The Canton-Macao Dagregisters 1764
The daily records written by the “supercargoes” of the United Dutch East India Chartered Company, recounts a string of issues concerning Dutch trade in China. The Dutch word “dagregisters” means “daily record” in English. Supercargo is an historical term in maritime law (adapted from the Spanish word “sobrecargo” which means someone in charge of a cargo) that refers to a person employed on board a vessel by the owner of cargo carried on the ship. The records throw light on the links between Canton and Macao, where merchants sojourned during the off-season, as well as Macao’s role in international trade, and how commercial ties in the Pearl River Delta emerged. 1764 is the third volume of this series.