized to invest in the company, which is equivalent to 25000 Dutch guilders.

The authorization has a total of five contents: first, it can launch wars against other countries; second, it can arrest, detain and try prisoners; third, it can negotiate with other governments on behalf of the Dutch government; fourth, it has the right to issue currency; 5. Establish colonies and military fortresses and arm them.

From this point of view, Cohen is basically an agent of the East India Company and the Dutch government in Asia. He can not only launch wars, but also establish colonies, set up courts, and form armies. In addition to submitting several reports to the Conference of 17 every year, The power to act arbitrarily is great.

But Cohen, who originally wanted to use his power to do something big, has been in trouble recently, and his troubles come from the Ming Dynasty in the north. The enemy of the Dutch East India Company and the United Provinces Republic, the Kingdom of Spain's colony in the Philippines, was suddenly captured by the Ming Emperor's navy.

As time went by, more and more details about the Battle of Manila gradually came together from the Portuguese maritime merchants and Chinese merchants who came to trade from Batavia, and a relatively clear picture was gradually sketched out.

But the clearer the picture and the more certain the facts, the more irritable Cohen became. The Spanish governor and his army did not lose Jingzhou carelessly, but were defeated head-on by the Ming Dynasty navy, which took only one night.

For the colonists who came from afar, the last thing they wanted to see was the emergence of military powers around the colonies. What's even more frightening is that the country is also expanding outwards.

From the actions of the Ming Navy after the Battle of Manila, we can conclude that they not only wanted to avenge the Chinese businessmen who were killed by the Spanish Governor, but also planned to take the entire Luzon Island and even the Philippine Islands as their own.

If this is the case, then the colonies, strongholds and business houses of the Indian branch in the Spice Islands are likely to be the next targets of attack. Even if the Indian branch has more ships and more troops than the Spanish, it is not certain that it will be able to defeat the Ming Navy.

On the issue of whether to fight or make peace, no matter how much Cohen wanted to challenge the Ming Navy and completely eliminate the company's biggest threat near the East Indies, he could only choose the latter. The purpose of the company is commercial profits, and the establishment of colonies and armies is just to ensure that commercial routes and goods origins are not seized by competitors.

In a war with an overly powerful country, even if it wins in the end, the time and price paid are unbearable by the directors, and it will certainly not be supported by the 17-member meeting.

Now he must submit a very detailed report to the 17-member meeting, with his own opinions, and try his best to protect the company's interests in the East Indies before getting a reply. If you can't do this, your future in the company is over.

The ink on the quill was dried and dipped, dipped and dried again, over and over again, but there were only a few lines of words on the parchment. Every time Cohen wants to write, two Ming Empires will appear in his mind: one is like a docile and diligent little sheep, and the other is like a cruel and ferocious big bad wolf.

The former impression comes from the comments of the previous governor and his colleagues, as well as from what he saw with his own eyes among the Chinese businessmen living in Banten and Batavia.

They are indeed like sheep. They work hard all day long to avoid causing disasters. They work hard to fatten up their bodies but have no ability to protect themselves. They can be harvested at any time and at any time.

The latter is based on a careful analysis of this battle. According to the Spanish sailors who escaped from Manila, the Ming Navy was like a demon emerging from hell.

Their black-sailed warships turned to be flexible and had fierce firepower. They could fire from one-twentieth a mile away and accurately hit the target. The fleet led by the Philippines was defeated by the black sailing ships with artillery at a long distance.

Their infantry and battleships are of the same origin, and their muskets have a long range and accuracy, and are much more powerful than the matchlock guns used by the Spanish infantry regiments. Before the two sides could get close to the firing distance of the matchlocks, the infantry regiment was defeated by the dense projectiles, and the pikemen had no chance to play their role.

Although the Netherlands and Spain are at war, no one can deny the combat effectiveness of the Spanish infantry regiment. If the Ming Navy can defeat a similar number of Spanish infantry regiments head-on at a very small cost, the Dutch mercenaries in Batavia may not be their opponents.

"Come in..." While thinking hard, someone knocked on the door.

"Manager Cohen, the person you are looking for has arrived!" A round-headed man wearing a pair of round glasses pushed half the door open and reported softly.

"Very well, you did a good job. Please invite Captain Alfonso to come to my office... Oh yes, Mr. Macon, please make a cup of cocoa tea for our guest!"

Cohen showed great interest and enthusiasm for the news. He stood up and straightened the wrinkles on his clothes, sat upright behind his desk, and pretended to pick up a quill to review documents.

(End of this chapter)