Sweden In General Is A Country, The Wealth, And Consequently The Objects Of
Commerce Of Which, Are Principally Derived From Its Mines And Woods.
Its
principal ports are Stockholm and Gothenburgh.
The political event in the
history of this country which gave the most favourable impulse to its
commerce in modern times, is the alteration in its constitution after the
death of Charles XII.; by this the liberties of the people were encreased,
and a general stimulus towards national industry was given: agriculture was
improved, the produce of the mines doubled, and the fishery protected. More
lately, the revolution in 1772, and the loss of Finland, have been
prejudicial to Sweden. The principal exports are, iron, copper,
pine-timber, pitch, tar, potash, fish, &c.; the principal imports are,
corn, tobacco, salt, wines, oils, wool, hemp, soap, cotton, silk and
woollen goods, hardware, sugar, and other colonial produce.
The most important commercial port on the southern shore of the Baltic is
Dantzic, which belongs to Prussia. This town retained a large portion of
the commerce of the Baltic after the fall of the Hanseatic League, and with
Lubec, Hamburgh, and Bremen, preserved a commercial ascendency in the
Baltic. It suffered, however, considerably by the Prussians acquiring
possession of the banks of the Vistula, until it was incorporated with the
kingdom in 1793. Dantzic exports nearly the whole of the produce of the
fertile country of Poland, consisting of corn, hides, horse-hair, honey,
wax, oak, and other timber; the imports consist principally of manufactured
goods and colonial produce. Swedish Pomerania, and Mecklenburgh, neither of
which possess any ports of consequence, draw the greater part of their
exports from the soil, as salted and smoked meat, hides, wool, butter,
cheese, corn, and fruit; the imports, like those of Dantzic, are
principally manufactured goods and colonial produce.
The immense extent of Russia does not afford such a variety, or large
supply of articles of commerce, as might be expected: this is owing to the
ungenial and unproductive nature of a very large portion of its soil, to
the barbarous and enslaved state of its inhabitants, and to the
comparatively few ports, which it possesses, and the extreme distance from
the ocean or navigable rivers of its central parts. We have already
mentioned the rise of Petersburgh, and its rapid increase in population and
commerce. The subsequent sovereigns of Russia have, in this as in all other
respects, followed the objects and plans of its founder; though they have
been more enlightened and successful in their plans of conquest than in
those of commerce. The most important advantage which they have bestowed on
commerce, arises from the canals and inland navigation which connects the
southern and the northern provinces of this vast empire. The principal
commerce of Russia is by the Baltic. Petersburgh and Riga are the only
ports of consequence here; from them are exported corn, hemp, flax, fir
timber, pitch, tar, potash, iron and copper, hides, tallow, bristles,
honey, wax, isinglass, caviar, furs, &c. The principal imports consist of
English manufactures and colonial produce, especially coffee and sugar,
wines, silks, &c. The commerce of the Black Sea has lately increased much,
especially at Odessa. The principal exports are, corn, furs, provisions,
&c.; its imports, wine, fruit, coffee, silks, &c. Russia carries on a
considerable internal trade with Prussia, Persia, and China, especially,
with the latter. Nearly the whole of her maritime commerce is in the hands
of foreigners, the Russians seeming rather averse to the sea; and the state
of vassalage in the peasants, which binds them to the soil, preventing the
formation of seamen. Latterly, however, she has displayed considerable zeal
in posecuting maritime discoveries; and as she seems disposed to extend her
possessions in the north-west coast of America, this will necessarily
produce a commercial marine.
2. The next portion of Europe to which we shall direct our attention
consists of Germany, the Netherlands, and France.
Germany, though an extensive and fertile country, and inhabited by an
intelligent and industrious race of people, possesses few commercial
advantages from its want of ports: those on the Baltic have been already
mentioned; those on the German Ocean are Hamburgh and Embden, of which
Hamburgh is by far the most important, while, to the south, the only port
it possesses is Trieste. It is, however, favoured in respect to rivers: the
Elbe, Weser, Rhine, and Danube, with their tributary streams affording
great facilities, not only for inland commerce, but also for the export and
import of commodities. The chief political disadvantage under which Germany
labours, affecting its commerce, arises from the number of independent
states into which it is divided, and the despotic nature of most of its
governments. As might be expected from such a large tract of country, the
productions of Germany are various. Saxony supplies for exportation, wool
of the finest quality, corn, copper, cobalt, and other metals, thread,
linen-lace, porcelain, &c. Hanover is principally distinguished for its
mines, which supply metals for exportation. The chief riches of Bavaria
arise from its corn and cattle: these, with pottery, glass, linen, and
silk, are the exports of Wurtemburgh. Prussia Proper affords few things for
exportation: the corn of her Polish provinces has been already mentioned,
as affording the principal export from Dantzic. Silesia supplies linen to
foreign countries. Austria, and its dependant states, export quicksilver,
and other metals, besides cattle, corn, and wine.
The commerce of the Netherlands, including Holland, though far inferior in
extent and importance to what it formerly was, is still not inconsiderable.
Indeed, the situation of Holland, nearly all the towns and villages of
which have a communication with the sea, either by rivers or canals, and
through some part of the territory of which the great rivers Rhine, Meuse,
and Scheld empty themselves into the sea, must always render it commercial.
The principal ports of the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and
Antwerp. The exports of the Netherlands consist either of its own produce
and manufactures, or of those which are brought to it from the interior of
Germany:
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