Surprising as this may appear at first view, yet when, by a cool investigation of the subject, it comes to be measured by the scale of the astonishing Commerce which centers in the port of London, (according to the annexed [Abstract]) and the vast extent of Floating Property moving constantly upon the River Thames, and the adjacent Wharfs and Quays subject to depredations; when by calculation it is also found, that the whole amount of the aggregate plunder, great and extensive as it appears to be, does not much exceed three quarters per cent. on the value of the whole property exposed to danger: the Reader will be reconciled to an estimate, which from the elucidations contained in this chapter, will ultimately appear by no means to be exaggerated.
ABSTRACT
OF THE IMPORTS INTO, AND THE EXPORTS FROM, THE PORT OF LONDON;
Made up from the Public Accounts for one year, ending the 5th day of January, 1798; but differing with regard to the value, from those accounts; in which the price is estimated on data established many years ago, when the articles of commerce imported and exported were not rated at above half the sum they now fetch, exclusive of duty.
It is, therefore, to be understood that the following Estimate of Foreign Articles is made up according to the present value, as nearly as it has been possible to ascertain it, by the payment of the Convoy-duties, under the Act 38 Geo. 3. cap. 76—It exhibits a very astonishing picture of the immense opulence and extent of the commerce of the Metropolis; and accounts in a very satisfactory manner for the vast resources of the Country, which have been manifested in so eminent a degree in the course of the present and former wars.
| From whence arrived. | Number of vessels including repeated voyages. | Average Tonnage. | Value of Goods Imported. | Value of Goods Exported. | Total Value of Goods imported and exported. | ||||||
| £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | |||
| East Indies | 53 | 41,456 | 6,544,402 | 10 | 2 | 3,957,905 | 5 | 1 | 10,502,307 | 15 | 3 |
| West Indies | 346 | 101,484 | 7,118,623 | 12 | 8 | 3,895,313 | 18 | 7 | 11,013,937 | 11 | 3 |
| British Continental Colonies | 68 | 13,986 | 290,894 | 4 | 10 | 1,347,250 | 1 | 7 | 1,638,144 | 6 | 5 |
| Africa and Cape of Good Hope | 17 | 4,336 | 82,370 | 15 | 0 | 449,077 | 19 | 3 | 531,446 | 15 | 1 |
| Southern Fishery | 29 | 7,461 | 250,689 | 3 | 2 | 54 | 16 | 4 | 250,743 | 19 | 6 |
| Greenland Fishery | 16 | 4,769 | 64,142 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64,142 | 0 | 8 |
| United States of America | 140 | 32,213 | 1,517,386 | 2 | 8 | 3,898,864 | 12 | 9 | 5,416,250 | 15 | 5 |
| Mediterranean and Turkey | 72 | 14,757 | 390,794 | 19 | 10 | 118,914 | 3 | 7 | 509,709 | 3 | 5 |
| Spain | 121 | 16,509 | 776,686 | 12 | 2 | 171,073 | 4 | 6 | 947,759 | 17 | 8 |
| Portugal | 180 | 27,670 | 414,359 | 7 | 2 | 438,877 | 16 | 2 | 853,237 | 3 | 4 |
| France | 56 | 5,573 | 15,951 | 17 | 8 | 859,974 | 16 | 0 | 875,926 | 13 | 8 |
| Austrian Flanders | 66 | 5,104 | 21,027 | 3 | 2 | 118,064 | 2 | 2 | 139,091 | 5 | 4 |
| Holland | 329 | 19,166 | 673,241 | 17 | 4 | 1,538,120 | 3 | 6 | 2,211,362 | 0 | 10 |
| Germany | 235 | 37,647 | 2,658,011 | 8 | 2 | 8,014,260 | 3 | 0 | 10,672,271 | 11 | 2 |
| Prussia | 608 | 56,955 | 220,827 | 14 | 0 | 211,662 | 12 | 0 | 432,490 | 6 | 0 |
| Poland | 69 | 17,210 | 207,477 | 0 | 0 | 35,468 | 18 | 3 | 242,945 | 18 | 3 |
| Sweden | 109 | 14,252 | 152,707 | 6 | 10 | 169,293 | 18 | 4 | 322,001 | 5 | 2 |
| Denmark and Norway | 202 | 48,469 | 94,821 | 3 | 6 | 711,082 | 10 | 8 | 805,903 | 14 | 2 |
| Russia | 230 | 56,131 | 1,565,118 | 7 | 6 | 452,106 | 16 | 7 | 2,017,225 | 4 | 1 |
| Foreign Coasting (Including repeated voyages.) Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney | 46 | 5,344 | 218,916 | 12 | 8 | 83,281 | 12 | 1 | 302,198 | 4 | 9 |
| Ireland | 276 | 32,824 | 1,878,971 | 7 | 2 | 659,922 | 14 | 1 | 2,538,894 | 1 | 3 |
| British Coasting[53] (Including repeated voyages.) Coal Trade | 3676 | 650,000 | 1,700,000 | 0 | 0 | 10,000 | 0 | 0 | 1,710,000 | 0 | 0 |
| English Coasting incl. Wales | 5816 | 500,000 | 3,900,000 | 0 | 0 | 2,200,000 | 0 | 0 | 6,100,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotch Coasting | 684 | 60,000 | 300,000 | 0 | 0 | 300,000 | 0 | 0 | 500,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 13,444 | 1,779,326 | 30,957,421 | 8 | 2 | 29,640,568 | 4 | 6 | 60,597,989 | 12 | 8 | |
RECAPITULATION.
| Ships and Vessels. | Tonnage. | |
| Foreign and Coasting Trade as stated in the foregoing [Table] | 13,268 | 1,773,326 |
| Value of Merchandize imported | £.30,957,421 | 8 | 2 |
| Value of Merchandize exported | 29,640,568 | 4 | 6 |
| Total imported and exported | 60,597,989 | 12 | 8 |
| To which add the Local Trade within the limits of the Port, in the Upper and Lower Thames, and the River Lea | 235,000 | 0 | 0 |
| With a view to give the mind of the Reader a competent idea of the whole of the property upon the River Thames, which is exposed to hazard, the following estimate is added, viz.— | |||
| 1. Value of the Hull, Tackle, Apparel and Stores of 2144 British, and Coasting vessels, trading to the port of London, without including, as above, the repeated voyages | 8,825,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 2. Value of the Hull, Tackle, and Stores of 3507 Lighters, Barges, Punts, Hoys, Sloops, &c. employed in the Trade of the Thames, River Lea, &c. | 350,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 3. Value of 3349 Wherries, Bumboats, and Police Boats employed on the River, &c. | 25,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 70,032,989 | 12 | 8 | |
| 4. Value of Goods, including Coals, exposed in Craft and upon the Quays, to the risque of pillage on an average each day in the year; (Exclusive of the Public Arsenals, Ships of War, Gunboats, Transports, and Hoys, for conveying Navy, Victualing, and Ordnance Stores, nearly equal to five Millions more) | 235,000 | 0 | 0 |
| General Total | 70,267,989 | 12 | 8 |