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... 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... 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... 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... Read more →
