AND THE FISH THEREOF. . 41 



of a burden, 1 as in the days of Charlemagne, when the conquest of I stria, 

 Liburnia, and Dalmatia is described by Gibbon as an easy though un- 

 profitable acquisition. A civil or military appointment to any post in Dalmatia 

 was considered a banishment, as it is indeed even now. Thus, all interest 

 in these provinces was nipped in the bud, and the brilliant history of Venice 

 and Ragusa was entirely ignored. 



It is not until very recently, and under the present reign, that the impulse 

 has been given to deal with the existing order of things. Politically speaking, 

 progress has been urged by the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 

 acquisition of which had become almost a question of political existence to 

 Dalmatia. This shore-land, although in the possession of the finest natural 

 harbours in the Mediterranean, and thus pre-eminently adapted as an outlet 

 of commerce, was precluded from securing the advantages to which its natural 

 position entitled it, as long as it remained a mere strip of coast without any 

 back-country. 2 Economically speaking, the country has gained by the creation 

 of a marine section of the Ministry of Commerce, and the execution of the 

 more important harbour works, foremost amongst which may be mentioned 

 those of Trieste, 3 the great emporium of Austrian commerce ; Fiume, 4 which 

 is fast becoming the great outlet of Hungarian produce, and the rival port of 

 Trieste ; and Spalato, which is the " coming " port of Dalmatia. 



Lastly, an attempt is being made to organise and develope the fisheries, 

 which have always proved a most important branch of industry to every 

 country which has the good fortune to be in the possession of a seaboard, 

 not only on account of the immediate profits it brings to those personally 



1 The remark of Emperor Joseph is characteristic ; when told that all the roads, piers, 

 forts, &c, had been constructed by the French during their occupation of Dalmatia, he said that 

 he thought it was a pity they had been driven out of the country so soon. 



2 The greatest breadth of Dalmatia is only thirty-seven Italian miles ; near Ragusa it is only 

 one mile, and at Cattaro still less. 



3 See "The Port of Trieste, Ancient and Modern," by Capt. R. F. Burton, H.B.M. Consul 

 at Trieste {Journal of the Society of Arts, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, 1875). 



* See " Fiume and her New Port," by G. L. Faber, Esq., H.B.M. Consul at Fiume {Journal 

 of the Society of Arts, Nov. 9 and 16, 1877). 



G 



