V. Estimate of American Imports, [1785–1786?]
V. Estimate of American Imports
[1785–1786?]
| From Europe and Africa | ||||||||
| Woollen cloths of every description. | ||||||||
| Linens of every description. | ||||||||
| Hosiery. Hats. | £. sterl. | |||||||
| Gloves, shoes, boots, sadlery, & other things of leather. | 350,000. | Massachusets | ||||||
| Silks, gold & silver lace, jewellery, millinery, toys. | 250,000 |  |
New Hampshire | |||||
| India goods. | Rhode island | |||||||
| Porcelain, Glass, Earthen ware. | Connecticut | |||||||
| Silver, copper, brass, tin, pewter, lead, steel, iron, in every form. | 531,000 | |
New York | |||||
| Upholstery, Cabinet work, Painter’s colours | New-Jersey | |||||||
| Cheese, Pickles, Confitures, Chocolate. | £. sterl. | 611,000. | |
New-Jersey | ||||
| £ £ | 3,039,000 | Pennsylvania | ||||||
| Wine. 2000 tons @ 100. = 200,000. Brandy. Beer. | Delaware | |||||||
| Medicinal drugs, Snuff, Bees wax. | 865,000 | |
Maryland | |||||
| Books, Stationary. | Virginia | |||||||
| Mill stones. Grindstones. Marble. | 18,000 | N. Carolina | ||||||
| Sail-cloth. Cordage. Ship chandlery. Fishing tackle. | 365,000. | S. Carolina | ||||||
| Ivory. Ebony. Barwood. Dyewood. | 49,000. | Georgia | ||||||
| Slaves! | ||||||||
| £ s | 3,039,000. | |||||||
| Salt. 521,225 bushels @ 1/. 26,061 - 5 | ||||||||
| From the West Indies | ||||||||
| Salt. | 500,484 bushels @ 1/ | 25,024-4 | ||||||
| Fruits | 2,239-10 | |||||||
| Cocoa. | 576,589 ℔ @ 6d | 25,789-10 | ||||||
| Coffee. | 408,494 ℔ 8d | 15,249-12 | ||||||
| Sugar. | 10,232,432 | 168,007 | ||||||
| Molasses. | 3,645,464 galls. 1/ | 186,281-16 | ||||||
| Rum. | 3,888,370 galls. 2/3 | 437,441-12-6 | ||||||
| Ginger. Pimenta. | 1,395-1 | |||||||
| Cotton. | 356,591 ℔ 1/ | 17,829-11 | ||||||
| Hides. | 7,870-5 | 927,438 7 | ||||||
| Indigo | 4,352 ℔ 4/6 | 979-4 | ||||||
| Ivory. Turtle-shell | 247-4 | |||||||
| Lignum vitae. Sarsaparilla. Fustic. Annattas. | 5,170. | |||||||
| Logwood. | 13,624-17-6 | |||||||
| Mahogany. | 20,280. | |||||||
| 3,966,438-7 | ||||||||
MS (DLC: 59: 10427v); in TJ’s hand, undated, but probably compiled about 1785–1786. Tr (DLC: Madison Miscellany); in Madison’s hand, with following at head of text: “Estimate [by Mr. Jefferson ] of the imports of the U. S. those from W. Indies are taken from Ld. Sheffield. those from other parts from the American Traveller (1769).”
TJ’s figures for imports from the West Indies are taken from Table No. IV of the second (1784) edition of Sheffield’s Observations on the commerce of the American states, compiled by Thomas Irving, Inspector General of the Imports and Exports of North America, and Register of Shipping. Irving’s tabulation, dated at the Custom House, Boston, 1 Oct. 1771, covers the period from 5 Jan. 1770 to 5 Jan. 1771. TJ combined articles and also lumped together importations from all of the West Indies, whereas Irving’s table distinguished between the British and foreign islands. TJ also failed to note that the figures included importations into Newfoundland, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all of “the several provinces in North America,” which of course included Canada.