荷蘭東印度公司的「訊息貨物」與區域性思維──以1637年臺灣轉口貿易為例的分析

The Dutch East India Company's 'Written Cargos' and Regional Thinking from the Case of Taiwan Entrepôt Trade in 1637

關於荷蘭東印度公司殖民時期臺灣貿易活動，過去的研究已經具體掌握了轉口貿易的性質。然而，轉口貿易中涉及「流轉」的到底是什麼樣的「貨物」呢？荷蘭東印度公司藉由龐大且規律的航運體系，除了轉移公司的人員、物資之外，獲取商業利益的商品自然是貿易網絡最主要的貨物。除此之外，必須給予關注的還包括流轉在各個商館與貿易根據地的節點之間做為訊息傳遞而「書寫下來的貨物」（‘the written cargos'），例如書信與各類文書，本文稱之為「訊息貨物」。筆者嘗試從網絡結構的角度出發，掌握荷蘭東印度公司在亞洲經營發展的區間貿易、航運與訊息網絡，並將焦點放在臺灣在此網絡下進行轉口運作的實態。論文以1637-1638年季風季節的南季節風期間（1637年6月至9月）大員港為中心的貿易活動為例，勾勒出荷蘭東印度公司基於「共同資本」的貿易策略在擘劃與實踐的面向，並且指出連結貿易、航運乃至商業資本的區域性思維（regional thinking）不僅支撐起臺灣轉口貿易的運作實態，其中流通的訊息更是建構區域連帶關係的憑藉所在。

"The studies on the Dutch East India Company's trade activities on Taiwan (Formosa) have pointed out that the Tayouan factory play a role as a rendezvous in the Company's intra-Asiatic trade networks. However, what kinds of cargos had been circulated and involved in the activities in such an entrepôts? Through a vast and regular shipping network, the Company transported her personnel and supplies; besides, 'the written cargoes' in the form of letters, which delivered information in between local factories, is needed to be valued. This article aims to elucidate the Company's inner-Asian trade, shipping and information networks, and to focus on their practice in Taiwan from a perspective of structural network. Taking activities at Port Tayouan in the southern monsoon season of the year 1637 as an example, the author argues that the Company had enacted a pattern of regional connection in shipping, merchandise, and capital which shaped the function of the factory in Taiwan. Moreover, information especially formulated this regional connection."