About the East Indies Trade Company... They worked Indonesia and stuff - to the East -, while the Western Indies Trade Company worked the West - America, slave trade - etc. And with us being in The New World etc, wouldn't the Dutchies be sailing under the Western Indies Trade Company.
(I might have the names etc wrong.)
(I'm going to wikipedia this now. You've got me thinking actually
)
Right? I faintly recall having been taught this a time and again during history classes, but the memory is just that - faint.