8 
ODESSA. 
the consequent peace of Kamainargi. The founding of Kher¬ 
son, in 1780, gave birth to an extensive commerce in that quar¬ 
ter, which gradually and substantially increased. The acquisition 
of the Crimea, promised security to its success ; and the establish¬ 
ment of the ports of Kaffa, and Kertish, confirmed it. The pro¬ 
spect of a further stretch of commercial coast, was laid open by 
the capture of the Turkish fort of Gadgibei, which Admiral 
Rebus took by storm. That fort was the nucleus (if we may use 
such a metaphor) of the present city of Odessa. It stood on a 
high cliff, overlooking the sea, and commanding a great part of 
the coast, with a fine harbour below. From the manifest advan¬ 
tage of this position, the victors, or rather those in authority after 
its conquest, formed a plan, which they sent up to government, 
setting forth the eligible situation of the recently-acquired fort¬ 
ress, for the establishment of a new port on the Black Sea. The 
project was adopted; orders issued for the foundations to be 
laid ; and in the year 1796 the Christian city of Odessa began to 
rise, around the battered walls of the Mahometan fortress. Since 
that time a gradual influx of adventurous, and industrious inha¬ 
bitants, has brought it to the wealth and consequence it now 
exhibits. Within these few years, the exportation of grain to 
the Mediterranean, and other considerable markets, has produced 
a degree of commercial activity in the adjoining country, scarcely 
to be credited as the effect of so comparatively an infant mart. 
Government being amply aware of the growing advantages of 
such an emporium in that part of the world, (advantages which 
none, but a person who has been on the spot, can fully appre¬ 
hend,) hold out large offers, in the shape of personal privileges, 
to certain orders of settlers; these privileges being in addition 
to the liberties which Odessa, as a city, is generally to enjoy. 
