In The Beginning Of The Eighteenth Century, The Tar Company In
Sweden Not Only Put A Very High Price On
Their goods, but refused to sell
them, even for ready money, unless they were exported in Swedish vessels.
In consequence
Of this, England began at this period to encourage the
importation of tar, pitch, hemp, and naval timber, from her American
colonies.
The commerce of Denmark, besides its common origin with that of the rest of
Scandinavia, seems, in the middle ages, to have been chiefly nourished by
two circumstances: - The trade which Iceland carried on, and the
establishment of Bergen, first as the staple of the German merchants, and
afterwards as the chief factory of the Hanse merchants. In 1429, it was
also established by the king of Denmark, as the sole staple for the fish
trade. In 1553, its trade began to decline, in consequence, it is said, of
its being deserted by the Hanseatics. The historian of the Hanseatic League
adds, that "whereas the ancient toll of the Sound had been only a golden
rose-noble on every sail, which was always understood to be meant on every
ship; the court of Denmark had for some time past put a new and arbitrary
construction on the word sail, by obliging all ships to pay a rose-noble
for every sail on, or belonging to each ship". In consequence of this, the
Vandalic-Hanse Towns, or those on the south shores of the Baltic, deserted
the Bergen trade.
The same sovereign, however, who increased the tolls of the Sound,
counterpoised the bad effects of this measure, by the encouragement he gave
to manufactures and commerce; in this he was seconded by the Danish gentry,
who began to carry on merchandize and factorage themselves, and also
established manufactories. Copenhagen at this time was the staple for all
Danish merchandize, especially corn, butter, fish, &c.
The commercial history of this country, towards the close of the sixteenth
century, is remarkable for having given rise to the earliest dispute, of
which we have any notice, respecting, the carrying of naval stores, of
contraband of war, in neutral bottoms, to any enemy. It seems that the
English merchants endeavoured to evade the custom duties in the Danish
ports, particularly on their skins, woollen goods, and tin; on which they
were siezed. On a remonstrance however from Elizabeth, they were restored,
when the king of Denmark, on his part, complained that the English
committed piracies on his subjects; for now, says Camden, there began to
grow controversies about such matters, that is, the carrying naval stores,
&c. to the Spaniards.
The commercial history of Denmark, during the period to which we are at
present confined, presents no other circumstance sufficiently striking or
interesting to detain us; for the establishments of this country in the
East Indies are too trifling to deserve or require notice in a work whose
limits and objects equally confine it to those points which are of primary
importance.
The locality of Russia, cut off from the sea till a comparatively late
period, except the almost inaccessible sea on which Archangel stands; the
ignorance and barbarism of its inhabitants, and its wars with the Tartars,
necessarily prevented and incapacitated this immense empire from engaging
in any commercial intercourse with the rest of Europe till the beginning of
the sixteenth century, when it became independent, and began to be
powerful.
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