Let the spice race. This blind race between the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English to dominate the clove supplies, nutmeg and mace scented Moluccan islands in Europe. Where perplexed island looked with astonishment at these rustic old sea dogs who traveled halfway around the world just to drink in a stupor and fight each other.
The Moluccas are a chain of islands in the far east of Indonesia on the edge of the massive island of New Guinea and while they may be mere pinpricks on most cards today, in the 16th and 17th centuries that their products packed a hefty profit. After the Portuguese were the first to fiddle around a while, the Dutch aggression has set up shop and went Java navigate the eastern seas signing agreements with all the little potentates who listen and were soon able obtain a monopoly on return to the West consignments and these bourgeois Amsterdam good.
The English were involved hesitantly, testing the water as they still adopt today. Rail Link high-speed Channel Tunnel? Of course, these early explorers did in the islands after traveling for several months through the tough oceans arrived to find the Dutch with their feet well established, particularly on the Banda Islands and, in a gesture more a -European were most reluctant to share the spoils with the perfidious Albion. The story was the same on Great Banda Neira and therefore the English, never ones to slink off with their tails between their legs, go to Ai, a few miles away and yet to have an agreement with the Netherlands.
Ai residents greeted the English, although this is how contemporary accounts describe it, and they began to fortify the island in anticipation of a Dutch invasion of which they were sure would come. Indeed, the Dutch attacked, were rejected once attacked a second time and triumphed, lock them and English "piss and sh ** ting on their heads," leaving only a distant island called Run to be affected by the 'Hollanders.
Some of Ai survivors escaped and was run by the English determined to do everything in their power to keep one foot on the Spice Islands. In 1616, they sent an expedition to the island of Bantam and indigenous readily agreed to make the island to the English Crown forever. King James became King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland is also now by the mercy of God, King of Pooloway (Ai) and Pooloroone (Run). One of English noted that these islands would be more profitable than Scotland ever had. The English in return entreated to respect the local religion, not misbehave with women and do not breed pigs.
The man in charge rejoiced in the name of Nathaniel Courthope and at the height of his name, was an optimist gentleman by all accounts. He knew he was vulnerable to attack, but also knew the island was difficult to invade because of natural defenses. Still, he prepared some rudimentary and some strong defensive positions. The island was very defenseless to a naval blockade. It relied on the outside for all supplies, including drinking water, and the Dutch were forced to accept the legitimacy of English claims to the island was not so inclined to be good neighbors.
With little in the way of supplies reaching Run, some of the crew went to at least try to get some water, but the mission was doomed. The Dutch were attentive to their situation Run and waiting for such a moment. The ship was captured and ransacked the trapped men.
In the absence of aid coming to their door, Courthope sent one of his greatest crew in Bantam seeking supplies from there, but a change of direction had seen a pompous Preener take relay with little interest in the outer islands. Finally, in spring 1618, three ships heavily laden with supplies were sent and within an hour of racing were preparing to unload when a Dutch patrol came upon them. Courthope watched with dismay as the wind changed and Dutch approaches. The British were slow to move, then overwhelmed supplies. The fight with the Run residents looking in a state of helplessness was one result. The Dutch were delighted at their unexpected generosity while Courthope in the beautiful English tradition, sent a strongly worded letter to his employer.
In 1619, he had resigned himself to the fact that the aid was unlikely in his courageous fight to keep one of the islands under the English flag. He has no money, no natural resources and little in the way of spices. His crew decrease was firmly behind him that would have been comforting, but on this small rock surrounded by enemies and seas, he must have felt that the world was a very large place indeed.
With Courthope the road, the Dutch returned and remained until 1665 when a couple of English ships fronted up at the port and port recovered almost forgotten. But at that time, the British were looking to the west and the east and the year had already received the Dutch an area called Manhattan through a mixture of bluff and bravado.
In 1667 the British and the Dutch were tiring of the struggle against the other all over the known world and decided to try to find a peaceful solution. The English wanted Run officially handed back, the Dutch wanted Manhattan returned and here they got stuck. Finally, if they thought sod it, let's keep things as they are, no matter how the possession had been claimed, so officially exchanged the Run island in the East Indies in Manhattan, including New York, in the American colonies.
While the spirited defense of Courthope was in the battle for the spice trade, ultimately unimportant and soon forgotten, if the story was a pack of cards, he held two of diamonds which was then exchanged for the ace of spades. Today Courthope is almost forgotten, his heroic defense of a small island on the other side of the globe, courageous but futile. Which is a shame because his stubbornness face enormous obstacles is typically English. Maybe if he had a Max Clifford Simon Cowell or the representative, his name and deeds are in fact known throughout the country.
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