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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. Sor
wards five others, freighted with iron, made fuccefsful voyages to the Archipelago ; alfo
four fmall veffels, and a fifth of four hundred tons juft launched, laden with hemp and
tobacco, were expected to fail from Kherfon for France, in November 1781,
Such, in 1781, was the infant ftate of that commerce, which fome authors have de«
fcribed as capable of producing an immediate revolution in the trade of Hurope* : and
in this, or ina ftill more fluctuating ftate, it will probably continue, as long as the Turks
retain the dominion of their own feas. For that jealous peopte will either openly oppofe,
or clandeftinely obftrué, the progrefs of the Ruflians, and will’never readily give a free
paffage through the Dardanelles to a powerful rival, though they confented to it in the
Humiliating peace of 1774. Perhaps thefe claims, urged on one fide, and evaded on
the other, will engender perpetual diffentions, and will not be finally terminated but by
a feries of obftinate and bloody wars. Meanwhile the trade cannot for a confiderable
period be extenfive, which depends on fuch cafual circumftances as the coalition and
rupture of rival and neighbouring powers.
_ The courfe of fubfequent events can alone difcover, whether the pacification, figned
on the gth of January 1784, will_ be more permanent than former treaties, or whether
the fame caufes will not continue to produce the fame effeéts. ‘In a word, the Ruffian
commerce in thofe parts can fcarcely be eftablifhed on a firm bafis, until the Enrprefs
acquires a fleet in the Black Sea fuperior to that of her rival. Perhaps the completion’
of this great object may be effe€téd by the acquifition of Crim Tartary t and the Ku-
ban, rendered highly valuable by an additional extent of fea-coaft, and. the important
harbour of Actiar or Sebaftopol.
* Many perfons are of opinion, that the obftacles to the rifing commerce of the Black Sea are by no.
means injurious to the intere(ts of Ruflia. For her commodities aud productions being articles of neceflity,
not of luxury, no facility given to their exportation could add to their general confumption ; and the in-
creafe of exportation from the Black Sea would diminifh that from St. Peterfburgh, and the other ports of
the Baltic nearly in the fame proportion. By the facility and cheapnefs of land carriage, and the improve-
ments of inland navigation, the produétions of the remoteft provinces are readily fent to the ports of the
Baltic, without raifing the price too high. And as the goods which Rufiia produces are either peculiar to
this empire, or fuch as other nations muft purchafe, they canaot pafs through too many hands before they
are exported To diminith, therefore, by facilitating their exportation, the price of fuck goods which fhe
already fells cheaper than other nations, would be to incur a manifeit lofs, and to gratify the foreign trader
at her own expence. pe ha
The Crimea, which had long been an object of Ruffian ambition, was fecured by the intrigues and
arms of Catharine. 4
The requifition of Azof, Taganroc, the diftri& between the Don and the Dnieper; and the forts of
Kimburn, Kerfh, and Yenikalé, was the prelude to the conqueft of that peninfula. Catharine availed her-
felf of the article in the peace of Kaimagdi, which {tipulated that the Khan fhould be confirmed by Ruffia
as well as the Porte. By intrigues and money, Potemkin obtained the election of Sehim Gerai, a prince of
the blocd royal, formerly ambaffador from the Khan to St. Peterfburgh, who was gained over to the interefts
of Rufiia. i
In confequence of his fubferviency to Ruffia, he was oppofed by the Porte, and a large body of his fub-
jeGts in the Turkihh intereft, and commotions enfued. The Emprefs having appointed the Khan captain of
the guards, fent’an army to proteé him, as her officer, againlt the rebels. Notwithilanding the public re-
monitrances and fecret oppofition of the Porte, the Khan was no fooner fecured in his dignity, than he was
induced to abdicate; but repenting of this at, he endeavoured to efcape, and put himfelf at the head of
his fubje&ts, who were diffatisfied with the Ruffians, and offered to fupport him as their fovereign. His
intentions being difcovered. he was fent to Tamer, from thence to Kiof, and finally to Voronetz, where he
received a temporary penfion from the Emprefs. Irritated by repeated degradations, he efcaped into
Moldavia, where he was feized by emiffarics from the Porte, transferred to the Ifle of Rhodes, and
ftrangled.
Gahavne having gained the concurrence of Jofeph the Second, and made the molt formidable prepara’
tions both by land and fea, the Porte was awed, ‘and refigned the fovereignty of the Crimea to Ruflia.
The peninfula was modelled into a new government under the name of Tanrida, and the principal towns’
5x2 received
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