Naval Office Shipping Lists for Nova Scotia : 1730 - 1820.

            Lists of vessels which entered and cleared Nova Scotia ports are to be found, primarily, in Colonial Office papers, with others among the records of Treasury and the Home Office. The shipping lists for Nova Scotia between the years 1730 and 1850 have been reproduced on three microfilm reels, although the years from 1749 to 1766 contain the only complete records to have survived. The lists were compiled by appointed officials in the naval office of each port who bore the title of naval officer. They were submitted, either quarterly or half yearly, to the colonial governor who forwarded them to London. This practice was common throughout North America during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries except during the American Revolution when the flow of lists ceased.  While there is no evidence to indicate that the lists sent to Britain were used in government decision making at that time, they have become important to historians when studying the dramatic growth of British trade during this period.

            

            The Naval Office Shipping Lists for Nova Scotia contain a wealth of detailed information on trade to and from Nova Scotia ports. The information was recorded chronologically in tabulated form with separate sheets for vessels cleared outwards and vessels entered inwards. The writing on most pages is clear and easily readable and the microfilm reproduction is good, except for a few instances where the film is very dark.
On occasion, the Lieutenant Governor added a short letter to the report and later a Colonial Office official noted the date of receipt. The details that were recorded include: time of clearing or entering port, vessel's name, master's name, number of tons, guns carried (if any), date, where built, where and when registered, owner's name or names, where bound, from whence (port of origin), cargo (this can be one word or a long and detailed list), and where and when a bond was given. A report may include a list of produce exported from the colony between given dates. The entered inward and cleared outward lists for the same date usually follow each other in the original lists and in the film.            

            Extensive introductory material has been included at the beginning of the first reel of microfilm. The author of this valuable background information is Julian Gwyn, University of Ottawa. The introduction includes sections on Provenance, the Naval Officers and the Naval Office Shipping Lists, Nova Scotia Shipping Lists and Historians, a map of Nova Scotia showing the ports mentioned in the Lists, a table of contents, microfilm shelf lists and a bibliography.            

The excellent background material provided by the author of the Introduction has been the source of much useful information in the preparation of this Inventory description.