Germany

Hambro and Bremen mooring booths in pink.

At this time Hamburg was a Free Imperial City. Prosperous and elegant, it was one of the major trading ports of Europe.

France

French and Spanish with the Straits mooring booths in green.

Bordeaux had become France’s leading port as a result of trade with the French West Indian colonies. At the time of Mr Ogle’s plan, the effects of the French Revolution were ending Bordeaux’s prosperity.

Portugal

Operto and Lisbon mooring booths in yellow.

England had a long-standing alliance with Portugal. The Portuguese traded in spices from Goa and sugar from Brazil as well as Madeira and Port wines.

Ireland

Irish mooring booths in pink.

Anglo-Irish Dublin had become extremely wealthy on the profits of farming and textile production and large parts of the city were newly built in elegant style. The new Custom House was built in 1791.

Canada

Quebec mooring booth in orange.

The American Colonies had achieved their independence in 1783 but Canada had stayed loyal to Britain. Its economy prospered on fishing, timber and the fur trade.

America

America and Tobacco mooring booths in yellow.

The American colonies became independent in 1783 and were free to trade tobacco wherever they could obtain the best price in Europe. The huge demand in London meant that many tobacco ships still unloaded there.

The Mediterranean

Mediterranean mooring booths in green.

At the time this plan was published, the British were fighting the French in the Mediterranean. Naples was an independent Italian kingdom under Spanish Bourbon rule.

Holland

Holland mooring booths in pink.

The Dutch economy had declined during the 18th century. It had been badly hit by the war against Britain which had ended in 1784 but Amsterdam was still an important seaport.

Caribbean

West Indies mooring booths in yellow.

Sugar from the West Indies was a major source of European wealth. Martinique was a French Caribbean colony but it was occupied by the British from 1794, to put down the slave revolts which were inspired by the French Revolution.

View of the Bay & Town of St Pierre (Martinique).

Russia

Russia mooring booths in pink. 

St Petersburg grew wealthy through shipbuilding and industry and had developed into Russia's economic and cultural centre, with grand architecture along the embankments of the River Neva.

European coastal tra

Dutch Scouts and Prussian Ships mooring booths in green.

Although Ogle’s plan for mooring ships in the Thames was not adopted, it does provide information about the vessels visiting the port of London at the end of the 18th century. Dutch colonial trade had declined but smaller Dutch ships continued to make up a great deal of the European coastal traffic.

Norway

Norway Timber Ships mooring booths in green.

The Norwegian ports of Bergen and Stavanger were important sources of fish, timber.

Coal trade

Collier mooring booths in yellow.

The huge extent of the moorings that Ogle allocated to colliers illustrates the importance of coal for heating and industry in late 18th-century London.