Reports from the early 19th century, when the Western powers were pressuring Japan for trading rights, and Holland itself faced control by the British and French. Amid difficult conditions, successive heads of the Dutch factory, (the chief traders or Opperhoofden) channeled their characteristic commercial nous into monopolizing trade with the shogunate. These are reports they made to their home country, and their detailed accounts not only of factory operations but also the political climate, culture and customs of Japan, knowledge acquired through negotiations with their Japanese hosts, make the reports a superb primary source of information on the era.