The East India Company was once one of the worlds greatest international merchants, trading goods to all corners of the British Empire from December 1600 until June 1874. St. Helena was one of the most important strategic locations supporting the international trade routes of the East India Company. The company was founded to facilitate trade in the East Indies to satisfy the demands of Britons in England for basic commodities from the East Indies, including cotton, silver, indigo dye, salt, and spices, among other things. Vessels sailing back to England from the East Indies would use St. Helena as a gathering point to wait for all of the vessels from a particular voyage to reconnect before heading to home ports in London and beyond within England.