fi' G:.
governor for every fhip* It was hke^
wife obliged to contribute fomething
to the king’s magazines on the Weft-
manns Iflands*
The trade o f every haven was after-
Wards difpofed of to the higheft bidder
once in every fix years ; but fince 1 734
it has been in the pofleffion of a trading
company, who have a grant of it,
for which they pay a duty of 6000 rix-
clollars a year to the king. They fend
from 24 to 30 fliips thither every year,
loaded with corn, bread, wine, iron,
and wood, See. and they export in return
from 22 havens, fiih, flefli, butter,
blubber, ikins, wool, and woollen
manufadiires, which they exchange
for the merchandize brought thither
according to a tax fet in the year
1702. It is diflicult to determine
whether the company gains much by
this trade or not; fo much at leaft is
certain, that the Icelanders lofe by i t ;
for the Dutch, difregarding or evading
the tax, import much better goods
than the company. For this reafon
the Icelanders fell a confiderable quantity
o f fifli to them privately, though
feveral
feveral Dutch fliips have been con-
fifcated on account o f carrying on a
fmuggling trade. The agents o f the
Iceland company are aware o f this,
by the fmall ftock that remains for their
purchafe, with which they are much
diilatisfied.
There it a market kept every year
at Hraundals-retter, to which thoie refort
who live lip the country ; they exchange
butter, cloth, and flieep, for
fiih, blubber, and other articles of that
kind. At Reikavik there is a woollen
manufadory, where twenty or thirty
workmen are employed ; one likewife
meets with a few looms here and there;
and many more might be eilabliilied
among the peafants, i f encouragement
was given them.
Daniili money is current in the
country, but the whole ftock o f ready
money cannot amount to many thoufand
rix-dollars. Their accounts are
not all kept in money, but according
to yards and fiflies : 48 fiflies, each
fiili reckoned at two pounds, make
one rix-dollar, and twenty-four ells
make one likewife. You may buy a
K 4 horfe
L‘.j iGi'';
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