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British Mercantile Trade Statistics, 1662–1809 - Volumes
Volumes
4 volumes in British Mercantile Trade Statistics, 1662–1809
Imports and Exports, 1696–1780
This volume contains a series of ledgers (The National Archives, Customs 3) that detail imports and exports from 1696 to 1780. The statistics in this volume were compiled by the Inspector-General of Imports and Exports, a position established by the Board of Customs in 1696 and originally occupied by William Culliford, a former revenue commissioner. In 1703, he was succeeded by the politician and former Commissioner of the Excise, Charles Davenant, who held this position until his death in November 1714. The economist, Henry Martin, was then appointed, serving until his death in 1721. In 1786, Thomas Irving was appointed. Aside from the years 1705 and 1712, this volume contains detailed ledgers outlining the goods that were imported to Britain from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean. The ledgers likewise list goods that were exported to these destinations. According to the source commentaries that compose volume four of this collection, the ledgers covered the years up until 1791. The registers for these last ten years (1781–1791) were, it seems, destroyed in the fire that broke out at the Customs House in 1814. Read more →
Navigation, Commerce, and Revenue, 1772–1809
This volume contains a set of accounts and reports spanning the period 1772–1809 (The National Archives, Customs 17). Some of the earlier documents resemble those in volume one (Customs 3). That said, the earlier documents in this volume focus more on merchandise that was imported into England and Scotland, as well as British and foreign merchandise that was exported. It is also worth highlighting that these earlier documents only have a few pages detailing the accounts of merchant vessels.By the 1790s, these documents had changed somewhat in terms of layout and content. Perhaps most importantly, the accounts became more detailed. These later documents are typically split into three sections: “Navigation”, “Commerce”, and “Revenue”. The “Navigation” section lists the number of vessels that were built, their tonnage, where they were registered, and the number of men employed as crew. Naturally, the “Revenue” section includes accounts, such as gross and net produce, records of payments, custom duties, and statements of excise. The “Commerce” section includes accounts in relation to imports and exports, both in and out of “Foreign Europe”, “British Europe”, “States of America”, “British Continental Colonies”, “British and Foreign West Indies”, “Asia”, and “Africa”. Read more →
Registers of Mediterranean Passes, 1662–1784
This volume contains the official registers of the “Mediterranean passes” (The National Archives, ADM 7). From 1662 until the early 1820s, these were issued to British ships by the Lord High Admiral. A form of diplomatic passport, the passes granted immunity from Barbary pirates patrolling the waters of the Mediterranean, as well as those around North Africa, North America, and throughout the West Indies. The pass system helped to facilitate Britain’s rise to commercial and maritime dominance. None of the passes have survived, but the registers offer a great deal of information on the vessels that were issued passes. Read more →
Source Commentaries
This volume contains three comprehensive source commentaries written by the historians Christopher J. French, Robert Craig, and David Richardson, and edited by Walter Edward Minchinton, former Professor of Economic History at the University of Exeter. Penned during the 1970s and 1980s for the British Association for American Studies, the essays supply vital contextual information, outlining the nature and historical significance of the documentation contained in the collection. Indeed, each essay explores and reflects upon the three different TNA archive references: Customs 3, Customs 17, and ADM 7. Read more →
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