The British East India Company in financial problems according to the Dutch newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 4 January 1774

According to a tiding dated London 14 December 1773 attracted the financial affairs of the British East India company more and more the attraction of the government and stakeholders. It was suggested that the company except for the 1.400.000 pound sterling borrowed from the government an additional 800,000 pound was borrowed. This news wasn’t confirmed just like the statement that the company wouldn’t succeed in paying back the money before her patent was ended. It was quite reasonable to expect that the money was paid back. The assertion that the patent was not renewed if the company made not major commitments to the government wasn’t either true. The government knew her interests and wouldn’t ask for such commitments afraid for loosing the annual income for the Asiatic area which she received since such a long period. Also was suggested that the government when a new European war broke out the company immediately had to pay back the borrowed money. The answer was simply, a new war wasn’t expected on short term so the repayment wasn’t an actual problem. And if a war broke out and the interest was 5% could the company afford this. Still there was much concern about the financial affairs of the company and what the stakeholders could expect regarded last years when the company did get her income but was forced to reduce her distributions and had a debt of 2.000.000 pound sterling.