▁the ▁b ills ▁he ▁drew ▁upon ▁their ▁bank ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁India . ▁Pro li ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Government ▁to ▁have ▁Bol ts ' ▁char ter ▁transferred ▁exclus ively ▁to ▁him . ▁Pro li ▁also ▁seized ▁the ▁Joseph ▁et ▁Ther ese ▁as ▁security ▁when ▁the ▁vessel ▁returned ▁to ▁Leg horn . ▁ ▁At ▁an ▁audience ▁with ▁Emperor ▁Joseph ▁II ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 1 7 8 1 , ▁Bol ts ▁and ▁Pro li ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁transformation ▁of ▁their ▁association ▁into ▁a ▁share ▁company , ▁and ▁in ▁August , ▁Bol ts ▁surrender ed ▁his ▁char ters ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Imperial ▁Company ▁of ▁Tri este ▁and ▁Ant werp ▁for ▁the ▁Com merce ▁of ▁Asia ▁( So ci été ▁Imp éri ale ▁pour ▁le ▁Com merce ▁A si atique ▁de ▁Tri este ▁et ▁d ' An vers ). ▁The ▁Company ▁was ▁to ▁send ▁six ▁ships ▁to ▁China ▁and ▁India , ▁two ▁to ▁East ▁Africa ▁and ▁Maur it ius , ▁and ▁three ▁for ▁the ▁southern ▁wh ale ▁fish ery . ▁ ▁Imperial ▁Company ▁of ▁Tri este ▁and ▁Ant werp ▁The ▁Imperial ▁Company ▁of ▁Tri este ▁and ▁Ant werp ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁public ▁subscription ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 7 8 1 ▁to ▁raise , ▁nomin ally , ▁half ▁its ▁capital ▁in ▁one ▁thousand ▁shares . ▁In ▁fact , ▁the ▁Company ▁was ▁seriously ▁under - cap ital ized , ▁as ▁the ▁other ▁thousand ▁shares ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Pro li ▁group ▁and ▁Bol ts ▁were ▁paid ▁for ▁by ▁the ▁nom