DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57079#0141
THE LEVANT COMPANY 125
each member traded as he wished and in any
quantity he chose.39
There appears to have been no improvement
in the currant-trade. The great difficulty was
that the quantities imported were so large 40
that the prices left little margin of profit.
And so the company appointed a special
committee to find means to check the supply.
The committee recommended 41 that an order
should be issued by the company, forbidding
the lading of currants until Christmas, 1637,
and that after that the quantity to be brought
in should not exceed 24 or 25 thousand
39 Yet in 1620 (Min. January 16, 1621) this had been
complained of as one of the causes for the decline of
trade. The company, it was then alleged, susfered
great prejudice by the liberty given at home of sree
trade to every man, to send what quantities of cloth,
etc., in what ships and at what times he pleased. And
accordingly a joint-stock was then decided upon.
The company had no settled policy with regard to
this matter. Now the joint-stock principle prevailed ;
now the individual trader was left free.
40 Cf. Min. January 4, 1637.
The trade “ is now grown to such disorder by reason
of the great quantities brought hither yearly.” The
trade “is so far out of order that the traders therein
do trade to great disadvantage and loss.”
41 Min. February 12, 1637.
each member traded as he wished and in any
quantity he chose.39
There appears to have been no improvement
in the currant-trade. The great difficulty was
that the quantities imported were so large 40
that the prices left little margin of profit.
And so the company appointed a special
committee to find means to check the supply.
The committee recommended 41 that an order
should be issued by the company, forbidding
the lading of currants until Christmas, 1637,
and that after that the quantity to be brought
in should not exceed 24 or 25 thousand
39 Yet in 1620 (Min. January 16, 1621) this had been
complained of as one of the causes for the decline of
trade. The company, it was then alleged, susfered
great prejudice by the liberty given at home of sree
trade to every man, to send what quantities of cloth,
etc., in what ships and at what times he pleased. And
accordingly a joint-stock was then decided upon.
The company had no settled policy with regard to
this matter. Now the joint-stock principle prevailed ;
now the individual trader was left free.
40 Cf. Min. January 4, 1637.
The trade “ is now grown to such disorder by reason
of the great quantities brought hither yearly.” The
trade “is so far out of order that the traders therein
do trade to great disadvantage and loss.”
41 Min. February 12, 1637.