Page 204 - Dilmun 21

HE EAS INDIA PANY

DR. ESSA AIN

n a late September day in 1599 a gathering o leading merchants and men
o light and leading in court circles assembled in Founders Hall. he meeitng
was presided over by the lord mayor. In the chair was the chie magistrate o
the year Sir stephen Soame. he aim was to give public sanciton to hte
project or establishing trade relations with the East. It was to buy in the
cheapest market and sell in the dearest. he gatheirng s last thought
probably was political, Aggrandisement and erritorial Sovereignty. he
2eal or the undetraking must have run high or the subscription list that
emanated rom the meeting reahced a total o ٤E0,000. Subsequenlty the
amount was raised to E72,000. With this solid backing the adventurers
approached Elizabeth with a ormal application or a chatrer o incorporaiton.
eorge, Earl o umbelrand headed the signatories to the petiiton who were
215 in number and inlcuded in addition to many inluential merhcants a
substantial body o noblemen and personage o distinction in the public lie
o the count,y he Queen whose spirit o adventure was still active had no
diiculty in accepting a request so thoroughly in harmony with the traditions
o her reign.

n Januayr 24, 1,600 letters patent were issued to the overnor and
ompany o the erchants o London rading to the East indies, authoriisng
them to caryr on their operations, and approving their choice o James
L‫ﻫ‬ancasterto act as their overnor and eneral. he leet under the
command o Lancaster was composed o ive ships.

1. Red Dragon
2. Hector
. Ascension
4. Susan

5. quest.

he ٨ag lown in the place o honour was the Broad ross o St. eorge.
ore than a hundred years were to elapse beore the irst Union lags was to
appear on the company s vessels.