4 86

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE PENINSULA

quantity of metal, fcarcely amounting to one hundred thoufandrubles, had been coined into five kopeek-pieces) at the lowprices of from three rubles and a half to five rubles the pood,and only by a fmuggling traffic; its exportation being pro-hibited by the Sultan. At prefent, however, it bears a higherprice, as appeared in the year 1796-7, when copper was againimported for the fupply of a mint, that was intended to beere&ed at Kherfon.

Should the commerce of Crim-Tartary ever arrive at afloutifhing ftate, which might eafily be effected by an encreafeof population, and by means of a fubftantial privileged Com-pany, that fhould eftablilh regulär warehoufes in the peninfula,and be fupported by facilitating the exportation of goods ; fuchcommerce might be ftill farther extended by importing Brufianfilk, Angora-goats' hair, and many fimple drugs, which canbe procured at a lower rate directly from the Levant, as well asfafflower, madder, and faffron.

It is, however, to be hoped, that the rearing of the filk-worm* in Crim-Tartary will receive more effectual encourage-ment; that the cultivation of the vine will be carried on to agreater extent, and be adequate to the fupply of the adjacentgovernments; and, laftly, that, with a view to diminifh the im-portation of foreign articles, and thus to increafe the profperity ofthis peninfula, fpirited attempts will be made to cultivate cotton,madder, and fefame; plants which have, by experiment, beenfound to flourifh here, as well as on the banks of the Terek,and in the vicinity of Aftrakhan.

* On this fubjeft, fee the truly patriotic remarks of the late M. Müller, Coun-fellor of State, in the Sammlungen Rußifcher Gefchichte, Vol. VII. pp. 515. and following.

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