In February 1785 The Times listed opium from Smyrna (now Izmir) between oil from Leghorn (Livorno) and peas from Dantzic (Gdansk) in its roundup of goods unloaded at the portofLondon.
The PortofLondon Authority (PLA) imposes a 12-knot (14-mph) limit west of Wapping, which means that boats can show their exhilarating 30-knot cruising speed only on the eastern stretches of the river.
The British government is pleased that Mr Kerry made London his initial portof call on his first official trip abroad, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall.
Now "close to capacity", alternative receptor sites have been identified to house the "balance of the populations" still left at the London Gateway port site.