Summary - TST 3-4

TRANSPORTES, SERVICIOS Y TELECOMUNICACIONES


TST 3-4

Nadia Fernández de Pinedo Echevarría
Las bases de la recuperación de la flota mercante de altura española (1796-1850)

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[ Abstract ]

Between the end of the 18th century and mid 19th century, the trade between Spain and Cuba experienced firstly, a deep crisis, and then a spectacular recovery. The latter was chronologically situated in the second quarter of the century and was based on the development of some circuits far more complex than those found towards the end of the Age of Enlightenment. Thanks to the Spanish and Cuban flag differential duty, the Spanish fleet dominated the routes that were employed to carry Mediterranean farming goods to Rio de la Plata. There, jerked beef was loaded to Cuba, and from this island, in ballast, they would reach the EE.UU., where raw cotton was embarked, or they would go up till Canada in search of cod, before returning to Europe. The Spanish ships would also carry Castilian flour from Santander and return with colonial products or head for British, German and Belgian ports with sugar, coffee, cocoa … from where, possibly, some would come back to Cuba with textiles –linen- or to Santander, with similar cargo. In contrast to the typical 18th century routes such as ‘shuttle’ style (Cadiz-La Habana-Cadiz, for instance), more complex routes had developed by the mid 19th century, joining Spain with Río de la Plata, Cuba, United States, Northern Europe ports, as well as the trade through the Gulf of Mexico. This was the beginning of the tramp ships, upon which the wealth of the fleet was founded by the end of 19th century.