The East India Company traded in cotton, silk, indigo dye, sugar, salt, spices, saltpeter, tea, and opium. It also ruled territory and at one point fielded more soldiers than the British Army. Its vast fleets of East Indiamen supported a commercial organization with substantial military power. The merchant ships belonged to this system of trade and territorial rule, with responsibilities extending beyond carrying cargo.
Chapter · 32:14-33:31
East India Company trade power at sea
The East India Company's commodity trade, territorial rule, armies, and merchant fleets made it a major maritime power.