Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-09-14
DEAD CITY oF TIE BALTIC.


Nlsby, in Gotland, once Famous Gem
tor of Trade.
Its silent grass-grown streets and
the blacsened ruins of its once state
Iy churches suggest Il mournful re-
Prospect Yet the Visby of to-day
merits more attention than it obtains.
from visitors to Sweden and the Bal
tic. Its once fabulous wealth has de-
parted from it, The housewives no
longer, as in the old tradition, use
golden spindles, nor do the hogs eat.
from silver troughs; while of the
eighteen churches Of which the town.
once boosted, seventeen lie in ire
trievable ruin, wrecked, 1T would
seem rather by the ruthlessnes of
man than by the ravages of time.
Still Visby, even in ruins-we may
say indeed, because of its ruins and.
the associations that cling to them
is full of interest. It's early prosper
lty was largely due to the convenient
position of Gotiand in the Baltic,
midway between the Swedish and
Russian coasts. Until the new routes
by Genoa and Venice and by the Cape
of Good Hope were established, most
of the commerce with the East passed
through Russia, and Visby as Il place
of call became so prominent as to-
gain the name "Queen OF the Baltic"
or the Eye of the Baltic" Old chrop-
iclers assert that even Solomon In,
all his glory was poorer in gold and
silver and precious stones than was
this small city.
Visby was one of the first to be en-
rolled among the Hanse towns and
took a leading part in the famous
league. It's maritime code has served
as a model for most of the EUROPEAN
navigation laws. From the first the
Eye" of the Baltic was mainly di-
rected to business. Its prosperity
received royal recognition when
Henry II. allowed the merchants of
5otland the privilege of free trade as
regarded purchase and traffic in Eng
and The enterprise of the traders
enabled them to secure double
profit,
They betook themselves, with
other representatives of the league,
20 London, and established, close to-
Thames street, house called the
Steelyard, which fourished for up
ward of three centuries. Meanwhile
he population increased rapidly in
Vlsby, and the variety OF religions
Jailed for the erection of numerous
churches and religious buildings.
Charitable guilds and hospitals
we're also established. The monks,
after their wont, helped to beautify
jhe town by planting walnut chest
nut, lime and mulberry trees, some
II which still thrive But the chief
harm of Visby lies in its gray walls,
which, as specimen of ancient forth
dce tion aIv almos% +lainr1nu,znu,A
Gotland, in the Old 4 &
prosperous and important cefa +
little remains of its former greatness
The sole EXISTING trace of former in
dependence is a standing army, which
belongs exclusively to the island,
ind can only be employed in its de-
ense. Every Gotlander, from the
lge of IS to that of so or 60, may be
alled upon 10 serve. The active
ervlces of the army are unlikely to
)e called upon. Yet of so much i'm
)ortance is the island from its geo.
graphical position and natural de-
enses, that strategic point of view
rom it might readily be made pad
ock upon the Cuffs of Finland and
5othnia. 1t has even been declared
hat by means of Gotland the Rus
ian navy could be locked up and the
navigation of the Baltic commanded.
/