From a proclamation issued in 1631, against clandestine trade to and from India, we learn the different articles which might be legally exported and imported:  the first were the following:  perpalicanos and drapery, pewter, saffron, woollen stockings, silk stockings and garters, ribband, roses edged with silver lace, beaver hats with gold and silver bands, felt hats, strong waters, knives, Spanish leather shoes, iron, and looking glasses.  There might be imported, long pepper, white pepper, white powder sugar, preserved nutmegs and ginger preserved, merabolans, bezoar stones, drugs of all sorts, agate heads, blood stones, musk, aloes socratrina, ambergris, rich carpets of Persia and of Cambaya, quilts of satin taffety, painted calicoes, Benjamin, damasks, satins and taffeties of China, quilts of China embroidered with silk, galls, sugar candy, China dishes, and porcelain of all sorts.

Though several articles of Chinese manufacture are specified in the proclamation, yet we have no notice of any direct trade to China till nearly fifty years after this time, viz. in the year 1680.  In this year the East India Company sent out eleven ships, including two to China and the Moluccas; their general burden was between 500 and 600 tons:  in these ships there was a stock of nearly 500,000_l_.  Besides the articles imported from India enumerated in the proclamation of 1631, there now appear cowries, saltpetre, muslins, diamonds, &c.

In 1689 the East India Company published a state of their trade, from which it appeared that in the last seven years they had built sixteen ships from 900 to 1300 tons each,—­that they had coming from India eleven ships and four permission ships, the value of their cargoes being above 360,000_l_.:  that they had on their outward voyage to Coast and Bay, seven ships and six permission ships, their cargoes valued at 570,000_l_.:  that they had seven ships for China and the South Seas, whose cargoes amounted to 100,000_l_.  That they had goods in India unsold, to the amount of 700,000_l_.  About this period, Sir John Child, being what would now be called governor general of India, and his brother, Sir Jonah, leading member of the Court of Committees, the policy was introduced through their means, on which the sovereign power, as well as the immense empire of the East India Company was founded; this policy consisted of the enlargement of the authority of the Company over British subjects in India, and in attaining political strength and dominion, by retaliating by force of arms, on those Indian princes who oppressed their settlements.