States of Navigation, Commerce and Revenue

CUST 17

1772-1808

Yearly statistical tables prepared by the Inspector General of Imports and Exports giving detailed information on navigation, commerce and revenue.

The files on navigation give an account of those vessels, together with details of tonnage and usual crews, built and registered in the several ports of the British Empire. Details are also given of vessels entering inwards or clearing outwards in those ports, distinguishing those of British and foreign build.

Files concerning commerce include accounts of the total values of imports and exports of Great Britain, distinguishing British produce and manufactures from foreign merchandise.

Files relating to revenue provide accounts of the annual payments into the Exchequer arising from the Customs, Excise, stamp duties, land and assessed taxes, Post Office, Lotteries, etc. The tables are made out for periods of five or ten years.

Records within this series are available to download as digital microfilm .

For further statistics on trade and shipping see CUST 36

Public Record(s)

English

30 volume(s)

Available in digital format unless otherwise stated

Topics

Taxation

Trade and commerce

Communications

An Inspector General of Imports and Exports was appointed in 1696 to keep an account of goods shipped in and out of British ports and the places to and from which goods were sent; and, once a year or as often as required, to present a balance of trade between England and any other country. From 1703 he was also required to keep an account of the shipping in which the imports and exports were made and to examine the increase in foreign shipping and any decay of trade with foreign ports.