The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-29

accumulated enormously. Venice DOS
sessed at one period Of the fourteenth
century as many as 5000 merchantmen.
manned by 25,0 900 sailors, and as many
as one-tenth of these vessels were of
more than 700 tons burden. The mer-
chant fleets were divided into COM
panies, regular sailing days were an
nounced, the cargo of each vessel was
defined, and when the fleets made their
departure they did so in the convoy of
war galleys to protect them from pi-
ratical attacks. The spirit of greed and
| rivalry thus developed created fierce
jealousies of every other community
assuming to enter into competition.
Meanwhile, Western Europe was
! prof1ting by industrial effort from the
selfish spirit practiced by the Vene-
tians. They were becoming manufac-
! urers on their own account, and by
the rapid development of their skill
Venice soon found herself stripped Of
her commercial power and with no
market for her wares. The policy Of
crushing others for the sake Of her
own selfish advancement led at last to
her own commercial prostration.
The commerce of Italy was marked
by constant and fierce competition, es-
| pecially between Genoa and Venice
Pisa, Florence and Naples all figured
in varying degrees Of Importance in
connection with the commerce of that
country. The Romans were renowned
as sailors, and in the twelfth and thir-
teenth centuries their adventures on
the sea contributed in large measure
! to the commerce Of the then known
world and to the enlargement of in
nd da y,
their reach. The Italians also estab-
lished throughout Europe banking
houses in competition with the Jews,
the practice Of usury by whom was
! generally odious.
| STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR AND
PORTUGAL.
Portugal, as the rounding point
through the Straits of Gibraltar be-
tween the Mediterranean sea and the
Atlantic ocean, became a natural mar
ittme country through the process Of
the extension OF Venetian and Genoese
commerce. It is recorded that COM
merce was actively carried on between
Portugal and England as early as 1870
And 1t may be said that the spirit of
| exploration across seas found its origin
| In that country early in the fifteenth
| century through the maritime interest
and energy developed In Prince Henry
| the navigator, nearly 100-years before
the discovery of the American con-
tinent. This enterprising scion Of roy
atty was obliged. however, to content
himself with the little ships that must
needs stay near shore. He died long
before the great achievement of Co
lumbus. although within the same cen
| tury, and it may not be unreasonable
to believe that many of the ventures
Of Prince Henry afforded stimulation
to the genius and energy Of the final
discoverer of the American continent.
That was an age when the commercial
spirit was most active. The merchant
man of the East and the caravan and
the tribal trader had created a fever
for gain. The monuments to their en-
terprise had already risen and fallen
in the lands of Asia and along the
slopes Of the Mediterranean to the east
ward. Commerce had made its way
from lower Italy northward along It's
western shore, following the coast line
of Southern Europe, and pursuing the
northern coast Of Africa had reached
the Straits Of Gibraltar, where the bill
lows OF the Atlantic We're encountered,
beyond which all was mystery. Mean
while all Of Southern Europe had be-
come enthused with the spirit OF trade;
and associated Herewith was the stim-
ulation to the discovery Of new terri
tory and its exploration.
DISCOVERIES RESULTING FROM
PORTUGUESE ENTERPRISE.
From the enterprises of Prince Hen
ry resulted the discovery Of the Ma
deiras, which came under the domin-
ion of the Portuguese crown IN 1920,
with the Canaries as their associates
The world was already growing larger,
and every upshooting of land in the
ocean increased the appetite for more.
Colonies were established on these ISL
ands 1t is said that the island Of Ma
deira was originally covered with tim
Der; hence its name, and that the tim
Der, having at one time taken fire from
some unrecogniZed cause the forests
burned for period of seven years.
This resulted in covering the land with
the ashes of the wood thus consumed,
and TO this fiery visitation and the dis
tribution Of a natural fertilizer is at
tributed the rare productiveness Of the
soil. The cypress vine was planted on
| the Madeira group, and 1t Is said that
| from the peculiar combination of soil
and vine a flavor was contributed to
the fruit which has given to the Ma
deira wines produced from that fruit
the famous reputation which they en-
Joy even to this day.
The discoveries by Portugal had the
effect of extending the fisheries trade
| of the people, and from points along
the coast of Africa which had come
under their control ivory, gold and cot
ton were imported from interior sec
tions of that country. Little atten-
ton, however, was paid to these re-
turns as the result of their enterprise
The chief end sought was a passage
| to India by the way of the Northwest.
| All other things were subservient to
the confirmation of the correctness of
the theory that the shores of that
country could be found by industri-
| ously plowing the surface Of the At
| lantic and by venturing still further
| from the western shores of Europe. The
discovery of the Cape Verde islands
was effected in 1889. It was the
| crowning accomplishment of Prince
Henry, who died in 1853 In 1472 a few
| other islands were added to the Por-
tuguese possessions, and there were ad-
| iitions later, but these were more di-
rectly connected with the exploration
| OF the waters Of the African coast.
Thus we have followed briefly and in
q condensed form the progress of COM
merce from the Orient to the Western
shores of Europe, and in so doing have
covered the record of the more impor-
tant accomplishments Of trade from