[Raycpa]

becoming an economic superpower that was single-handedly responsible for half of Europe’s shipping by 1670.

All monopolies eventually end.

[Calvin Locke]

I just got finished reading “Samurai William” about the first Englishman to survive in late 16th/early 17th century Japan.

In the late 1500s, some Dutch merchantmen did try to get to Japan by going East, and did hit storms before giving up and heading West and South down Africa.

Losses did occur.