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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. Bos
100,060,000, roubles, in notes of five, ten, fifteen, twenty-five, and OMe hundred
roubles. On the firft appearance of this paper, it was received, particularly in the re-
mote parts of the empire, not without difficulty, and the difcount againft it was com-
monly about 33, and in fome places even 6 percent. The obvious advantages, how-
ever, Over copper-money, foon recommended it to general ufe ; and it was found fo
beneficial to commerce, that in 1779 the difcount.in favour of filver fpecie was only
one per cent.,-and it bore a premium of one and,a half per cent. over copper money.
But fo large a quantity was circulated, and the loans to government fo lowered the
credit of the ftate, that in 1790, the difcount again{ft the paper currency was near 2
per cent.
Cuar. XX1.—Admiralty.—Expedition to Cronftadt.—The harbours and docks. —Ruffian
navy.—On Ruffia.— General obfervations on the Ruffian army.
TUE, admiralty *, which ftands on the fouth bank of the Neva, oppofite the fortrefs
of Peterfburgh, was built by Peter the Great, and is a large brick building, furrounded
with a rampart and ditch: it is the great receptacle for fhips’ ftores, and contains maga-
zines of cordage, fails mafts, anchors, which are fent to Cronftadt for the equipment
of the fleet. A large area between the front of the building and the Neva, is appro-
priated for the con{truction of veffels: when I wasat Peterfburgh, five men of war and
two frigates were upon the {tocks f.
Cronftadt, the principal {tation of the Ruffian navy, is fituated on the Retufari, in
the Gulf of Finland, and was founded by Peter the Great, as being provided with the
fafeft habour in thefe parts, and forming a {trong bulwark for the defence of the new
metropolis. The only paflage by which thips of burden can approach Peterfburgh, lies
on the fouth fide of Retufari, through a narrow channel; commanded on cne fide by
Cronftadt, and on the other by Cronflot and the citadel. i
Cronflot, which, ftands on a {mall fandy ifland, is a circular wooden building, fur-
rounded with fortifications of wood, and is garrifoned with an hundred men. ‘The ci-
tadel is another {mall wooden fortrefs, raifed alfo upon an adjacent. fand-bank, and capa-
ble of holding about thirty foldiers: all large veflels muft pafs between Cronfladt and
thefe two fortreffes, expofed to the fire of the oppofite batteries; for the other parts of
the gulf are only from one to eleven feet in depth, ‘Thefe fortifications were, at the
time of their con{truétion, efteemed places of confiderable flrength; but now derive
their confequence more from paft importance, than from any refiftance they could make
again{t the attack of a powerful fleet.
The ifland Retufariisa long flip of land, or rather fand; through the midft of which
_ runs a ridge of granite. It is 20 miles from Peterfburgh by water, four from the
fhore of Ingria, nine from the coaft of Carelia, and ten miles in circumference. It
was over{pread with firs and pines when Peter conquered it from the Swedes, but now
contains thirty thoufand inhabitants, including twelve thoufand failorsand a garrifon of
- one thoufand five hundred men. ‘The ifland affords a {mall quantity of pafure, pro-
* Tam informed that the Adiniralty is intended to be removed to €ronftadt.
+ The men of war which are framed in this dock are, in their paflage to Cronftadt, lifted over the bar
by means of camels: thefe machines were originally invented by the celebrated De Witt, for the purpofe
of conveying Isrge veflels from Amfterdam oyer the Pampus; and were introduced into Ruflia by Peter
the Great, who obtained a model of them m Holland. , : -
-
’
VOL. Vie $s i duces
4
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