'Shipping on the River Hoogly, Calcutta'

One of 20 lithographs, 'Views in India, from drawings taken during the Seapoy Mutiny', from drawings by D Sarsfield Greene, Royal Artillery. Published by Thomas McLean, 1859.

Although the East India Company lost its trade monopoly in 1813, its ships still dominated the eastern markets until its demise in the aftermath of the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859). Every season, its fleet of ships, known as East Indiamen, sailed between London and the east. Between 1600 and 1833 the Company's ships made about 4600 voyages from London. The eastern trade of spices, tea, opium, porcelain, calicoes and silk was so lucrative that at one time, a tenth of the British exchequer's revenue came from customs duties on the Company's imports.