Arnold Wright

“ Jourdain, who was of the true bull-dog type of commander which the Company's service seemed to breed, forwarded a defiant message in reply, asserting that the trade of the islands was free to all men, stating that he knew of no contracts with the natives, and declaring that even if such existed they did not concern him. Acting on this independent view he commenced to trade at Hitoe, but had not proceeded far before he discovered that the islanders were in such deadly fear of the Hollanders that he could do little business. ”

“ On their departure the Dutch turned on the unfortunate natives intent on wreaking revenge on them for the encouragement they had given to their hated rivals. Their first efforts were marked by a disaster which might have had grave consequences for them if the English had been at hand to give the natives efficient backing. On landing a large body of men on Banda the force was attacked by natives and had to retire with a loss of upwards of three hundred men—a very substantial proportion of the total garrison in the Moluccas at the period. ”

“ They had ministered to the luxuries of Rome in her palmiest days, and later, as Raffles has aptly pointed out, through their influence on the commerce of the Italian States, had "communicated the first electric spark which awoke to life the energies and the literature of Europe." ”

“ At a council of war held on the English Admiral's ship it was decided to "stand the coming of the Hollanders." Two days later, when the Dutch ships had approached much nearer a second council was held at which the resolution was formed to "cut hawsers, let slip their cables and go out to meet the Hollanders." The Dutch, on their side, were not idle. Four of their ships "worked to the windward and seized the weathergage," while the remainder spread to leeward to block the progress of the ships in that direction. ”

“ Encouraged by this success the natives sent an envoy to the English authorities at Bantam to implore their support in the further stages of the contest. Jourdain, who was in charge, in response to the appeal re-equipped the Thomassin, the Concord and the Speedwell, and with the ships Clove and Defence, which had just arrived from England, despatched them to Banda in the early days of 1616. ”