Introduction

On May 8, 1738, the Amsterdam Courant circulated news from across Europe, covering political developments in Italy, Russia, Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. Reports from Hanover described ongoing public mourning for the late Queen of England, and tensions between Great Britain and Spain escalated, with the former threatening to deploy 50 warships along the Spanish coast. It is possible that on this day, Jochem Matthijs Smitt opened the newspaper and scanned its pages for relevant information. If he turned to the advertisement section, he would have encountered a variety of advertisements, including announcements for the upcoming sale of buttercups at the Bloemenmarkt, a market in Amsterdam, and the availability of the renowned Hamburger chest syrup, a remedy for coughs and congestion, sold at D. Wilderling and Company in the Pijlsteeg. However, one particular advertisement may have drawn Smitt's attention: All those who may be inclined to transport enslaved people from the coasts of Africa to the colony of Suriname, to be sold there, are requested to address themselves in Amsterdam to Mr. Joan Hubert van Meel, secretary of the Society of Suriname, where further clarification can be obtained. 1