In the report dated 12 October 1735 of the Council of the Dutch East India Company at Batavia sent towards the General Board of XVII in the Netherlands was a quite interesting remark made. From two Portuguese ships was 215.938 lb spiaulter and 6000 lb radix china bought against 7½ rijksdaalders a pikol. Portuguese 2- and 3 mast ships were harmless and often allowed. The cargo of rice they brought along from Bengal was sold at Ceylon, if they did’t succeed in arriving at the Maldiven. At Ceylon they bought copper, areka nuts and elephants. These ships were indispensable due the continuous lacking of enough rice for the population. It was feared that this lacking would caused hunger and poverty and so influence the whole trade.
Source
J. van Goor, Generale Missiven van Gouverneurs-Generaal en Raden aan Heren XVII der Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie. Deel IX: 1729-1737. The Hague, 1988, Generale Missive from Abraham Patras, p. 652-671.
