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T o Chevalier I h r e .
O f the Iceland Trade.
Stockholm, Nov. 12, 1774.
H E Iceland trade has been fub- 1 ject to many revolutions. Till
the year 1400 the Norwegians were
almoil the only nation who failed to
Iceland, and bought all the fiih the
Icelanders did not confume or export
in their own lliips. The Engliih afterwards
had this trade till the Reformation,
when it fell into the hands o f
the Germans, and was particularly advantageous
to the Hamburghers. But
Chriftian the Fourth, who had the improvement
o f the whole Daniih trade
very much at heart, directed his attention
likewife towards Iceland. He
prohibited the trade o f the Hans-towns
thither in the year 1 602, and beftowed
it on Copenhagen, Malmo, and fome
other
other towns at that time fubjed to the
crown o f Denmark.
The Iceland company at Copenhagen
was, however, not eftabliflied
till the year 1620, after the king had
once more prohibited the trade o f the
Hans-towns to Iceland in 1619. This
company continued till the year 1662,
when it was fuppreiTed by a fpecial
order. What contributed to this was
the great damage done in Iceland
by fome pirate in 1627, who carried
away a great number o f its inhabitants;
the greater part o f whom were, however,
redeemed by the king nine years
after. The king refented this fo much
the more, as the Iceland company had
not only undertaken to provide the
country with all neceftary articles, but
likewife to proted it. This circuni-
ftance produced a difagreeable effed to
the company, which was, that thofe who
had ftiares in the ftocks of 1 000 rix-dollar,
only received 500; and thofe who
had fliares o f 200 rix-dollars, received
not the leaft coniideration. The company
paid a certain fum to the king for
every haven, and two rix-dollars to the
K 3 governor
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