412 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. 



I have had the satisfaction of 

 seeing my efforts crowned with 

 success; and that the course of 

 exchange upon Hamburgh, which 

 in March last was at 1.36 sk, on 

 the 3d of the present January, was 

 only 84 sk. 



I have taken measures to render 

 more general the manufacture of 

 linen, and the culture of hemp ; to 

 proceed actively in the discovery 

 of new sources for obtaining salt ; 

 to continue the clearing of the 

 ground in Delecarlia ; to esta- 

 blish a new communication with, 

 and new markets in, Vermeland ; 

 to form a company destined to 

 carry on the herring-fishery in 

 the open sea ; to augment our 

 commercial relations with Fin- 

 land ; to carry into execution the 

 financial resolutions of the States 

 of the kingdom ; to give to the 

 direction of magazines, to those 

 of the customs, and to the island 

 of St. Bartholomew, a fresh or- 

 ganization. 



The harvest not having proved 

 a good one, I have adopted means 

 to prevent a scarcity, by causing 

 corn to be imported from foreign 

 countries ; but in order to prevent 

 such importation influencing the 

 exchange, salt must be exported 

 for grain so received. This ex- 

 change will be effected with so 

 much the more facility, as there 

 yet exists a sufficient provision of 

 salt in the country for two years' 

 consumption. 



I have with grief observed, that 

 the immoderate use and manufac- 

 ture of brandy, by which the ge- 

 neral interests are sacrificed to in- 

 dividual ones, corrupt the nation, 

 and will sooner or later inevitably 

 cause a scarcity. I have only em- 

 ployed exhortations on this subject. 



which I have collected from the 

 paternal sentiments of your Majes- 

 ty ; and 1 leave it to other times, 

 and to the judgment of the States, 

 to put an end to an evil which, 

 every body acknowledges, conti- 

 nues increasing. 



I have paid particular attention 

 to the State and organization of the 

 hospitals, to the religious establish- 

 ments, and to the means of pre- 

 venting, or at least of relieving, 

 the condition of mendicity. » 



The interior police and agricul- 

 ture have not been lost sight of; 

 and a central Academy of agricul- 

 ture will shortly be established, 

 for the purpose of giving an im- 

 pulse and an encouragement to the 

 public economy, and to scientific 

 knowledge, which will contribute 

 to insure the prosperity of the 

 State. 



The works of the canal of Goth- 

 land, that grand monument of 

 your Majesty's reign, have been 

 carried on with great activity. 

 Those of the canal of Sodertelje, 

 stopped by obstacles which the 

 zealous efforts of the directors 

 have not been able to surmount, 

 have again recommenced with 

 more rapid strides. 



I have carried into execution 

 the solemn resolution of the states 

 of the kingdom, sanctioned by 

 your Majesty, regarding the na- 

 tional armament ; but, careful not 

 to deprive agriculture of any more 

 arms than are indispensably neces- 

 sary for the defence of our coun- 

 try, I have merely ordered a levy 

 of 15,000 men, exclusive of the 

 60,000 which the States had 

 placed at your Majesty's disposal. 

 The most direful errors were car- 

 ried even into Schonen, where vio- 

 lence and a public rebellion threat- 

 ened 



