The Sense,
Therefore, Of These Difficulties, Joined To The Vast Advantages They
Were Likely To Reap By Overcoming Them, Induced
The government and
people of Holland to prosecute the advancement of trade in general with
the greatest vigour, and particularly
To establish a commercial
intercourse with the East and West Indies, the great sources of wealth
to their tyrannical oppressor and enemy, from whom they had revolted.
[Footnote 67: Harris, I. 31. - Two editions of this voyage were published
in Dutch, both in folio; one at Rotterdam without date; and the other at
Amsterdam in 1602. Bib, Univer. des Voyages, I. 115.]
Among other inducements to this course of proceeding, they were not a
little encouraged by the progress made by their neighbours, the English;
seeing that even private persons, and with a small force, had been able
to disquiet the Spaniards exceedingly; and had at the same time acquired
great riches to themselves. Another cause of attempting expeditions like
the present, was their having failed in their first scheme of finding a
new passage to the East Indies, than that with which the Spaniards and
Portuguese were acquainted, which they had often and unsuccessfully
endeavoured to explore by the north-east, with great hazard and expence.
Their first voyages to the East Indies proving more fortunate even than
they themselves had expected, they were tempted to proceed farther, and
to distress their enemies likewise in the South Sea, which hitherto had
only been done by the English.
The distressed states of Holland, however, were not hitherto so
powerful at sea as to attempt acting offensively against the king of
Spain on that element; but contented themselves with giving power and
authority to any of their subjects who were inclined to venture upon
expeditions of this nature, at their own risk and expence, so as at the
same time to join their own private advantage with the public good, by
fitting out squadrons for these distant and hazardous voyages. This
policy, though arising in some measure from necessity, was conducted
with such wisdom and address, that the king of Spain soon found himself
more distressed by the armaments of the Dutch merchants, than by all the
forces of the United States. This is a plain proof; that the surest way
to render any government powerful, is to interest the people in general
in its support: For this raises such spirit among them, and is followed
by such unexpected consequences, as no art or force can withstand.
In the beginning of the year 1598, some eminent merchants in the united
provinces, among whom were Peter van Bueren, Hugo Gerritz, and John
Bennick, formed a design of sending some stout ships through the Straits
of Magellan into the South Sea, to cruise against the Spaniards; to
which design they were chiefly instigated by the reports of many English
seamen, who had served in these parts, under Drake, Candish, and
Hawkins, and other experienced officers. The purpose of the present
expedition, was to cruise upon the coasts belonging to the Spaniards,
and to force the enemy of peace to bear the expences of those wars in
which he obliged other people unwillingly to engage.
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