Société maritime suisse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Company type | Limited partnership (en commandite) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Maritime trade |
| Founded | 1789 |
| Defunct | 1806 |
| Headquarters | Brussels |
Key people | Jacques Rabaud & Cie; Senn, Bidermann & Cie |
The Société maritime suisse was a limited partnership established in 1789 as a joint Swiss-French commercial venture for maritime trade. Originally founded in Brussels under the name Société pour le commerce des Indes orientales (Society for Trade with the East Indies), the company financed and organized voyages to India during the late 18th century.
The Société maritime suisse was established as a limited partnership in 1789 in Brussels. Initially named the Société pour le commerce des Indes orientales, it was chartered for a period of seven years with the purpose of financing and organizing commercial voyages to India.[1]
The company was directed by its main shareholders, which included Jacques Rabaud & Cie, a shipping company based in Marseille, and Senn, Bidermann & Cie, a textile firm headquartered in Paris. The venture represented a Franco-Swiss collaboration with significant capital contributions from Swiss merchants and financiers.[1]
The initial capital of 6 million livres tournois was supplemented by a loan of 2 million livres. These funds were provided primarily by Swiss textile merchants and financiers from Geneva, Basel, and Winterthur. The Société was part of a larger Franco-Swiss group controlled by Jacques Biedermann of Winterthur, who was particularly active in the trading and manufacturing of indiennes (printed cotton fabrics).[1]
