On the Maritime Commerce of Bengal. 359 



a great measure, these beneficial eftects to the spirited exer- 

 tions of British merchants resident in India. Exclusive of 

 the company's exports, it is to their individual efforts that 

 Bengal owes her shipping and her commerce. 



In tracing the rise and progress of the maritime trade of 

 Bengal, since it fell under the sway of Great Britain, I 

 cannot, for want of materials, extend my researches further 

 back than the year 1773. The accompanying abstract, 

 compiled from the port list of arrivals and departures, will 

 show the number and the tonnage of vessels which have 

 imported and cleared out from Calcutta, or the river 

 Houghly, for the years 1773, 1783, 1791 j 1792, 1793, and 

 1794, distinguishing the nations to which they belong, or 

 whose colours they assume : and annexed thereto will be 

 found a statement for the years 1783 and 1793, showing 

 the different ports from whence the ships of those years 

 arrived, and those to which they were bound. 



My intention in compiling this abstract is to show the 

 rapid increase of the maritime commerce of Bengal since 

 the year 1783; and more especially the increase of the 

 country trade, or that which is carried on to and from ports 

 in India. I shall confine my observations principally to 

 the years 1783 and 1793 : the former, the first year of peace 

 after the American war; and the latter, the year when the 

 present war commenced, intelligence of which reached 

 Bengal on the 4th of June. 



In 1773, the reader will perceive that only 160 sail of 

 vessels entered the port, whose aggregate burthen was 44,497 

 tons; and no more than 108 vessels, carrying 33,470 Ions, 

 cleared out: of the former, 102 sail, burthen 28,872 tons, 

 were country ships, under English colours ; and of the 

 latter 95 sail, burthen 23,080 tons, were of the same de- 

 scription. Ten years afterwards, at the close of the Ame- 

 rican war, we find the tonnage inward increased to 64,510 

 tons, on 149 vessels ; and the departures were 1 14 sail, car- 

 rying 49,225 tons. But ihis increase was only apparent ; 

 for, the war having detained an unusual number of the 

 company's ships in India, it will be perceived that they 

 constitute a large proportion of the arrivals and departures 

 of that year, many of them being employed in carrying 

 stores to the different presidencies, and in the coasting 

 trade : to these must be added transports and men of war. 

 The country shipping under English colours, which arrived 

 and sailed in 178S, only amounts to 128 sail, carrying 

 44,865 tons; whereas in 1773 their numbers were 190, 

 and burthen 53,952 tons; which exhibits a decline of tiiis 



tonnage, 



