Page 79 - Mellinato, Giulio, and Aleksander Panjek. Eds. 2022. Complex Gateways. Labour and Urban History of Maritime Port Cities: The Northern Adriaticin a Comparative Perspective. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 79
The Rijeka Trading Company
who would, along with two Dutchmen, be a representative of Austrian
interests.13
Mutual concessions were inevitable: the headquarters of the board of
shareholders remained in Antwerp, the administration was in Rijeka, the
Court Chamber in Vienna maintained the right of control, and the divi-
dends could only be paid in Vienna. The administration was obliged to de-
posit the money of the Company in the Vienna City Bank (Wiener Stadt
Banco). Both sides, Vienna and Antwerp, were mutually obliged to inform
each other about important decisions; those made in Antwerp had to be
communicated to Chotek in Vienna, and all the decisions under Chotek’s
authority had to be known to the shareholders in Antwerp.
Despite the attempts of the Court Chamber to maintain as much
control as possible, the merchants and bankers from Antwerp continued
unhindered to do business with other private banks, and, apart from the
credit from the Proli bank, they also used the financial resources of the
Pye & Cruikshank bank from Amsterdam, which was a shareholder in
the Company. However, they also worked with the Viennese bank Fries
(Michielsen 1936, 25).
The Rijeka Trading Company and sugar
In October 1749, Count Chotek proposed diverse business activities for
the future company, far more than were accepted by the Dutch share-
holders. He also proposed the production of paper, cotton and canvas
weaving, an alcohol distillery, and glass and porcelain factories. He also
tried to get the Company involved in mines and shipbuilding, as well as
to trade in a wide variety of goods, apart from coffee and copper, and to
grow and sell its own tobacco, as well as getting involved in the insurance
business and a lottery.
Arnoldt and Proli rejected all of Chotek’s requests that they produce
completely different products. The Dutch insisted on the production of
sugar and that they should have the exclusive rights to production and
sales. After the Viennese talks and after a tour of Trieste and Rijeka,
Arnoldt and Proli returned to Antwerp in November 1749. Although at
first, during the discussion about the establishment, the Company was
mentioned as Proli’s, Arnoldt very quickly intruded, and as early as
February 1750, they agreed that the new company would be founded un-
13 The Trieste merchant and politician, Baron Pasquale Ricci, was initially designat-
ed this position.
79
who would, along with two Dutchmen, be a representative of Austrian
interests.13
Mutual concessions were inevitable: the headquarters of the board of
shareholders remained in Antwerp, the administration was in Rijeka, the
Court Chamber in Vienna maintained the right of control, and the divi-
dends could only be paid in Vienna. The administration was obliged to de-
posit the money of the Company in the Vienna City Bank (Wiener Stadt
Banco). Both sides, Vienna and Antwerp, were mutually obliged to inform
each other about important decisions; those made in Antwerp had to be
communicated to Chotek in Vienna, and all the decisions under Chotek’s
authority had to be known to the shareholders in Antwerp.
Despite the attempts of the Court Chamber to maintain as much
control as possible, the merchants and bankers from Antwerp continued
unhindered to do business with other private banks, and, apart from the
credit from the Proli bank, they also used the financial resources of the
Pye & Cruikshank bank from Amsterdam, which was a shareholder in
the Company. However, they also worked with the Viennese bank Fries
(Michielsen 1936, 25).
The Rijeka Trading Company and sugar
In October 1749, Count Chotek proposed diverse business activities for
the future company, far more than were accepted by the Dutch share-
holders. He also proposed the production of paper, cotton and canvas
weaving, an alcohol distillery, and glass and porcelain factories. He also
tried to get the Company involved in mines and shipbuilding, as well as
to trade in a wide variety of goods, apart from coffee and copper, and to
grow and sell its own tobacco, as well as getting involved in the insurance
business and a lottery.
Arnoldt and Proli rejected all of Chotek’s requests that they produce
completely different products. The Dutch insisted on the production of
sugar and that they should have the exclusive rights to production and
sales. After the Viennese talks and after a tour of Trieste and Rijeka,
Arnoldt and Proli returned to Antwerp in November 1749. Although at
first, during the discussion about the establishment, the Company was
mentioned as Proli’s, Arnoldt very quickly intruded, and as early as
February 1750, they agreed that the new company would be founded un-
13 The Trieste merchant and politician, Baron Pasquale Ricci, was initially designat-
ed this position.
79
