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PREFACE
The printed
documents and books concerning the Darien Company and the
relations to it of its projector William Paterson, while
numerous, are widely scattered, and in the following pages an
endeavour has been made for the first time to focus their chief
information in narrative form.
The story of the flotation of the ill-starred Darien Company,
its multiplied disasters, and its tragic collapse, along with
that of the chequered career of its projector, forms an
interesting episode in Scottish history which should not be
allowed to sink into oblivion.
Among the numerous authorities consulted and drawn upon, the
following may be particularly named:—
1.
'A Defence of
the Scots Abdicating Darien; Including an Answer to the Defence
of the Scots Settlement there.' Printed in the year 1700. The
writer of this tract is understood to
have been one Walter Herries, a surgeon on board
the first expedition to Darien.
2. 'The History of Darien.' By the Rev. Francis
Borland, "sometime Minister of the Gospel at Glassford, and one
of the Ministers who went along with the last Colony to Darien.
Written mostly in the year 1700, while the Author was in the
American regions." 2nd edition. Glasgow, 1779.
3. 'History of the Union.' By Daniel De Foe.
London, 1786.
4. ' The Darien Papers.' Edited by Dr Hill Burton
for the Bannatyne Club. Edinburgh, 1849.
5. 'The Writings of William Paterson.' By Saxe
Bannister, M.A. 2nd edition. 3 vols. London, 1859.
6. ' The Early History of the Scots Darien
Company.' By Hiram Bingham, Curator of South American History
and Literature at the Library of Harvard University. Three
papers in 'The Scottish Historical Review,' January, April, and
July 1906.
Edinburgh, April 1907.
CONTENTS
Chapter I. William Paterson and the
passing of the Darien Company's Act
Chapter II. The capital of the Darien Company
Chapter III. The Darien Company and its bank-note issue
Chapter IV. The company's preparations for the first expedition
to Darien
Chapter V. The expeditions to Darien: first expedition
Chapter VI. The expeditions to Darien: first expedition
continued
Chapter VII. The expeditions to Darien: Second expedition
Chapter VIII. Restitution of the capital, with interest, to the
subscribers of the Darien Company
Chapter IX. William Paterson's indemnity and his last will
APPENDICES
Appendix
A. Act of the Darien Company — June 26, 1695
Appendix
B. Declaration by the council of Caledonia - December 28, 1698
Appendix
C. Rules and Ordinances by the parliament of caledonia, for the
good government of the colony — April 24, 1699
Appendix
D. Letter — J. S. Fleming, F.R.S.E., to 'The Scotsman' - August
5, 1880
Appendix
E. Brochure — 'The History of Caledonia: or, the Scots Colony in
Darien in the West Indies. by a gentleman lately arriv'd.'
London, 1699
Appendix
F. list op subscribers to the Darien Company, 1696
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