482

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE PENINSULA

refpeft to maritime intercourfe, for the reafons already affigned,as well as from the mode of conveyance, being facilitatedneither by internal or coafting navigation, nor by roads thatare in winter paffable by fledges, there cannot fubfift anycommunication with the ports of Taganrog, Kherfon, andOdefla, which are fupplied with every article of exportationat the firft hand, and in their immediate vicinity. Thenavigation of the Black Sea is, in general, obftru&ed in theWinter by ftorms, thick fogs, and the freezing of the fails andrigging; fo that no (hip is permitted to fail from the Canalof Conftantinople before the vernal equinox; confequently,the Crimea can derive no advantage from its ports continuingopen throughout the winter. It were much to be wifhedthat opulent merchants would eftabliih themfelves in this pe-ninfula, and procure all the Ruffian commodities, fuch as iron,hemp, flax, mafts, fail-cloth, cordage, tallow, butter, and wheat,by carriage on the Don, and over the Sea of Azof, from thecheapeft markets of the interior of the empire ; with a viewto enable them directly to freight veffels from their ware-houfes, and thus induce traders to refort to the Crimeanharbours. A tranfit-duty ought likewife to be granted; inorder that the foreign commodities, imported by way of theBaltic, namely cloth, velvet, cochineal, coffee, indigo, fmallhard-ware, &c. might with advantage be exported to Anatolia ;and the Smyrna caravan-trade be thereby reduced. The com-modities which at prefent conftitute the export trade of Crim-Tartary are chiefly falt; wheat, which in unfavorable yearsis procured only from the Dniepr, and from the country ofthe Nagays; leather; foda; butter; fome caviar and dried

fifh;