The Red Cloud chief., 1893-10-20
DEAD CITY OF THE BALTIC.
v1sby, In Gotland, which Was Once . re-
nous Center Of Trade.

v1sby, In Gotland, which Was Once . re-
nous Center 81 Trade.
It's silent grass-grown streets and the
blackcncd ruins Of its once stately
churches suggest a mournful retrospect.
Yet the visby of to-day merits more at
tention than IL obtains from visitors TO
Sweden and the Baltic. Its once
fabulous wealth has departed from II.
The housewives ne longer, rs 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 sirretrivable ruin, wrecked, II
would seem, rather by the ruthless
Of man than by The ravages Of time.
Still Visby, eve In ruins-we may
say, indeed, because Of its ruins and
the associations that cling to them-is
full Of interest. Its early prosperity
was largely due 10 the convenient
position Of Gotland in the Baltic,
midway between the Swedish and Rus.
sian coasts. Until the new routes bv
Genoa and Venice and by the cape Of
Good Hope were established most Of
the with the east passed
through Russia, and Visby rs n place
Of call became so prominent as 10 gain
the name Queen OF the Baltic" or the
Eye of the Baltic" Old chroniclcrs
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 Hansc town, and took
q leading part In the famous league.
Its maritime code has served rs n model
for most Of the European navigation
laws. From the first the Eye" of the
Baltic was mainly directed TO business.
Its prosperity received royal recogni.
ton when Henry III. allowed the mer.
chants Of Gotland the privilege Of free
trade as regarded purchase and traffic
In England. The enterprise Of the
traders enabled them to secure n double
profit.
They betook themselves, with other
representatives Of the league, to Lon
don and established, close to Thames
street, a house called the S~tcelyard
which hourishcd for upward Of three
centuries. Meanwhile the population
increased rapidly in Visby, and tn,
variety Of religions called for the cree
tion Of numerous churches sand reli
gious buildings. Charitable guilds ant
hospitals were also established. Tn,
monks, after their wont, helped I,
bcautify the town by planting walnut
chestnut, lime and mulberry trees, som,
Of which still thrive. hut the chic
charm Of Visby lies In its gray walls
which, as a specimen of ancient fortif
cation, are almost unique.
Gotland, In the old days, was a pros
porous and important center; but it'll
remains Of its former greatness. TIL
sole existing trace Of former indcpend
encc Is q standing army, which belong
exclusively to the island, and can onl
be employed in its defense. Every Go,
lander, from the agc of eighteen I
that Of fifty or sixty, may he GALE
upon to serve. The active service @
the army are unlikely To he Gale,
upon. Yet Of s 70 much Importance |
the island from It's geographical pos,
ton and natural defense, that a STRAIT,
gle point OF view from 1t might rcadil
bc made n paddock from the CULTS O
Finland and Bothnia. IL has even bee
declared that by means of Gotland til
Russian navy could be locked up nm
the navigation of the Baltic command
cd.-Tcmple Bar.