<Table> East India Company (EIC) <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Company flag (1801) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Coat of arms (1698) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Former type </Th> <Td> Public </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Industry </Th> <Td> International trade </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Fate </Th> <Td> Dissolved </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Founded </Th> <Td> 31 December 1600 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Founders </Th> <Td> John Watts, George White </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Defunct </Th> <Td> 1 June 1874 (1874 - 06 - 01) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Headquarters </Th> <Td> London, England (Great Britain) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Company flag (1801) </Td> </Tr>

When did english merchants form the east india company