 After the British settlement at Sydney Cove was established in 1788 , a significant part of the Chinese porcelain shipped to Australia came via British traders living in India . Operating under licences issued by the British East India Company , who held a commercial monopoly in the Far East , this trade was known as the ' Country Trade ' , the Indian ships were called ' Country Ships ' and their captains ' Country Captains ' . Examination of the cargo of ships wrecked during the early colonisation of Australia show that the Country Trade played an important role in getting supplies , including Chinese porcelain traded via India often in Indian @-@ built vessels , to the early Australian colonies . 
