Did East Indiamen protect rope against theft?

Did East Indiamen use the same measures as the Royal Navy to stop people stealing or selling rope?

They could use similar precautions because they often bought rope from the same suppliers, though the answer is tentative and gives no specific method.

The question concerns measures to stop sailors stealing or selling rope. Similar precautions to those of the Royal Navy are considered possible because many merchant ships obtained rope from the same suppliers. The reply expresses some uncertainty and does not identify a particular marking system. Shared supply arrangements are the useful comparison, without establishing one specific anti-theft technique.