In the early 1740's the plantation colonies Essequebo and Demerary, owned by the Dutch West-India Company were opened up for foreign settlement. Mainly British planters took advantage of the...Show moreIn the early 1740's the plantation colonies Essequebo and Demerary, owned by the Dutch West-India Company were opened up for foreign settlement. Mainly British planters took advantage of the situation, and in the following 40 years they formed a significant presence in the colonies. During the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War the British temporarily took possession of the colonies, and the colonies would become permanently British in 1814. The thesis investigates the British-Dutch relations in Essequebo and Demerary, between 1740 and 1781. Why did British visitors come to the colonies, what was the status of British planters, did the British comply with Dutch regulations? How did the Dutch feel about the British? British traders frequently visited the colonies to buy rum and molasses, British privateers hunted for visiting American ships. The status of British planters did not differ significantly from the status of Dutch planters, although they were banned from some administrative positions. The British generally abided by Dutch laws, except the prohibition of buying slaves from none-Dutch slavers. Large amounts of slaves were bought from British slavers, severely annoying the WIC directors, who were otherwise pleased with the British planters because they helped the colonies grow.Show less
