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VON TROIL’s LETTERS ON ICELAND» 667
fort is fold at forty-five fifh a pound when cleanfed, and at fixteen fifh when not
eleanfed. There are generally exported every year on the company’s account one
thoufand five hundred or two thoufand pounds of down cleanfed and not cleanfed, ex-
clufive of what is privately exported by foreigners. In the year 1750, the Iceland
company fold as much in quantity of this article, as amounted to three thoufand feven
hundred and forty-five banco-dollars, befides what was fent direétly to Gluck{tadt.
Among the land birds that are*eatable, ptarmigans are not to be forgotten, and are
caught in great numbers. Falcons alfo abound in the ifland, of which there are three
forts: they are purchafed by the royal falconers, who give fifteen dollars a-piece for
the white, ten for thofe that are darker, and feven for the grey.
LETTER XITI.—zro .cHEVALIER IHRE.
Of the Trade in Iceland.
Stockholm, Nov. 12, 17745
Tue Iceland trade has been fubject to many revolutions. Till the year 1408 the
Norwegians were almoft the only nation who failed to Iceland, and bought all the fith
the Icelanders did not confume or export in their own fhips. The Englifh afterwards
had this trade till the Reformation, when it fell into the hands of the Germans, and was
peculiarly advantageous to the Hamburghers. But Chriftian IV. who had the
improvement of the’whole Danifh trade very much at heart, likewile direCted his at-
tention towards Iceland. He prohibited the trade of the Hans-towns thither in the
year 1602, and beftowed it on Copenhagen, Malmo, and fome other towns at that time
fubject to the crown of Denmark.
The Iceland company at Copenhagen was, however, not eftablithed till the year 1620,
after, the king had once more prohibited the trade of the Hans-towns to Iceland in 1619.
This company continued till the year 1662, when it was fupprefled by a {pecial order.
What contributed to this was the great damage done in Iceland by fome pirates in
1627, who carried away great numbers of its inhabitants; the greater part of whom
were, however, redeemed by the king nine years after. The king refented this fo
much the more, as the Iceland company had not only undertaken to provide the country
with all neceflary articles, but likewife’to protect it. This circumflance produced a
difagreeable effect to the company, which was, that thofe who had fhares in the ftocks
of one thoufand dollars, only received five hundred ; and thofe w ho had fhares of two
hundred dollars, received not the leaft confideration. ‘The company paid a certain
fum to the king for every haven, and two rix-dollars to the governor for every fhip.
It was likewile obliged to contribute femething to the king’s magazines on the Welt-
mann’s Iflands.
The trade of every haven was afterwards difpofed of to the higheft bidder once in
every fix years; but fince 1734 it has been in the pofleflion of a trading company,
who have a grant of it, for which they pay a duty of fix thoufand dollars a year to the
king. They fend from twenty-four to thirty fhips thither every year, loaded with corn,
bread, wine, iron, and wood, &c. &c. and they export in return from twenty-two ha-
vens, fith, flefh, butter, Blubbes: fkins, wool, and woollen manufactures, which they ex-
change againtt the merchandize they have brought thither according to a tax publifhed
in the year 1702. It is difficult ,to determine whether the company gains much by
this trade or not; fo much at leaft is.certain, that the Icelanders lofe by it ; for the
Dutch, difregarding or evading the tax, import much better goods than the company:
4Q2 For
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