SEA CUSTOMS HOUSE

       Sea Customs  House, Madras.  Since the beginning of  Fort St. George the sea customs was situated near the  Eastern  Sea Gate. The  sea used to lap the walls of  Fort St.George  and the  goods from  England  used to be brought  ashore in Masoola  boats from the  ships anchored 1 miles away on Madras  roads. When  Edward  Clive  became  Governor of  Madras due to space  crunch in the  Fort he wanted to  shift the  sea customs to Old Granary godown now occupied by French prisoners of war in Black town. Chief  Engineer  Patrick  Ross did extensive repairs and renovation  the north portion  for accommodating Sea Customs and south  portion for Marine  Office.  There was lot of  opposition  by the  merchants of the  day to the proposal to shift the sea customs. But inspite of the  opposition the sea customs was shifted out of  Fort St.George to black town in Nov 1799.

Photo :  Lithograph by Maxwell dated 1825 AD

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