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Coastal shipping times and speeds during the Age of Sail

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5012147
AutoresDan Bogart (0000-0002-0011-3190, University of California, Irvine), Oliver Dunn (0000-0002-5965-8654, University of Cambridge), Eduard J Alvarez‐palau (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Eduard J Alvarez-Palau (0000-0003-0368-9344, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Leigh Shaw-Taylor (0000-0002-3703-7689, University of Cambridge, autor correspondente), Leigh Shaw‐taylor (University of Cambridge)
Ano2021
Volume74
Fascículo1
Páginas87-114
Data de publicação2021-02-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Economic History Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0013-0117 • E-ISSN: 1468-0289
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ehr.13004
OpenAlexW3047415397
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas9
Referências citadas55

There is a debate about whether coastal shipping experienced substantial productivity growth prior to the advent of steam power. To study changes over the long eighteenth century, this article uses thousands of coastal journey times culled from Board of Trade crew lists between 1835 and 1844 and coastal port books for the mid-to-late 1600s, along with a newly digitized coastal network. Comparisons between matched samples show that journey speeds, defined as miles sailed per day, were significantly higher in the crew lists compared to the port books, and that voyage cycle times, defined as days between starting two identical voyages, were substantially lower. The study also shows that voyage times in the east coast coal trade were substantially lower around 1840 than around 1700, but the difference was much smaller when peace years are compared. These new data imply that total factor productivity growth in the east coast coal trade was significant, especially if one accounts for gains from peace after 1815. The findings contribute to the larger literature studying the rate and sources of productivity growth during the industrial revolution

Annual growth · Archaeology · Crew · East coast · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · On board · Physical geography · Port (circuit theory) · Productivity · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Engineering · Forestry · Geology · Historical Economic and Social Studies · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · Oceanography