Tonnage and poundage Tonnage and poundage Tonnage and Poundage were certain duties and taxes first levied in Edward II's reign on every tun (cask) of imported wine, which came mostly from Spain and Portugal, and on every pound weight of merchandise exported or imported. Traditionally tonnage and poundage was granted by Parliament to the king for life until the reign of Charles I. Tonnage and poundage were swept away by the Customs Consolidation Act of 1787. Charles I's first Parliament, known as the Useless Parliament, broke with tradition and granted the king tonnage and poundage for a year rather than life out of
Tonnage the volume of all cargo spaces of the ship. It indicates a vessel's earning space and is a function of the moulded volume of all cargo spaces of the ship. A commonly defined measurement system is important, since a ship's registration fee, harbour dues, safety and manning rules, and the like may be based on its gross tonnage (GT) or net tonnage (NT). Gross register tonnage (GRT) represents the total internal volume of a vessel, where one register ton is equal to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83168 m); a volume that, if filled with fresh water, would weigh