However, news censorship did not stabilize the stock price of the Dutch East India Company—instead, it triggered panic in the market.
Although almost every newspaper ran articles like "The situation at the Cape of Good Hope won't have a major impact on the East India Company," the citizens of Amsterdam clearly preferred other sources of information.
For example, the pamphlets flooding the streets.
As early as the day De Witt received the order from the Crown Prince, printing presses in Brussels had already secretly begun prepping those pamphlets—something the French news bureau, seasoned by massive propaganda battles, could easily do.
This wave saw more than thirty thousand pamphlets of varying styles pour into Amsterdam.
For context, this city has a population of just over 170,000—basically one for every household.
