The Naval Office Shipping Lists for Maryland, 1689-1754

Location: McKeldin Library
Call Number: Microfilm F184.M37

Maryland (Colony). Naval Office. The Naval Office Shipping Lists for Maryland, 1689--1754, in the Public Record Office, London.
1 Reel.

Description

British naval officers appeared in the colonies as a result of the passage of Great Britain's Navigation Acts, which represented an attempt to control trade. The quarterly officers' lists detail all aspects of colonial shipping, including date of entry; name, construction and registration of ship; tonnage, number of guns carried, crew members, cargo, the last port of clearance and often the destination.

The early Maryland naval officers' list were very confusing and irregular because of the problems of changing ports of entry and insufficient naval manpower for record keeping.

The microfilmed lists are arranged by Public Record Office reference file numbers with inclusive dates indicated. An index and bibliography appear at the beginning of the reel.

The Public Record Office in London holds the original documents in files CO (Colonial Office) 5/749-50.

The shipping lists were working documents. Due to their loss or destruction, none in the series is complete.