The East Indies supplied both the cloths and beads which formed a major and essential part of the Guinea cargoes. The English East India Company supplies were high-priced. It was possible to import the less expensive Dutch East India Company goods into the Isle of Man from Holland. Between 1718 and 1764 slaving vessels called at the Island to collect these goods en route for Africa.
On 22 January 1761 Paul Bridson imported into Douglas from on board the Bonac, Jan Wolfers master, from Rotterdam the goods displayed in the table.
28 chests Beads arangoes or red carnelian beads from Indial
7 casks Baft from India coarse cotton cloth from
1 chest Chintz India painted or stained calico more expensive than the bafts
15 chests Silesias fine linen or cotton fabric from Silesia
154 casks Cowries Small shells from the Maldive Islands off India
3 casks 748 dozen knives also used as part of the ‘pawn’ to purchase slaves
14 hoops Ling fish provisions for the voyage
The value of these Guinea goods, excluding the knives whose value is not listed, was £4,056 (over £240,000 in current values). Part of the customs record for this landing is shown below.
The Top 20 Merchants importing Guinea goods into the Isle of Man, 1718-1764
1 Paul Bridson
2 William Teare
3 William Murray Senior
4 William Quayle
5 John Joseph Bacon
6 Thomas Arthur
7 Patrick Savage
8 John Murray
9 Robert Kennedy
10 Phil Finch
11 Mary Reeves
12 Philip Moore
13 Hugh Cosnahan
14 Andrew Savage
15 Ross, Black & Christian
16 John Frissel
17 Edward Moore
18 Catherine Halsall
19 James Oates
20 John Taubman
paul bridson was the islands chief constable
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there was probibly more cash changing hands on the final passage dropping contraband on the island before discharging cargo in england
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