The kantoor of Bengal was administered by a Directeur (a kind of Governor, but without territorial powers) and Council, seated at Chinsura near Hooghly. Bengal's main commodities were silk and other textiles, opium and saltpetre. The VOC first explored the region in 1607, but only settled down in the late 1620's at Pipli (Orissa). In 1635, a factory was set up at Hooghly after permission was received from the Mughals. Other trading posts were established in, for instance, Patna (Bihar), Balasore (Orissa), Cossimbazar, Rajmahal and Dhaka (in modern - day Bangladesh). Until 1655 the Bengal factories were managed from the kantoor of Coromandel. During the years 1781 - 1784 and 1795 - 1817 and after 1825, the settlements were taken over by the British.