6 



CAUSES OF THE WEAKNESS AND DECLINE 



Turkey, with respect to the great markets of Germany and Italy, 

 that the merchants of this empire are enabled even in times of war, 

 when the communication by sea is interrupted, to maintain an active 

 commercial intercourse by land. The territorial wealth of this 

 country is so great, the climate so various, that few parts of the 

 world would enter into competition with European and Asiatic 

 Turkey, if a better direction and a greater encouragement were 

 given to the industry of the inhabitants. The activity of the Greek 

 and Armenian merchants would extend the internal trade, and open 

 new sources of prosperity. But the spirit of enterprise and com- 

 mercial speculation, is checked by the insecurity of property, and by 

 the defects and abuses of the administration of the affairs of the pro- 

 vinces. It is only in those where the Pasha exerts himself to main- 

 tain order and tranquillity, and where he feels himself secure for a 

 time from the intrigues of the Porte, that the interests of trade or 

 agriculture are regarded. The want of punctuality in the fulfil- 

 ment of pecuniary engagements, and the difficulty of recovering 

 debts occasion the rate of interest for money to be very high. In 

 Constantinople, and Smyrna, it amounts to twelve per cent. ; in 

 many parts of the empire to twenty per cent, per annum. As a great 

 portion of the commerce of the country consists in the exportation 

 of unwrought articles, there is little encouragement given to those 

 various occupations which in Europe excite the industry and in- 

 genuity of the artist and mechanic. Of the sums collected by the 

 Pashas and other powerful individuals, some part is hoarded or con- 

 cealed, and thus withdrawn from general circulation ; some is 

 annually sent out of the provinces to the great officers of the Porte. 



5. The transportation of goods through different districts of the 

 empire is slow, and often obstructed by the intestine troubles of the 

 provinces ; frequent interruptions arise in parts of Syria, and the 

 northern and eastern extremities of Asia Minor. The independent 

 Sheiks of the tribes who frequent one of the routes from Basra to 

 Aleppo, all maintain equal pretensions to demand from the mer- 

 chant, as the price of his safety, some portion of his goods. The 



