Page "Dutch West India Company" Paragraph 8

The WIC was organized similarly to the Dutch East India Company (, abbreviated as VOC ).

Like the VOC, the company had five offices, called chambers ( kamers ), in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hoorn, Middelburg and Groningen, of which the chambers in Amsterdam and Middelburg contributed most to the company.

The board consisted of 19 members, known as the Heeren XIX ( the Lords Nineteen ).

The validity of the charter was set at 24 years.

Only in 1623 funding was arranged, after several bidders were put under pressure.

The States-General of the Netherlands and the VOC pledged one million guilders in the form of capital and subsidy.

Unlike the VOC, the WIC had no right to deploy military troops.

When the Twelve Years ' Truce in 1621 was over, the Republic had a free hand to re-wage war with Spain.

A Groot Desseyn (" grand design ") was devised to seize the Portuguese colonies in Africa and the Americas, so as to dominate the sugar and slave trade.

When this plan failed, privateering became one of the major goals within the WIC.

The arming of merchant ships with guns and soldiers to defend themselves against Spanish ships was of great importance.

On almost all ships in 1623 40 to 50 soldiers were stationed, possibly to assist in the hijacking of enemy ships.

It is unclear whether this first expedition was the expedition by Jacques l ' Hermite to the coast of Chile, Peru and Bolivia, set up by Stadthouder Maurice with the support of the States General and the VOC.