Abstract:
The Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu from the ancient times has been an
important prominent commercial maritime trading route for the Europeans in the
Textile Trade. The British, Portuguese, French, Danish and the Dutch influenced
the native rules along the coast to obtain rights and privileges to establishe ports,
port towns and factories to carry out trade with East Asian countries, Europe and
other parts of the world. Pondhicherry, Devanampatnam, Porto Novo,
Tranquebar, Karaikal, Nagapatnam and Turicorin were some of the important Sea
Ports on the North South direction of the Coromandel Coast. All the initial
European Settlers opened trading with Bengal and Coromandel Coast where rich
cotton and cotton clothes of all varieties were available. The protection of the
Paravas from the atrocities of the Moors by the Portuguese helped them to
establish their foot print in Tuticorin from where they had brisk trade with Ceylon.
Eventually the rift between the Portuguese and Nayaks of Madurai lead to the
domination of the Dutch who thrived in the pearl fishery trade and coarse cloth
exports. The number of ship calling the Turicorin Port increased from 16 in 1860-
66 to 562 in 1905-06 and the revenue witnessed a gradual growth of 2012 in 1860-
66 to 48,226 in 1905-06. In this paper submitted in the International Conference
an attempt has been made to trace the Maritime Trade activity of the British in
the Coromandel Coast.
