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Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Keels laid down of the Dutch merchant ships Roompot and Goede Intentie according to the Zierikzeesche Courant dated 18 June 1841

After the French occupation the Netherlands became an independent kingdom and the trade shipping towards the Dutch East Indies was gain possible. However in 1814 didn't the Dutch East Indies Company exist anymore and what was left of her ships was sold after 1801 to private entrepreneurs. The war between the French empire and countries like England made it nearly continuous impossible to use these ships. In 1814 there was just a cargo capacity of 10.000 lasten available in the Netherlands. To compensate this ships had to be bought or build abroad, mainly in the Baltic area, England and the United States. The Dutch government encouraged the Dutch merchant shipping and building along with other measures with subsidies (Fonds Nationale Nijverheid) and freights (Nederlandsche Handels Maatschappij). Slowly the yards at Rotterdam, Dordrecht but also in Middelburg and Zierikzee begun to built new East Indiamen. An increasing number of ships was build.

Zierikzee, Friday 17 June. At the yard De Goede Intentie of J. Strickaert were the keels laid down of the Roompot of 500 and the Goede Intentie of 300 last, both destined for the trade towards the Dutch East Indies.