1203 to the final subversion of the Eastern empire by Mohammed II., in the 15th century, was the seat of a dukedom, or, as it was sometimes called, an empire, comprising the country between the Phasis and the Halys. Its fortifications are still of considerable strength, at least for a Turkish city. The space included within the walls is of great extent; but it is principally filled with gardens and groves. The houses are mean in their outward appearance, and comfortless within.-(Tournefort, Voyage du Levant, tome ii. pp. 231-239.; Kinneir's Journey through Asia Minor, &c. p. 338.)

Harbour.-Trebisond has two ports, one on the W. and one on the E. side of a small peninsula, or point of land, projecting a short way into the sea. That on the east is the best sheltered, and is the place of anchorage for the largest ships. It is, however, exposed to all but the southerly gales; but it does not appear, that, with ordinary precaution, any danger need be apprehended. The ground, from toa mile E. from the point, is clean, and holds extremely well. Ships moor with open hawse to the N., and a good hawser and stream anchor on shore, as a stern-fast. At night, the wind always comes off the land. Captain Middleton says that the only bad weather is from the N. W.; but that, though the swell be considerable, it does not cause any heavy strain upon the cables.-(Nautical Magazine, vol. ii. p. 181.)-At Platana, near Trebisond, and quite as exposed, Turkish vessels have from time immemorial rode in safety the whole winter; a satisfactory proof that the dangers supposed to be incident to the roads along the coast are wholly visionary.-(Ibid. p. 244.)

Navigation of the Black Sea.-We are happy to have this opportunity to state that Captain Middleton, who has been repeatedly in the Black Sea, agrees entirely with Tournefort-(see antè, p. 251.)—as to the groundlessness of the notions that have got abroad of its navigation being peculiarly dangerous. He shows that the "thick weather," supposed to prevail in this sea, is "quite imaginary."—"There are fogs in it occasionally, but these never last long: and, like fogs every where else, are unaccompanied by much wind. Gales sometimes occur, but they rarely amount to storms, and their duration is short. Except on its northern coast, it has deep water all over. It may, in fact, be considered a sea almost without a hidden danger." The only difficulty attaching to its navigation consists, as formerly observed (antè, p. 251.), in making the Bosphorus. But this, also, has been much exaggerated; and ships able to keep out to sea, and properly navigated, quit it without encountering any considerable risk. (For further particulars as to this interesting subject, the reader is referred to Captain Middleton's paper in the 2d volume of the Nautical Magazine, a useful and excellent publication, well entitled to the public patronage.)

Trade. In antiquity, and in more modern times, previously to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and the exclusion of all foreign vessels from the Black Sea, Trebisond was the seat of an extensive trade. Any one, indeed, who casts his eye over the map of Asia, must be satisfied that this city is the natural emporium of all the countries to the S. E. of the Black Sea, from Kars on the east, round by Diarbeker to Amasia, on the west. Erzeroum, the principal city of Armenia, is only about 135 miles S. E. from Trebisond. Its merchants are distinguished by their superior attainments, and by their enterprise and activity. For a lengthened period, they have derived most part of their supplies of European commodities by way of Smyrna or Constantinople; nothing, however, but the impossibility of obtaining them at so convenient a port as Trebisond, could have made them resort to such distant markets as those now mentioned; and it may well excite surprise, considering the period during which the Black Sea has been open, that efforts were not sooner made to establish an intercourse with Armenia, Georgia, and the north-western parts of Persia, through this channel. We are glad, however, to have to state, that within these few years this has been done; and notwithstanding the difficulties that necessarily attach to every attempt to open new channels of commerce with semicivilized nations, the experiment has proved more than ordinarily successful.

The policy of Russia has recently, also, given to Trebisond an importance it did not formerly possess. Previously to 1831, foreign commodities were admitted at the low duty of 5 per cent. into the Russian port of Redoutkalé, and others on the coast of Mingrelia, whence they were distributed over Georgia, and as far as Persia. But a ukase, issued at the epoch referred to, put an end to all the immunities with respect to duties enjoyed by the Russian provinces to the south of Mount Caucasus, and extended to them the same customs' regulations that obtain in the other parts of the empire. Considerable deductions are, it is true, made from the duties charged on certain articles imported into these provinces, provided they be carried in the first instance to Odessa, and there reshipped for Mingrelia; but those that go direct to the latter are subject to the same duties and conditions as if they went to Petersburg or Riga. Printed cottons, and some other important articles, are in all cases prohibited.

The opening of a port on the S. E. extremity of the Black Sea, to which goods might be sent direct from Europe, and be thence conveyed to Armenia, Persia, &c., has, under these circumstances, become an object of a good deal of interest to the commercial world. There can be no doubt, indeed, did any thing like order or regular government prevail in the Turkish provinces of Asia Minor, Armenia, &c., that Trebisond would speedily become a considerable emporium. At present, however, and for a long time back, these beautiful provinces, in common with most other parts of the Turkish empire, have been in a state of extreme disorder; and, owing to the imbecility and ignorance of the government, there seems but little prospect of improvement so long as it is suffered to exist.

The principal articles of import are manufactured cottons, mostly from Great Britain, sugar, coffee, rum, salt, tin, wine, &c. Cottons are sold at long credits; sugar, coffee, &c. are sold at shorter credits, and are more regularly paid. The exports consist of silk, sheep's wool, tobacco, shawls, and carpets, galls, and drugs of various sorts, box wood, nuts, &c. There are very rich copper mines in the mountains to the south of Trebisond; but they are but little wrought; and the Turks are so blind to their own interests, as to prohibit the exportation of copper, as well as of corn, and wax. It is difficult, therefore, to obtain return cargoes. More than half the articles imported, are destined for Persia. In 1832, no fewer than 9,189 packages passed through Trebisond for Tabreez; and it is believed, that of these, fully 8,000 consisted of British manufactures.

Money, Weights, and Measures, same as at Constantinople; which see.

Arrivals. In 1832, there arrived at Trebisond, 6 ships under the British flag, of the burden of 718 tons.-(Parl. Paper, No. 756. Sess. 1833.)-During the same year, there arrived 19 foreign vessels, of the burden of 4,438 tons; of these, 10 were Austrian; 5 Sardinian; and 4 Russian. The total imports may, perhaps, be valued at about 300,000l. The exports are comparatively trifling.

(Transit Trade with Persia.-We noticed, under the article TREBISOND, in the Dictionary, the importance that the trade with this place was likely to attain from its becoming a channel through which to carry on trade with Persia. Previously to the 1st of January, 1832, the trade between Europe and Persia, by way of the Black Sea, principally centered in the Russian port of Redout Kalé, at the mouth of the Phasis. This was a consequence of the exemption granted in 1822 to the Russian provinces to the south of the Caucasus from the duties charged in the other parts of the empire. But the exemption having ceased

at the period referred to, and the Trans-Caucasian provinces having been subjected to the same duties as the other provinces, the transit trade to Persia by way of Redout Kalé, Teflis, and the Caspian Sea, has almost entirely ceased, and it is now carried on through Trebisond, Erzeroum, and Tabreez. In consequence, the increase of trade at Trebisond has been very remarkable. In 1830, about 5,000 packages, valued at 250,000l., were imported and forwarded for Persia; in 1834 about 12,000 packages, valued at 600,000l., were so received and forwarded; and in 1835 the number of packages had increased to 19,327, valued at 966,350/.! We subjoin a

Statement of the Number and Tonnage of Vessels, with the Value of their Cargoes, and distinguishing the Countries to which the same belonged, which entered and cleared at the Port of Trebisond in the Year 1835.)-(Consular Return.)

Most of the vessels from Constantinople had on board British' produce; and it is believed that from 7-10ths to 9-10ths of the goods imported to be forwarded to Persia are of British origin, consisting principally of cotton goods, woollen, hardware, tin, sugar, &c. Previously to 1831 no British iron had ever been seen at Trebisond; but it was then introduced, and is now imported, to the exclusion of all other sorts. M. de Hagemeister admits that it has entirely superseded the iron of Russia in this and other markets on the southern side of the Black Sea.-(Report on the Commerce of the Black Sea, p. 207.)*

In Persia, as in almost all Eastern countries, foreign products are admitted, on paying a low duty. Latterly, however, the schah has evinced a disposition to restrict the importation of English goods, or to load them with heavier duties. This conduct, so unusual in an Eastern prince, may, it is probable, have been suggested by the foreign agents at his court.

Direct Trade with Trebisond.-The transit trade of Trebisond is by far the most important; but, as the goods destined for Persia by this channel are cleared out for Turkey, they appear in the list of exports to it, and, consequently, make our trade with Turkey appear much greater than it really amounts to.

The trade with Trebisond itself is, however, far from inconsiderable, and might be indefinitely extended. The iron of Great Britain is now, as stated above, imported to the exclusion of that of Russia, which was formerly the only sort made use of. Considerable quantities of cotton yarn are also supplied through Trebisond to the looms in the eastern part of Asia Minor that used to be wholly supplied with native yarn, and a taste for British cottons is beginning to spread among the population.

We carry away from Trebisond Persian silk, wool, tobacco, wax, opium, boxwood, nuts, &c. But, owing to the restrictions on exportation, the trade has hitherto laboured under many difficulties; and numbers of ships have sailed in ballast for Odessa, Galacz, and other ports where they load.

A Statement of the Number and Tonnage of British Vessels, with the Nature and Value of their Cargoes, which entered and cleared at the Port of Trebisond, distinguishing the Ports to and from which the same sailed in the Year 1835.

*Note.-In these numbers are included 8 entries and 7 clearances of one vessel of 64 tons burden.

*We have elsewhere referred (art. ODESSA) to this valuable publication. Though in the service of Russia, the author has not scrupled to point out errors in her policy: and has justly censured the extension of the tariff to the Trans-Caucasian provinces in 1832.—Sup.)

The

TRIESTE, a large city and sea-port of the Austrian dominions, the capital of a district of Illyria, situated near the N. E. extremity of the Gulf of Venice, lat. 45° 38′ 37′′ N., lon. 13° 46′ 27" E. Population 48,000. It is divided into the old and new towns. former is built upon elevated ground; the latter, which is lower down, is laid out with greater regularity, and is partly intersected by a canal, into which vessels not drawing more than 9 or 10 feet water enter to load and unload.

Harbour. The harbour of Trieste, though rather limited in size, is easy of access and convenient. It is protected from southerly gales by the Molo Teresiano, so called from the Empress Maria Theresa, at the extremity of which the new light-house, mentioned below, has been constructed. The port, with the mole, forms a crescent 1 mile in length, being a continued quay, faced with hewn stones, with stairs and jetties for the convenience of embarkation. On the north side of the port is a dock or harbour, appropriated exclusively for vessels performing quarantine. It is walled round; and is furnished with hotels, warehouses, and every sort of accommodation required for the use of passengers and goods. Ships under 300 tons burden lie close to the quays; those of greater size mooring a little further out. The principal defects of the port are, its limited size, and its being exposed to the N. W. winds, which sometimes blow with much violence, and throw in a heavy sea. The gales, however, are seldom of long continuance; and the holding ground being good, when the anchors are backed and proper precautions taken, no accidents occur. The tide at Trieste is scarcely perceptible; but the depth of water is influenced by the wind, being increased by a long continued sirocco or S. E. wind, and diminished by the prevalence of the E. N. E. wind, known by the name of Boro. The access to the port is not obstructed by any bar or shallow; and there is good anchorage in the roads, in from 6 to 8 and 10 fathoms water. A good sailing vessel may beat in by night or by day, except it blow hard from the N. E. or E. N. E., when she had better anchor in the Bay of Roses, or Pirano, where she will ride in perfect safety. Pilots. Ships bound for Trieste are under no obligation to take pilots; but those entering the port for the first time would do well to take one on making the coast of Istria. Boats are always hovering off Rovigno; they are not manned by regular pilots, but by fishermen, who, though unfit to be trusted with the management of the ship, know the bearings of the places and the depth of water. The fee usually paid them for pilotage is 20 dollars; in addition to which, they are supported at the ship's expense during the performance of quarantine.

Light-houses.-The light-house at the extremity of the Theresian mole is 106 feet (Eng.) high. The light is intermittent; and may be seen, supposing the eye of the observer to be elevated 12 feet above the level of the sea, about 12 nautical miles, or from Pirano on the side of Istria, and the shoals of Grado on the Italian coast. A light-house has also been erected on the point of Salvore, bearing from Trieste W. by S., distant about 18 miles. The lantern is elevated about 103 feet above the level of the sea. From this point Pirano Bay opens, where vessels may anchor in safety in all sorts of weather. Trade.-Trieste has no command of internal navigation; but being the most convenient, or rather the only sea-port, not merely of the Illyrian provinces, but of the duchy of Austria, and the greater part of Hungary, she possesses an extensive commerce. This has been increased by the facilities afforded to all sorts of mercantile transactions by the privilege of porto franco conferred on the town, and a considerable extent of contiguous country. Under this franchise, all goods, with but very few exceptions, may be imported into and exported from the city free of all duties whatever. Foreign products, when taken for consumption into the interior, are subject to the duties mentioned under the bead Tariff, in a subsequent part of this article.

Exports. These are very various, consisting partly of the raw, and partly of the manufactured products of Austria Proper, Illyria, Dalmatia, Hungary, and Italy; with foreign articles imported and warehoused. Among the principal articles of raw produce may be specified, corn, chiefly wheat and maize, with rice, wine, oil, shumac, tobacco, wax, &c.; silk, silk rags and waste, hemp, wool, flax, linen rags, hides, furs, skins, &c.; the produce of the mines makes an important item, consisting of quicksilver, cinnabar, iron, lead, copper, brass, litharge, alum, vitriol, &c.; the forests of Carniola furnish timber, for ship building and other purposes, of excellent quality and in great abundance, with staves, cork wood, box, hoops, &c.; marble also ranks under this head. Of manufactured articles, the most important are, thrown silk, silk stuffs, printed cottons from Austria and Switzerland, coarse and fine linens, and all sorts of leather; under this head are also ranked soap, Venetian treacle, liqueurs, &c., with jewellery, tools and utensils of all sorts, glass ware and mirrors, Venetian beads, refined sugar, and a host of other articles. Of foreign articles imported and reshipped, the most important are sugar, coffee, and dye stuffs. Trieste is also a considerable depôt for all sorts of produce from the Black Sea, Turkey, and Egypt.

It is not possible to obtain any accurate account of the quantity and value of the exports; but Mr. Money, the British consul, who has carefully inquired into the subject, supposes that they may amount in all, exclusive of those shipped for Venice, Fiume, and other Austrian ports, to about 1,800,000l. a year, which he divides as follows:

Raw Produce, viz.-Grain, rice, oil, honey, wax, shumac, tobacco, &c.

350,000

Silk, hemp, wool, rags, hides and skins

380,800

Metals, mineral and other products; as, quicksilver, iron, lead, copper, brass, zinc,
litharge, argol, antimony, arsenic, alum, vitriol, potash, turpentine, marbles, &c.
Timber, plank, boards, &c.

230,000

180,000

Manufactures of silk, cotton, wool, linen, leather, &c.

235,000

Soap, candles, Venetian treacle, and medicines
Tools, machinery, arms, &c.

80,000

25,000

Household furniture, musical instruments, glass and glass wares, porcelain, &c. Foreign Articles reshipped for exportation, exclusive of those for Lombardy and the Papal States

20,000

Mr. Money further supposes that these articles are distributed amongst the countries trading with Trieste, as follows:

£

Egypt

the United States of America

To Turkey and the Levant

Greece, the Ionian Islands, and Malta
the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Ports in France, Sardinia, and Tuscany
Spain, Portugal, and Barbary

Great Britain

Ports in the North of Germany

South America and the West Indies

Perhaps these estimates are a little below the mark. We have been assured by high mercantile authority, that the entire value of the exports from Trieste to foreign countries is not under 2,000,000. a year.

Imports.-There is a great difference between the imports into and the exports from Trieste; the value of the former being certainly not less than 4,000,000l. sterling. The excess of imports is explained partly by the fact that large quantities of foreign goods imported into Trieste are subsequently transhipped by coasting vessels to Venice, Fiume, and other ports, partly by the residence of English and other foreigners at Vienna, and partly by there being an excess of exports as compared with imports, from other parts of the empire. The great articles of import are sugar, cotton goods and raw cotton, oil, coffee, wheat, silks, indigo and other dye stuffs, valonia, &c. The following Table contains all the information that can be desired as to the import trade of Trieste in 1829, 1830, and 1831:

Statement of the Quantity and Value, in British Money, Weights, and Measures, of the principal Articles imported into Trieste during each of the Three Years ending with 1831, specifying the Quantity and Value of those furnished by each Country.

Money.-Mercantile accounts are usually kept at Trieste in what is commonly called convention money, from an agreement entered into with respect to it by some of the German princes, in 1763. The current coins that are legal tender are dollars, & dollars or florins, and zwanzigers, or pieces of 20 kreutzers. Ten dollars are coined out of the Cologne marc (3,608 gr. Eng.) of pure silver, so that the value of the dollar is 4s. 3d. sterling.

The florin, or dollar = 2s. 1d. sterling; zwanzigers, or pieces of 20 kreutzers (60 to the marc), 8d. sterling. Hence it follows that Is. sterling 28 kreutzers (60 to a florin); and the pound sterling 9 fl. 244 kr., or, as it is commonly taken, 9 fl. 25 kr. All contracts are either expressly declared, or are understood, to be in silver money; gold coins, not being legal tender, pass only as merchandise.

Weights and Measures.-Those chiefly in use at Trieste are those of Vienna and Venice. The commercial pound contains 4 quarters, 16 ounces, or 32 loths: it is = 8,639 English grains. Thus, 100 lbs. at Trieste 123-6 lbs. avoirdupois; or 90 lbs. of Trieste 112 lbs. avoirdupois.

The principal dry measure is the stajo or staro 2:34 Winch. bushels. The Vienna metzen, which is sometimes used, 1.723 Winch. bushel. The polonick: 0.861 Winch, bushel.

The principal liquid measure is the orna or eimer 40 boccali 15 wine or 12 Imperial gallons very nearly. The barile= 173 English wine gallons.

The orna of oil contains 5 caffisi, and weighs about 107 commercial pounds. It is 17 wine or 14.16 .mperial gallons.

The ell woollen mea aure= 26.6 English inches. The ell for silk = 25.2 English inches.

10,000 cwt.
5,000
37,000 cwt.

7,000 4,100 4,000

18,800 35,000

2,100

5,200 4,500

9,500

2,500 76,000 tuns
3,000 19,000 cwt.
3,500
18,500 12,000 cwt.

35,000

3,000

37,000

Tarif.-Trieste being a free port, goods destined for its consumption, and that of the adjoining territory, pay no duties whatever, and are exported and imported without notice by the customs. Goods brought from the interior for export at Trieste, are charged an export duty on passing the Custom-house line. Goods imported at Trieste, to be conveyed through the Austrian dominions to those of any other power, are charged a small transit duty. The principal foreign goods taken for consumption in the interior of the empire, pay the duties specified in the subjoined Table. Statement of the Customs' Duties on the principal Articles imported from Trieste into the Interior of the Austrian Empire.

N. B.-It is observable, that in Austria almost all articles (except such as are rated ad valorem) are charged by weight, including even grain, and liquids, wine, oil, spirits, &c.

Tariff of the Customs Duties on the principal Articles brought from the Interior of the Austrian Empire to Trieste for Shipment.

N. B.-Trieste being without the line of customs, these duties on exportation are payable on goods entering the territory or liberties of the port, whether for consumption or for exportation by sea. The duties on raw and thrown silk are tantamount to a prohibition.

Gunpowder, salt, and tobacco, being articles monopolised by government, are not allowed to be imported into Trieste except for sale to the government or its contractors. Vessels arriving with gunpowder on board, deliver it at the arsenal, and on their clearing out it is returned to them free of expense. The utmost vigilance is exerted to prevent the introduction of tobacco; but with very little effect. The only articles, the exportation of which from the Austrian dominions is at present prohibited, are gold and silver in bars, and silk cocoons.

Smuggling. In consequence of the prohibition of tobacco, and ofthe high duties imposed on refined sugar, coffee, &c., these articles are very extensively smuggled into the Austrian dominions. Most part, too, of the cotton goods sent from this country to Trieste and Venice, are sold to smugglers, by whom they are introduced into the interior with very little difficulty. It would be absurd, indeed, to suppose, seeing the extent to which smuggling is practised in England and France-(see antè, p. 516.), -that it should not be in a flourishing condition in Austria, whose frontier is so much more difficult to guard. It is, in fact, carried on to a very great extent; prohibited and overtaxed goods being intro duced with the greatest regularity, either by defeating the vigilance of the officers, or, which is said to be the more common case, by making them parties to, and gainers by, the fraud. The transit o