Forming the Companies

Companies formed to carry out gold mining in California and Australia during the late 1840s and early 1850s were established under a number of corporate structures. In Britain, where most of the companies were domiciled, three structures were then in use: joint stock companies, cost book companies and incorporation by Royal Charter, the last requiring prior incorporation as a joint stock company. Eight companies with British involvement were for convenience incorporated in France as sociétés en commandite. Three joint stock companies were incorporated under private Acts passed by the Legislative Council of New South Wales, three by the State of California and one by the State of New York.