Briefwisseling oor Kaapse sake 1778-1792

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XXIII Swellengrebel to W. van Irhoven van Dam.
Schoonoort, 19.7.1783

Hon. Sir,

Yesterday in Utrecht I found your letter of the 6th of July. At last a man of character who is concerned about my birthplace! But, my friend, if any redress is possible, a better means of subsistence must be found for the growing population without harming the Company. The Colony was established in the course of the 17th century on fertile soil, the climate was good and agriculture was encouraged. The population increased by natural means as well as by immigration and by allowing the officials to become free burghers. Many free burghers became wealthy and the settlement developed from a refreshment station to a colony. But the market did not expand in the same proportion. As farming developed the Company paid less for wheat and wine and moreover was not able to buy up all produce as promised. An increase in the number of foreign ships which called stabilised the situation, at any rate so long as many young colonists managed to find a livelihood in cattle-farming further inland. But this also has its limits.

The wars between the French and the English in the past 40 years have supplied a market, but this was a precarious market and the poor burgher, who lived from hand to mouth, often had to sell at any price unlike the bigger landowners. There are no manufacturies in the town and insufficient specialisation of trades to absorb all the city dwellers in employment. The appointment of even the best intentioned Governor will not change this. Some seek a solution in saying the Colony must not be allowed to expand, and a further growth in the population must be checked or the Europeans will lose their civilisation and live on the veld among the Hottentots and the Caffers.

If the gentleman who addressed you and who belongs to the ruling class of one of the biggest cities in Holland, wants to help, let him think of ways and means to help the burghers to make a decent living at the Cape, without doing harm to the Company. This is not impossible to my way of thinking, especially with the help of a sympathetic Governor.

The governorship at the Cape is an important post, and though not directly responsible to the Governor-General in Batavia, there are many important links between him and the East. Yearly accounts have to be sent to Batavia for incorporation into the general accounts forwarded to the Netherlands. Some legal cases are referred to the Council of Justice in Batavia. In the past Councillors of the Indies returning to Europe were given power as Commissioners to examine and even to change conditions

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at the Cape when necessary, but this has fallen into disuse in recent years.

The Governor must be a man of good judgment, capable of interpreting instructions framed only in general terms. He is assisted by a Council of Policy consisting of the second-in-command or chief administrator; the Fiscal, the head of the troops and 4 or 5 Company's servants. This does not make for an independent body such as a right-thinking head would desire in his councillors, and would discover more readily among the independent colonists. Under his administration he has a widespread colony of farmers, who only produce corn, wine, butter and such foodstuffs, and practise stock-raising. He would have to be a clever man to look after both their economic welfare and the Company's interests, especially since his headquarters is in a remote corner of the settlement, far from the lands in the interior. For this reason also the policing, especially in the further districts, is not at all good; and this will not be improved as long as the colonists are allowed to accustom themselves further to a wild life in the veld.

The Governor's sources of income are not enough for him to amass a fortune without gaining the reputation of being grasping. Were I aspiring after such a post I would sooner have a fixed annual salary than draw my income out of fees and perquisites which are often a burden on the colonists and are readily resented should the least disaffection occur.

I hope I have provisionally answered your enquiry in this general sketch. In my view somebody who aspires to such a post, not through covetousness, but to be able to be of service, must in the first place give attention to the measures which, in the critical condition of the Colony, should be taken, in order to investigate how far he could achieve their adoption. If you wish further information I am ready, as far as I have the knowledge, to give further details. My affairs are not so pressing as to prevent my doing so, especially if I had the opportunity to collaborate in ensuring that the administration of a colony, so closely linked with the Fatherland, be placed in the best hands. But I would prefer to do so by word of mouth if you would pay me a visit as promised. The journey from Amsterdam to Utrecht in summer needs only half a day's easy travel by boat and from there it is only a couple of hours by carriage; which I can send to meet you.