Luis placed a new order, this time for 50 barrels of rubber, at the price of sugar..... again.
But it pays so much more....
"Uh, Luis: you stole from them, because they were royal agents"
"But yes: we have 6 months to deliver the 1000 capes we don't have yet" he seems amused
"Ha .... No orders to deliver or prepare, ha I miss the life of pirates a little bit right now all of a sudden.."
"And they paid in advance?"
"No: in cash for the moment I have 120k, deposited at the junta do fazenda"
Joao sighed
"What about the costs of late delivery?"
"20% per month of delay"
" ha .. We're going to rob a brig at the port, we're heading to Seville and we're goind to loot a Spaniards boat?"
"yes!!"
"But everyone is getting asleep at the moment????"
"I'm kidding Joao, I asked the grey anchor, and: they kept the order, when they learned that they could have as much for this thing that they considered unsellable that they could have sugar at the port, the merchants did not hesitate to do so, they immediately jumped at the opportunity, in less than 3 months we will have the first arrivals if it's not the whole order, maybe even more"
________
August 25, 1652
Hello Sehnor Carrasca, I come to ask you if you have made a mistake during our discussion" Mençao Duigero quickly asked
"What mistake Sehnor? Have you taken possession of the few barrels of panniers? "
"Yes precisely, that's what pushed me to come and meet you, in addition to taking possession of the panniers, as agreed, we were entrusted with taking in addition the storm capes already available, the price of which surprised me somewhat, about 1000 cpae for 120 k cruzados, but there are nearly 10,000 panniers and not a few hundred"
"It all depends on whether you want to pay for the panniers or not, a hundred or thousands doesn't make a big difference if you don't pay for them."
"Of course.... The king's agent seemed taken aback by the flippant answer, before continuing, "So, in comparison, these satchels are just as promising as the cloaks for the preservation of gunpowder for the fleet, I was thinking of making you a deposit with the Council of Finance (junta do fazenda) of 50,000 cruzados."
"Excellent idea, it should cover the taxes for the year, at least with our current income, so proceed as you dim fit"
Taken by surprise again, Mençao asked:
"You don't intend to haggle anymore?"
"Ha I decided to let Luis do that from now on...."
"Luis?"
"The director who sold the storm capes"
"Ha okay, don't you want to ask him?"
"No, as we explained to you the other day, the restoration of the independence of Portugal is vital for our little company, so a few cruzados more or less if it can help win this war, in the long run it will be better for our company, but let's move on to something more urgent for the company, I take advantage of your presence: Do you know where I could find an accountant for the company? And for what pledges approximately? " Joao annonça dismisivley that he wouldn't argue over some "trivial satchels" while inquiring for an urgent need he felt.
"Of course..."
Thus Joao was registered among the potential supporters of the War of Restoration, with a first contribution to the crown, and a few names of accountants who could satisfy his needs.
________
After finding an interesting accountant, Joao took the report
Accounts of the Company "Brazilian Horizons"
Year of the Lord 1652
Initial capital:
220,000 cruzados
Disbursements (expenses):
Purchase of a frigate: 20,000 cruzados
Purchase of raw rubber (20 tons): 10,000 cruzados
Third party payment: 10,000 cruzados Total disbursements: 50,000 cruzados
Starters (recipes):
Storm capes sale: 120,000 cruzados
Sale of rubber bags: 50,000 cruzados Total admissions: 170,000 cruzados
Balance sheet:
Initial capital: 220,000 cruzados
Balance after disbursements: 170,000 cruzados
Balance after entries: 340,000 cruzados
Result: + 120,000 cruzados.
By adding the provisional accounts for ongoing operations and the provisions for the armament of the frigate and others:
That makes it: 150,000 for the rubber tuns ordered, 20,000 for the sulphur and the treatment, 60,000 reserve for the purchase of sugar during the first crossing, and 120,000 to enter for the rest of the capes, and more with the rest of the rubber, how much? Joao decided to leave these parts of the calculations in abeyance: 250k-230+120 = 150k.
Therefore.. I retain this and that, taking into account the current expenses of accommodation and drinking establishments and other fantasies... , and Joao spent his day working at ... counting...
_____
NOTA BENE
Following research give a tangibility to this story, and the meanders of coins on all sides.
Cruzados = one Spanish ducat, or about 3.1 grams of gold per coin
= 4 Dutch guilders of the VOC (Dutch East India Company), the cost of one of the largest VOC vessels with a tonnage of 2000 tons, was worth in the range of 100,000 guilders, or 25,000 cruzados.
The exchange of money varied according to the region;
In Portugal by Royal Decree: one silver cruzado = 1 gold cruzados = 400 vellon reals (copper currency used for daily uses)
To give an idea of the wage standards of the time
The average salary of a VOC administrator was 500 guilders per year, or about 100 cruzados per year, and was among the most substantial and important salaries of the time.
Then, after a hard search for sugar prices:
For sale, a semi-refined sugar sold for about 1 pound tournois (French currency of the 17th century) per pound (the unit of weight)
This means that a barrel of about 900 liters containing this brown sugar cost about 500 pounds of tournaments: that is: about 100 cruzados.
The consensus of historians for the period is that sugar revenues varied from 5 to 10 times the amount paid to the colonies compared to the selling price in Europe: this makes an estimate of 2 to 10 cruzados per barrel of unrefined, or semi-refined, sugar to the colonies, such as Brazil.
To explain the price of storm capes:
The influx of gold and silver from the Americas had caused a spike in costume spending among many nobles: underlined a pronounced tendency almost everywhere to: novelty, luxury, utility: I spend without counting or almost.
Dressing a nobleman:
A nobleman could spend several hundreds, if not thousands, of livres tournois on a complete package, including luxurious fabrics such as silk, velvet, and gold or silver thread embroidery. For example, a very elaborate court dress could cost up to 2,000 livres tournois or more.
Either 400 cruzados or more
Admiral's Uniform:
Admirals' uniforms were also expensive, especially if they included items like golden epaulettes, precious metal buttons, and ornate bicorns. A complete uniform could cost between 500 and 1,000 livres tournois, depending on the level of customization and the materials used.
That's about 100 to 200 cruzados, or more
This may allow you to better understand the story and the readjustments I will make to the sums later.
What does not change is that 6.5 tons of silver at 99% purity, corresponded to about 240,000 cruzados, this currency introduced at the beginning of the war of restoration by John 4, having a guaranteed silver content, and an exchange rate by decree of 400 vellon reals (or reis)
About measurements: the Tuns ( ancestor of the ton in the metric system ) was around 650 liters and 1200 liters, those ancient big barricks that dockers rolled from ancient ships in the ports that you can see in movies of buccaneers, or piratery., the columed caried with certain functions, and usability on certain type of ships
For convenience: i will stand by a standard volume of 900 liters which are 900kg of water.
Thank you for your understanding
( Hell yes i !!!! Joao also does maths!! )
_________
Then: suddenly Joao came to a realization, while france and england are respectively in regence and in a total trade disaster, with almost no money or so to speak of, with luis the 14 th too young, and the republic of great britain.
" Ha this is quite a good spot to collect informations here in lisboa " thought aloud Joao
While continuing his thought process :
Later, sugar will be more common, and prices may drastically go down, especially considering that portugal rely on the reexport in all of europe, even that dilapidated england since their revolution.
Well that is a problem as long as those spaniards capitulate about our independance. And we take back everything the duth have taken from us.
Ha!!! Therefore...
Joao continued his little calculations and came to the following conclusion: since the price of sugar is destined to decrease, whether by excess in Brazil or otherwise, then more sugar consumers are needed. So buying land, renting it out for 20 to 40 years to farmers via the company, and these 20 to 40 years make them owners, at the end of that, they too will have access to sugar, and so even overproduction will not lower the price that much.
"yes, it sounds ideal, it would be better if it's the policy of the crown, but these "work for" won't do it easily, so: for the company "Horizon Brazil" it's advantageous, if .. we have .. .."
"Joao, do we have the means to buy houses?" Luis after abruptly entering asked, surprising Joao
"Ha, are you playing diogo here? Where? "
"Well, here in Lisbon, a distribution of dividends?"
"er, they'll have to pay property taxes after that"
"Bah.... I think they don't give a damn you know"
"Yes ok, iis everyone that bored that in short we adopt the nobles way of life ? have we already become rich enough to do like the nobles to spend without worrying about it?"
Luis and Joao pondered before Joao launched
"Oh shit! But it's true!! We are more or less rich!! F**k, I didn't even realize..."
Luis laughed at Joao's realization.
"So do we have the means?"
"yes by a wide margin... In fact it depends on what we want, we will also need a warehouse at the port like the other merchant guilds, and offices like the other merchant guilds"
"How many do we have available?"
"Not sure"
"What do you mean not sure"
"Once upon a time, there was a genius haggler, who had an outstanding debt of which a certain contract could cost up to 120,000 cruzados of debt despite a fulfilled contract.... Who are you thinking of here?"
"Ok, so postpone until we deliver the storm capes?"
"It would be better yes ..., and before the boat is delivered even better...."
"By the way, are the balls we made still usable?"
"yes, they don't bounce back as well as they did at the beginning, but yes..."
"Interesting..."
_______
15 septembre 1652
"Arrival of 50 tons of rubber! Arrival of 50 tons of rubber !!" Diogo burst into Luis' ears laughing, which did not fail to wake up the drinking Joao...
"Already?"
"yes a fortiori a guy who met a guy who was arriving and told him about this, and they asked the indigenes this quantity which they delivered to them in a few days, but...."
"But..? Luis asked.
"Well there was a but in the sentence, but I came bacl directly"
"Ok, what guild is all this?"
"The Griffins"
"Ok, let them deduct that from our deposits with them... and we'll go and get some of them tomorrow to make these capes, who wants to go and warn Maestre Domingos?"
"I'll take care of it," said Pietro, already thinking about new rubber balls, with a few others, they have invented many different games with small and large balls. Joao participated several times... followed in the footsteps of Diogo who already has a glimpse of his mansion in Lisboa.
Once they even played with the guys from the grey anchor at 11/11 with the points counting when the ball hits a certain part of a wall in a certain warehouse, the kicking game is almost mandatory with the big balls while with the smaller balls the feet and hands are used as much.
_____
It was around October 15 of the same year that the delivery for the crown of the capes was concluded.
Thus the "junta do fozencia" found itself with a "debt" of about 290,000 cruzados. And that's not counting the surplus rubber still available.
Bringing in the accounts of the company "Horizon do Brazil" the modest sum of 410,000 cruzados and 35 tons of rubber.
With 200,000 available, enough to build a large village in portugal on land not yet exploited.
_____
Lusitano-dutch war, 1652
The wind howls in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Two ships, the mighty Portuguese São Vicente and the nimble Dutch Zeemeeuw, clash under heavy skies, where lightning pierces the darkness at regular intervals. The rain falls in torrents, weighing down the sails and making every manoeuvre perilous. A smell of salt and damp powder fills the air.
On the deck of the São Vicente, Captain Dom Miguel observes, unperturbed. His men, well trained, carefully handle the bags of powder made of this "rubber".
Each of their gestures is precise, mechanical, almost reassuring despite the roars of the sky.
On board the Zeemeeuw, the excitement is total. Captain Joris de Bruin shouts orders to his sailors, but their efforts seem desperate.
The heavy rain penetrates the bags of powder despite the protections, turning their contents into an unusable mush.
The Dutch gunners looked for improvised solutions, but the São Vicente's fire began to pound their hulls.
A bang explodes. The first Portuguese gun hit the target, shattering the main mast of the Zeemeeuw.
The Dutch ship faltered, unable to respond effectively. Joris grits his teeth, his icy gaze peering at the damage.
He knows that he has no choice but to order the surrender of his ship after losing the mainmast.
Miguel, seeing the enemy surrendering, gave the order to board the Zeemeeuw.
The São Vicente continued on its way, intact and proud, the Zeemeeuw as a naval trophy, their prize of war.
The Portuguese sailors will never forget how their carefully thought-out equipment gave them a decisive advantage.
__________
Restoration war, 1652
The pouring rain obscured the soldiers' vision of the soggy plain, despite the conditions that would have put the two armies waiting for a sunnier day, Commander Peraira decided to take the risk and start the skirmish.
The two opposing cavalries were in check, they only retreated the infantry lines, with such rain the guns were broken down
While the two lines of infantry arrived face to face after many manoeuvres.
The muskets have just fired, and soldiers on both sides are frantically busy reloading, the rhythm of the fighting suspended in palpable tension. The air is heavy with black powder and water, each movement accompanied by the blobing sound of boots in the mud.
Taking advantage of this critical moment, a small group of Portuguese grenadiers led by Sergeant Luís Vaz leapt forward from the flanks of their line.
Armed with the new rubber grenades, the men move quickly, bent over to avoid attracting attention. Their rubber cases protect their powder from rain, a crucial advantage over their Spanish opponents.
In the heart of the field, the Spanish soldiers, concentrated on reloading their muskets, did not notice the stealthy movement of the grenadiers. Luís, holding his grenade tightly, makes a quick sign to his men. In a few moments, the fuses are lit despite the humidity and the projectiles are launched with precision.
Explosions erupt in the middle of the Spanish ranks in deafening crashes, throwing mud, metal and chaos. Shouts rang out among the disorganized soldiers, many abandoning their muskets in an attempt to escape the impact. Some are trying to reunite the ranks, but the disorder is palpable.
Taking advantage of the confusion caused by the grenadiers, the Portuguese line resumed the offensive. A new volley of muskets fell on the Spaniards, despite their discipline, wavered under the double attack and began to retreat.
Under a rain that never stops falling, Luís Vaz and his small group reach their line, their faces marked by tension but satisfied with their decisive intervention. Their courage and skill allowed their comrades to gain the upper hand in this skirmish.
The Portuguese line advanced, and reloaded, and the Spanish lieutenant gave the order to do the same.
Again the two lines faced each other, and after the first exchanges, the Spanish muskets began to fail from the rains, the Portuguese fired and two faiths, perhaps toris times less failure of the muskets.
The Portuguese commander thought of these bags of "rubber", this skirmish was set up especially to test their effectiveness on the battlefield, and from the grenades to the storage of powder by the soldiers, they did not disappoint, they even impressed. So when the Spanish began to retreat, the Portuguese did not pursue.
________
As Joao headed to the armory to get news about his special bombs, thinking about his idea of a "new powder" completely off the mark, meditating on "new powder from the new world," a sodat from the armory recognized it
"Sehnor Carrasca!"
"Ha! Do we know each other?, recovering after noticing the uniform, uh what can I do for you? The soldier asked
"Sehnor Carrasca, I was there during the demonstration with the grenades, and also during the test skirmish"
"The test skirmish?" asked Joao doubtfully
"A skirmish that the officers organized on a rainy day against the Spanish"
"Seriously?" Joao, surprised by such a test, replied doubtfully
"Yes seriously, we gave them a beating, losing very few men especially with the guns broken, those Spaniards did not expect us to attack them on a rainy day"
"Yes, it's not very surprising"
"In any case it's a pleasure to see you again Sehnor Carrasca, have a good day"
"Thank you, to you too sehnor"
Obviously, the soldier had finished his day because he happily continued his march through the streets of lisboa. For his part, Joao continued towards the arsenal.