... cent of British exports, and supplied 32 per cent of imports"1. The 18th century saw Britain rise to an undisputed dominant position among her rival European powers. Trade with these overseas colonies was a driving force behind the Industrial Revolution, especially throughout the 19th Century, in providing sources of raw materials and markets for finished goods. The slave trade played a huge part: "By the end of the 18th century, Britain had become the largest and most accomplished slaving nation in the world"2. If it can be shown that the city of Liverpool was central to this trade, and Britain's economy benefited from it, then the above statement will carry some validity. The 18th Century saw Liverpool's rise to the position of what was sometimes referred to as "Britain's second city", and dominance over the British slave trade. The figures bear this out - in 1730, London and ...

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