Chap, xiv DUTCH CHECK ON CONTRABAND TRADE 37
If
it is a place where there are islands in the offing, as the time is
approximately known when the vessels ought to arrive, the
representative of the Fiscal Counsellor should send beforehand, as far
out as he can, two or three small boats, to be on the look-out round
these islands, and as soon as they have discovered the vessel, they
should join her, to prevent any contraband goods being landed on the
islands, to which bribed persons might come to carry them secretly to
the person to whom they are addressed. He should confiscate all that he
discovers in the vessel which does not bear the mark of the Company, or
does not belong to foreign merchants. He should have power to dismiss
from his post the officer to whom the goods belong, if a subaltern ;
but if it be one of the superiors he should give notice to the Chief of
the Factory, who, with his Council, may degrade him from his office and
confiscate his salary. He may order all letters of private persons to
be opened to detect contraband trade and the parties engaging in it.
This is why the captain of the vessel is obliged to hand letters over
to him ; but he may not open the Company's letters. The proceeds of
this confiscation of goods should be applied, one third to the poor of
the nation, another third to the Company, and the remainder to the
Fiscal and his officers, as is the custom of the Dutch. He will also
represent the King in all criminal and civil processes which come
before the Commander and his Council, and he will be able to
requisition and take part in the name of His Majesty in all kinds of
actions. Provided always that this officer is. vigilant and a man of
integrity, he will be able to render considerable service to the
Company.
If
the English had established such an official in their factories, they
would have had greater profit; but the officers of that nation pretend
that there is no superior power capable of withdrawing the privilege
from them after they have once completed their apprenticeship in
London, and hold the certificate of their master of having served him
well for seven years.1
1 The
salaries of the English Company's officials at this period, as stated
by Fryer (i. 216), were so small that one would suppose that they could
have hardly subsisted without having some private oppor-
