Page 98 - Dutch Asiatic Shipping Volume 1

Table 17: Average length of stay at The Cape on homeward journey by port of departure (in days)
Bat. Cey.
1610-19 12
1620-29 12
1630-39 15
1640-49 15
1650-59 20
1660-69 26 14 1670-79 26 27 1680-89 35 30 1690-99 38 35
1610-99 26 31 1610-1795 33 31
Bat. Cey. Ben. Chi.
1700-09 37 32
1710-19 41 35
1720-29 33 43
1730-39 35 36 27 24 1740-49 40 21 29 17 1750-59 36 22 22 23 1760-69 30 26 24 28 1770-79 37 24 21 20 1780-89 36 40 27 34 1790-95 44 30 41 21
1700-95 36 31 25 24
The changes and splitting up of departures of the return fleets from Asia had their effect on departures home from the Cape as well. Whereas in the seventeenth century they left Table Bay mainly during the months of February to May, in the eighteenth century this pattern changed drastically (table 18).
Table 18: Numbers of monthly departures from The Cape
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX
X XI XII
21
1
3 21 15 1
4 4 50 55 6 2 27
12 24 138
1602-24 2 1625-49 4 27 1650-74 4 68 1675-99 12 52 1700-24 57 209 1725-49 140 105 1750-74 181 58 1775-94 65 36
465 555
3 2 54 8 85 46 69 54
216 42 126 77 66 129 34 42
653 400
32
47 1511
74 6 1 1
26 13 4 1
49 35 14 4 4 25 5 5 1
25 12 7 16 5
221 79 31 25 10
Departures were more widely spread, and notably earlier. The
end of May was now mostly used, but there were departures outside this period as well. Whereas before there used to be two groups sailing for home, in 1742 official permission was given for three fleets. Moreover, the faster ships no longer needed to join the slower ones and to adapt their speed to theirs. At the same time a firm order was given that as few ships as possible were to be kept in Table Bay during May.1 4 This advancing of departures from the Cape completed the succes of the Company's endeavour to auction more Asian goods before the autumn. At the same time the months of December and
14 Heeres, 'De 'Consideration", 569 and 572. For various seventeenth century instructions, see Van Dam, Beschryvinge, vol. 68, 13-40.
period December to