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<p>The English East India Company was one of the most powerful and successful European companies operating in Asia and a forerunner of the modern corporation. Its trade grew substantially over the 1700s with suppliers and customers spanning multiple continents. By 1800 it was the largest supplier of Asian imports in Europe. It is thought that the Company’s shipping was especially innovative. In this paper, we are the first to examine the effects of shipping on the Company’s trade with Asia using a new annual series on shipping capacity from 1664 to 1833 merged with annual values of imports and exports. Our local projection estimates show that a shock to shipping capacity significantly increased the value of Company’s imports over a horizon of 6&#xa0;years. The cumulative effect of a 1% increase in shipping after 6&#xa0;years is 11.62%. The effects were also larger and more persistent across time for imports outside of India, including China. We also find that shocks to shipping did not have a significant impact on total exports. More broadly, our findings show how the Company’s shipping capacity was a fundamental driver of Asian trade. The results contribute to a broader economic history of shipping, trade, development, and early trading companies.</p>

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East Indiamen: shipping and its effect on East India Company-Asian trade 1660-1830

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月13日

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  • Daniel Bogart,
  • Marco Del Angel

摘要

The English East India Company was one of the most powerful and successful European companies operating in Asia and a forerunner of the modern corporation. Its trade grew substantially over the 1700s with suppliers and customers spanning multiple continents. By 1800 it was the largest supplier of Asian imports in Europe. It is thought that the Company’s shipping was especially innovative. In this paper, we are the first to examine the effects of shipping on the Company’s trade with Asia using a new annual series on shipping capacity from 1664 to 1833 merged with annual values of imports and exports. Our local projection estimates show that a shock to shipping capacity significantly increased the value of Company’s imports over a horizon of 6 years. The cumulative effect of a 1% increase in shipping after 6 years is 11.62%. The effects were also larger and more persistent across time for imports outside of India, including China. We also find that shocks to shipping did not have a significant impact on total exports. More broadly, our findings show how the Company’s shipping capacity was a fundamental driver of Asian trade. The results contribute to a broader economic history of shipping, trade, development, and early trading companies.