The charter granted by the States-General (June 3, 1621) gave to the company for twenty-four years the monopoly of navigation and trade to the coast-lands of America and the West Indies from the south-end of Newfoundland to the Straits of Magellan and to the coasts and lands of Africa from the tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope.

The governing body consisted of nineteen representatives, the Nineteen.

The States-General contributed to the capital 1,000,000 fl., on half of which only they were to receive dividends.

They also undertook in time of war to furnish sixteen ships and four yachts, the company being bound to supply a like number.

The West India Company from the first was intended to be an instrument of war.