medieval-atlas/economic-development/275

Transcription

Scottish trade in the seventeenth century The Register of the State and Condition of Every Burgh within the Kingdom of Scotlalld of 1692 gives the answers made to various questions posed by the Convention of Royal Burghs about burghs' finances, trade and condition. One question related to the number of 'ships, barques, boats and ferry boats' belonging to them. Not all burghs answered directly; others, like Dysart, South Queensferry or Glasgow (which did not itemize its eight small lighters), did so only vaguely; and five ofthe remotest burghs were not visited. Some, like Perth, related a sorry tale, including the loss ofthree ships since 1679. The Register lists 109 ships, averaging 67 tons burden. Leith had 29 ships, totalling 1,700 tons; Glasgow had 23, totalling 1,200 tons. A comparison with the list of 1656 partly reflects the changing nature tons 150 100 o Numbers Question marks reflect ships for which no tonnage is recorded ofScotland's overseas trade and, for example, underscores the sharp drop in activity, (revealed also in the Sound Toll registers and the burgh tax rolls in many ofthe small Fife ports, like Anstruther which complained of 'no ships, no merchants, no trade'). The report also gives details offerry boats and fishing boats (usually for herring, like the 17 at Dunbar, 20 at Crail, 19 at Rothesay and 24 belonging to Renfrew) but these have been excluded. ~r& \:1~ Plttenweem km. 0 I 25, sp, 7,5 , 100 miles Numbers and tonnage of Scottish shipping 1692 ML 275

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