2-4TJ 



CORSICA. 



Corsica. 



Manufac- 

 ture*. 



Trade. 



lias been the result of the process, may be driven with 

 the hammer from the place which it occupies, a hole 

 of the same form being left behind ; and around these 

 several spherical bodies in the paste of the stone, and 

 round the spheres, the matter of the paste, according 

 to the tendency it has had to approach them, has form- 

 ed a kind of aureolus or zones. 



Manufactures are still in a very imperfect state in 

 Corsica. Of the coarse and commonly black wool of 

 the country, only the coarsest kind of stuffs can be 

 prepared. Any thing of a finer description is obtained 

 from abroad, the Corsicans having not yet advanced so 

 far in art as to be able to furnish an} r -thing of that cha- 

 racter ; and indeed the quantity of wool produced in 

 the country not being adequate, without such supplies, 

 to answer the internal consumption. Linen cloth is 

 also prepared only in small quantities, and of the coarsest 

 kind. There is plenty of leather to be had within the 

 island, but that which is in most common use, and of 

 which their shoes are made, consists merely of skins, 

 particularly that of the wild boar, hardened in the ah-, 

 •without being tanned. Whether it be from poverty or 

 indolence, the true process of tanning, though not un- 

 known here, is but little practised. The little of their 

 leather that is tanned, is so prepared by means of dried 

 wild bay leaves, beaten into a powder, which commu- 

 nicate to it a greenish hue. The use of such materials 

 for this purpose is not by any means the consequence 

 of a scarcity of the more commonly approved materials. 

 On the contrary, bark might be procured very easily, 

 and in great abundance ; indeed, it is in large quanti- 

 ties exported into Italy. 



The Corsicans prepare themselves the oil which they 

 use in their lamps ; they likewise make wax candles, 

 and a few tallow ones. Guns and pistols are manufac- 

 tured in the country, most of which are of excellent 

 workmanship, likewise great quantities of gun-powder. 

 There are as yet, however, no founderies for cannon 

 in the island, nor do the inhabitants make the bullets 

 for which they have occasion in war. Notwithstanding 

 the apparent facilities within their reach in this depart- 

 ment, they are in like manner defective in the art of 

 ship-building. They have, however, a number of small 

 ships, and some of a tolerable size ; and considerable 

 prudence and spirit have sometimes been exhibited in 

 the conduct of their naval affairs. 



The trade of Corsica is by no means considerable. 

 It consists chiefly in the sale of the coral that is found 

 on its coasts, and in an internal traffic of articles for 

 home consumption. It has at various successive pe- 

 riods been placed under different regulations, and sub- 

 jected to the controul of distinct 'superintendents. It 

 might easily, however, receive a farther extension than 

 it has ever yet obtained. For this, the situation of 

 the island is not less favourable than its produce. 

 The coast of Corsica every where almost affords good 

 anchorage for vessels of a small draught of water, and 

 tliere are numerous ports in all directions, into some 

 of which the largest vessels may enter, and where 

 they can be secure from every storm. The prin- 

 cipal of these ports are, to the north, Cenlivri ; to the 

 west, San Fiorenzo, Isola Rossa, Calvi, Ajaccio ; to the 

 south, Bonifecio; and to the east, Bastia, Maccinajo, and 

 Porto Vecchio. Centuri is indeed small, but might, 

 without difficulty, be considerably enlarged. San Fio- 

 renzo is a gulf which runs about 1 5 miles up into the 

 country, of a good breadth, and with great depth of 

 water. The gulf itself is often exposed to swellings of 

 iiie- sea from the violence of the west winds, but the va- 



rious creeks and little bays that occur in it, especially in GBt'ikad 

 its southern part, afford good shelter for ships. The "bay T"^" 

 particularly, which is formed under the tower of Fornali, 

 about two miles from San Fiorenzo, is very much es- 

 teemed, and is sufficient for the reception of the largest 

 and most heavily loaded merchant vessels. They can 

 lie there also in perfect safety. Isola Rossa is only a 

 small haven, but it has the advantage of considerable 

 depth of water, and is defended by a small island from 

 the western winds. Calvi is a large and excellent port. 

 Ajaccio is a spacious and commodious harbour, and has 

 a good mole. Vessels may lie there in perfect security, 

 Bonifacio is a very convenient harbour, and has from 

 the most ancient times been much frequented by traders. 

 Bastia is not such a port as might be adequate to the 

 reception of ships of war, but it is very convenient for 

 small vessels, to which its mole affords considerable ad- 

 vantage, both in respect of security, and for the bet- 

 ter transaction of business. The islands of Gargona, 

 also of Capraga and Elba, which are, in this vicinity, 

 are so happily situated a3 to prevent small vessels ply- 

 ing in this quarter from being ever without resources 

 when overtaken by a storm. Maccinajo is but an in- 

 considerable harbour, but very safe and commodious for 

 vessels of a light structure. The most noted of all the 

 harbours of Corsica is Porto Vecchio, which is indeed 

 one of the best ports in Europe. It is so spacious as 

 to be capable of containing a large fleet, being about 

 five miles in length, about a mile and a half broad, and 

 of considerable depth. It has a good bottom, and is 

 so defended by the neighbouring lands as to be secure 

 from the violence of the storms. A majestic natural, 

 column, formed by a rock that rises hard by it, makes 

 it easy to be discovered even from a great distance. Th« 

 greatest inconvenience to winch it is subject, arises 

 from the badness of the air, which is occasioned by 

 the marshes in its vicinity. 



The abundant supplies which Corsica furnishes in 

 all the departments of natural riches'} joined to the fa- 

 cilities which its position and form thus afford for the 

 prosecution of trade, certainly point it out as a place 

 in which it were reasonable to look for a very exten- 

 sive commerce. That the effect has not corresponded 

 with the apparent causes, may have been owing to in- 

 judicious regulations in respect to the object, or to an 

 indifference on the part of the people, the consequence 

 of the state of thraldom in which they have too fre- 

 quently been held, either by their native or by foreign 

 riders. In 1769* an exclusive right to the fishings 

 about the island was, by letters patent, vested in two 

 individuals. The Jews of Leghorn, in like manner, 

 had obtained a monopoly of the coral trade. In 1798, 

 it appears that almost the whole commerce of the 

 island was in the hands of foreigners. It consisted 

 chiefly in the export of some oil of an inferior quality 

 — of wax, not equal in beauty to that of Mans — of tar — 

 of raisins and wine — and, above all, of wood in logs 

 and in planks. The little corn which was sent cut of 

 the country, returned to it again in meal, in starch, in 

 dry pastes, and sea biscuit. The skins that had been 

 sold in a raw state, were bought back again tanned, 

 and dressed for boots and shoes. The coral fisheries, 

 were monopolized by the Neapolitans. The fishery of 

 the thunn-y was engrossed by the people of Sardinia. 

 The imports, as in all countries without industry and 

 without arts, consisted in tools, utensils, furniture, dra- 

 pery, iron-ware, and clothes. 



The island of Corsica is not very populous. The in- 

 testine wars which have prevailed hi it for ages, have 



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