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Journal kept by Philadelphia merchant Benjamin Etting on voyages to Canton, China, 1822-25; 1831, 1835, and 1837. Entries remarking on weather, landmarks seen, length of passage. Volume also includes lengthy memorandum entitled, “Custom & manner of doing business in Canton,” which offers practical advice to American merchants dealing with Chinese pilots, manufacturers, government officials, et al.

(Note: the lengthy memorandum begins at the back of the volume and is inverted in relation to the journal. Researchers may wish to download all images and rotate for easier reading.) 

Title: Benjamin Etting journal of voyages to Canton
Authors: Etting, Benjamin
Call number: 1965_076
(Philadelphia (Pa.), J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library, Independence Seaport Museum)
Publisher: J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library, Independence Seaport Museum
Language: English.
Date: From 1822 to 1837
Place” Philadelphia (Pa.)
Subjects:Merchants–Pennsylvania–Philadelphia, China–Description and travel,
Philadelphia (Pa.)–Commerce–China–19th century
Genres: Diaries

Table of Contents
(links lead to pages on OPenn)

• Flyleaf 1 recto — Journal of voyages to Canton, 1822-23, 24 and 25, 1831-1835-1837, B. Etting, 5 Voyages
• fol. 1r — Vayages to China, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1845, and 1825; Ships: Adriana and Superior
• fol. 1v — Voyage to China in Ship Adriana; John Hamilton, Commander; To Canton in 125 days from Canton to Philadelphia in 1119 days, 1821-1822
• fol. 2r — No. I, May 16, 1821
• fol. 3r — August 27, 1821
• fol. 4r — Canton, December 7, 1821
• fol. 6v — Recapitulation of voyage
• fol. 7v — Voyage to China in Ship Adriana; Thomas Dixey, Commander
• fol. 8r — No. II, May 25, 1822
• fol. 11v — Bound home from Canton, Ship Adriana, December 24, 1822
• fol. 17r — Voyage No. 3, Ship Superior, from New York to Canton, May 24, 1824
• fol. 17v — Journal outward
• fol. 18r — No. III, May 24, 1824
• fol. 19r — May 28-29, 1824
• fol. 19v — June 7-15, 1824
• fol. 20r — June 16-26, 1824
• fol. 20v — June 27-30, 1824
• fol. 21r — June 30, 1824
• fol. 21v — July 1-8, 1824
• fol. 22r — July 9, 1824
• fol. 22v — July 10-17, 1824
• fol. 23r — July 19-27, 1824
• fol. 23v — July 28-August 3, 1824
• fol. 24r — August 4-11, 1824
• fol. 24v — August 12-25, 1824
• fol. 25r — August 26-September 3, 1824
• fol. 25v — September 5-6, 1824
• fol. 26r — September 7-16, 1824
• fol. 26v — September 17-22, 1824
• fol. 27r — Canton, December 5-16, 1824
• fol. 27v — December 17-26, 1824
• fol. 28r — December 27, 1824-January 12, 1825
• fol. 28v — January 13-31, 1825
• fol. 29r — February 1-16, 1825
• fol. 29v — February 17-28, 1825
• fol. 30r — March 1-8, 1825
• fol. 30v — March 9-16, 1825
• fol. 31r — March 17-22, 1825
• fol. 31v — March 23-27, 1825
• fol. 32r — March 28-April 5, 1825
• fol. 32v — No. IV, Journal of a voyage to China in Ship Atlantic, Captain McCall, April 30, 1831
• fol. 33r — May 29, 1831
• fol. 33v — June 15-25, 1831
• fol. 34r — June 26-July 17, 1831
• fol. 34v — July 18-22, 1831
• fol. 35r — July 23-August 4, 1831
• fol. 35v — August 5-7, 1831
• fol. 36v — August 10-13, 1831
• fol. 37r — August 14-17, 1831
• fol. 37v — August 18-23, 1831
• fol. 38r — August 24-30, 1831
• fol. 38v — September 1-3, 1831
• fol. 39v — Passage from Canton to Philadelphia, Ship Globe, 1832, Captain Gallagher
• fol. 40r — January 17-20, 1832
• fol. 40v — January 26-30, 1832
• fol. 41r — February 5-27, 1832
• fol. 41v — March 23-29, 1832
• fol. 42r — March 30-April 11, 1832
• fol. 42v — April 12-19, 1832
• fol. 43r — April 20-23, 1832
• fol. 43v — April 24-29, 1832
• fol. 44r — April 30-May 5, 1832
• fol. 44v — May 6-11, 1832
• fol. 45r — May 12-14, 1832
• fol. 45v — May 15, 1832
• fol. 46r — No. V, Ship Liberty for Canton, June 1835
• fol. 46v — August 8-31, 1835
• fol. 47v — October 10-27, 1835
• fol. 51v — Canton, December 20, 1831
• fol. 52r — Stock and Stores of Ship Superior
• fol. 52v — Articles useful on a voyage
• fol. 53r — Stock of clothing useful for a voyage to China
• fol. 53v — Servants wages
• fol. 54v — Memorandum of prices allowed …
• fol. 55v — Memorandum of prices allowed …
• fol. 57r — Tariff export in [silks] …
• fol. 63r — Mode of calculating
• fol. 63v — Mode of calculating
• fol. 64r — Currency of China
• fol. 64v — Heights of China
• fol. 65r — Tortoise shell
• fol. 66r — China [ware]
• fol. 68v — Teas
• fol. 69r — Straw matting
• fol. 70r — [Nankins]
• fol. 72r — Remarks on silk trade
• fol. 74v — [Co Hong]
• fol. 89v — Ship Adriana, January 1822
• fol. 91v — Custom and Manner of Doing Business in Canton, Benjamin Etting, 1821
• Flyleaf 1 recto — Journal of voyages to Canton, 1822-23, 24 and 25, 1831-1835-1837, B. Etting, 5 Voyages