During the last 30 years of the 17th century, the North Sea route, via Lisbon, Amsterdam and London, carried most of the export trade in spirits. In 1778, trade with America was liberalised, and this market absorbed much of the exported wine, as well as other farm products and manufactured goods. Catalonia exported printed cotton fabric, socks, hats, silk handkerchiefs, wool fabrics, paper, tanned leather and metal items to the new continent. Merchant ships returned with cargoes of cocoa, sugar, raw cotton, dye stuffs and skins.