By these canals a navigation is established nearly the whole way from Petersburgh to the frontiers of China, there being an interruption only in two places, both not more than 60 miles. The distance from Pe tersburgh is between 1600 and 1700 leagues"; but the rivers being navigable only iu the fine season, ie re quires three years to complete the passage. The extent of the commerce is about one and a-half mil lion of rubles annually.
The Baltic and the Caspian are also connected by the canal of Maria. , The boats ascend the Neva, cross the Lake Ladoga, and enter the Swir, which they as cend to Lake Onega. From this Lake they ascend the Wytegra, which is united by the canal of Maria to the Kowaka. By ascending this, they arrive at Lake Bieloe, crossing which they enter the river Tcheana, which they descend to the Wolga. A ca nal has long been projected to•form a communication between the Baltic and White Sea ; but though it was begun "nearly forty years ago, there is only a short cut of about seven miles executed.
Ever since the time of Gustavas Vasa, the have been anxious to form an inland navigation tween Stockholm and the Cattegat,principallyin order to avoid the payment of the duties of the Sound, and Danish privateers in case of war. This navigation presented no very formidable difficulties. The Gotha flows out of Lake Venar ; this is at no great distance from Lake Hielmar ; and this is- still nearer Lake Meier, which communicates with the Baltic at Stock holm. Hence, it appears, that the plan of forming an internal water communication between Gotten burgh and the capital, may be divided into three principal parts : the junction of the Hielmar and the Mtelar ; of the Hielmar and the Venar ; and the rendering the Gotha navigable from the Venar to Gottenburgh. The Hielwar is 73 feet higher than the Mader, which is six feet above the Baltic. These two lakes were united in the reigns of Christina, Charles XI. and Charles XII., by the small river Ulvison, and the canal of Arboga. Nine locks are necessary to establish this communication. The junction of the Hielmer and Venar has been at tempted, only very lately, with any hopes of a suc cessful and speedy termination. The obstacles that opposed the navigation of the Gotha from Lake Venar, were principally just at its first issuing from that lake, at the four cataracts, 20 leagues above Got tenburgh, called by the general name of Trollineta ; the fall of Akerstream, about a mile below these cata racts, and a bed of rocks at Edit, considerably nearer Gottenburgh. The first impediment was removed in the reign of Charles IX. and XII. by the Carlsgraf Canal. Attempts were made to remove the second by carrying a canal along the channel of the river ; but these not succeeding, it was resolved to cut the canal through the solid rock that forms its banks. This work was begun in 1793, and in seven years it was completed. The canal commences below the
first fall of Trollheeta (for this fall, by the former plan, had been nearly turned into still water), and is carried nearly a league before it again joins the river ; its breadth is 22 feet, and its depth six and a-half; it has eight locks, and a large reservoir. A com munication between Lake Mader and the lake Sodr'a Barken on the borders of Dalecarlia, is effectedbz means of the canal of Streehmsholm, some small lakes, a river, and several locks, some of which have a fall of 38 feet. A communication between Lake Meier and the Baltic, considerably to the south of the exit of that lake, and much shorter than by it, is afforded by means of a canal that joins I eke Meier with the Sound, at the head of which stands the town of Seeder Telje.
tween the Cattegat and the Baltic, by means of the Gotha, the lakes Venar and Vetter, the river Mo tels, and a canal. Between these lakes are several intermediate waters, which will facilitate the commu nication; the Vetter empties itself by the river Mot tale, which enters the Bay of Browick at Nordkcep ing ; but, in consequence of the falls and other ob structions of this river, it will be employed only part of its course, in the intended navigation, which will be completed by a canal to the Gulf of Slcetbacken, at Scederkseping.
V. In proportion as the maritime nations of Europe increased their navy, the commerce of the Baltic, which supplied them with flax, hemp, iron, pitch, tar, timber, and masts, flourished and extended. England and France filled their arsenals with marine stores from the Baltic ; and the Dutch formed im mense depots of them, not only for their own use, but to supply the nations of the south of Europe. The stimulus to the commerce of this sea was reci procal ; for the nations on its shores began to acquire a taste for the luxuries of life, wines, spices, fine woollens, cottons, silks, sweet oil, fruits, tobacco, coffee, sugar, and expensive furniture. Towards the middle of the seventeenth century, 2000 vessels passed the Sound annually. Light-houses and bea cons were multiplied, companies of pilots were formed, and tribunals of commerce, banks, and exchanges, were established in the principal cities. Christian IV. was particularly distinguished for ac celerating the commercial progress of Denmark at this period, though, by his war with Sweden, be weakened and diminished his territories. From the reign of Eni XIV. Sweden had gradually extended her influence and her commerce on the Baltic. Charles IX. subdued a great part of Estho nia and Livonia, built towns in Finland, and founded Gottenburgh. Gustavus Adolphus built several towns on the Gulf of Bothnia. Charles XI. en couraged the building of merchant vessels, and paid great attention to the improvement of roads and the formation of canals.