Reasons for the Dutch settlement at the Cape

Reasons for the Dutch settlement at the Cape

The Portuguese had been successfully controlling the Indian Ocean trade by themselves. Their success attracted competition especially from the Dutch and the English.

The King of Spain at the time was fighting Holland and refused the Dutch to buy spices from the Portuguese. The decided to find a sea route to India in order to take control of the spice trade in Europe.

By the end of the Sixteenth Century, the Dutch were trading and building an Empire in the Far East. By this time, the Dutch wanted the Cape as a resting place since the journey from Europe through the Cape to the East Indies was very long and tiresome.

The Cape was located mid way between Europe and Asia and would help to facilitate their trade.

To avoid English occupation at the cape (mercantilist imperialism).

Ambitions of the directors of the D.E.LCO.

The Cape could be a market gardening settlement to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for sailing ships.

The Cape could provide a hospital to treat the sick soldiers and sailors.

It could be defended against attacks from rivals and to protect its steady water supply.

It was mid-way between Europe and the Far East.

The recommendations given by the early Dutch settlers, traders and travelers in 1649. There was shortage of fresh food and water, which caused ill health to the Dutch. They normally ran short of food, medical supplies and usually many of them died on their way to the Far East due to scurvy.

They wanted the Cape as a place where they could repair and refuel their ships. By the time they reached the Cape, the ships and boats would have been damaged by strong storms of the sea.

The Dutch were interested in the Cape because they wanted to establish medical centers to help treat the Dutch sailors. It becarne an urgent case because one third of the sailors had died on their journey due to diseases.

The Cape had a Mediterranean climate and fertile soils favorable for the growing of fruits, vegetables and for European settlement. With such climatic conditions, the Dutch hoped to solve the problem of shortage of fresh foods.

St. Helena Islands that had for many years served Ocean sailors with fruits had by the Seventeenth Century ran short of such fruits. The supply of apples, citrus fruits, wild pigs and Oats from St. Helena on their journey to Europe had greatly reduced and the Cape would act as an immediate alternative. It could also supply water, vegetables, bread flour and salted mutton and/ beef.

The Dutch also established a settlement at the Cape for strategic reasons. The Cape was a place where most ships sailing a round Africa had to pass. The control of such a place could enable the Dutch to have control over the trade.

The Cape offered good harbors for their ships and for their own protection, for example the Table Bay.

The control of the Cape would enable them to levy taxes from incoming and outgoing ships.

In order to control trade, the Dutch formed a Chartered Company called the Dutch East India Company (DElCO) in 1602.

The British had also earlier formed one called the English East India Company in 1600. To compete favorably, the Dutch chose to settle at the Cape.

The immediate event for the Dutch settlement at the Cape was the wreckage of their ship. In 1647, the Dutch Ship- Harlem broke up after an accident at the Table Bay and the survivors had to settle at the Cape. This event led to the discovery of the Cape as a suitable place for settlement.