With regard to this amount, it is proper to ob serve, that it refers to the period of 1809, when the commerce of Greece was forced up to an unnatural magnitude by the singular state of western Europe. The peace of 1814 must have reduced both the quantity and value of the cotton and grain exported, prebably to the extent of a third or more. We may remark farther, that the sum expresses the value of the articles to the foreign purchaser at the place of export, which includes duties and charges, amount ing, in some cases, to one-third of the value ; and, with regard to the article of corn, a considerable part is carried away without payment, as the pro duce of a tax ; another part is forced from the grower, at a fifth or sixth part of its value, for the supply of the capital, while the sale of the remainder is either monopolized by the begs, or subjected to an arbitrary impost, paid as a bribe for permitting the exportation, in violation of the law. (Beaujour, Vol. I. p. 119.) So great a proportion of the value is diverted into the pockets of the various classes of public functionaries, that the effect of the ex Pdrtation, in stimulating domestic industry and pro duction, is infinitely less than the aggregate amount lead us to suppose. But when the extent and population of country is considered, and the multiplied discouragements to industry, arising out of the government and state of society, the trade is surprisingly great, and shows what a high rank Greece would attain, as a commercial state, were her industry unfettered.
Beaujour has given a general estimate of the com merce of Greece, computed on an average of the years from 1787 to 1797 ; but as this estimate re fers only to certain districts of the country, and with regard to these districts, includes only the trade with foreign nations, and not that with the other parts of Turkey and Barbary ; and besides, as sub sequent events have made a great change both in the distribution and amount of this trade, we have not considered his table as the most eligible basis for an estimate of the total amount of Greek commerce, at a recent period.
Iri the trade with the northern and western parts of Europe, according to Beaujour, the goods im ported by Greece formed only about five-ninths of the exports, the balance being remitted in specie. Scrofani also makes the balance of trade between the Morea and all other countries in favour of that district, though only to a small extent. But it is well known that there is often much fallacy in such calculations.
Though still proceeding on conjectural grounds, we may venture a step farther, in order to get at •some idea of the naval resources of the Greeks. if we take the imports of the Mores (given by Sera fani) as a basis for the whole country, we should conclude that the trade of Greece, with other parts of Turkey and Barbary, is to her trade with foreign nations nearly as 5 to 4. And, in a period of war (1809), when the Greeks appeared in the cha racter of neutrals, it is probable that the whole of the former trade, and two-thirds of the latter, would be carried on in Grecian bottoms. In this and other particulars, the commerce of Greece bore a general analogy to that of America, both countries exporting raw produce of the same kind, and im porting manufactures, and both acting in the cha racter of neutrals. On the ground of this resem blance, we will suppose the coasting trade of Greece and its islands to employ about half the tonnage of its other trade. In 1810 we find the whole tonnage of the United States (foreign and coasting) was, to its exports, in the proportion nearly of 1 ton to 48' dollars ; but allowing for the inferior efficiency of Greek shipping, and the difference in the value of money, although their voyages are shorter, we may assign 1 ton to 86 dollars, as the proportion in the latter. This gives about 340,000 tons of shipping, of all sizes; and since the danger from pirates, as well as their own want of nautical skill, oblige the Greeks to employ an extra number of hands in their vessels, we may allow one man to 10 or 12 tons, which will give 30,000 seamen. If we add half as many more for the Greek mariners employed at Constantinople, Smyrna, and other ports beyond the limits of Greece, the whole number of mariners of this nation, in 1809, may be estimated at 45,000, which does not fall greatly short of the number mentioned by Mr Hobhouse. Should Greece ever seriously attempt to recover her independence, such a naval force will be of essential service to her in the struggle.
The proportion between the rate of wages and the price of commodities in Greece affords an illus tration of the dependence of the former on the habits of the population. The numerous fasts of the Greek church keep the peasant idle a great part of the year ; and the consequence is, that, as he must have the means of subsistence, his wages, during the time he labours, are so much higher. Thus, Beaujour tells
us, that, in his time (from 1787 to 1797), the wages of a peasant were from 20 to 25 paras a-day--of an artisan, 30 to 40 paras ; and, at the same period, beef was sold at 6, mutton at 12, and bread at 4 paras the oke (21 pounds); and corn was 2i piastres the kilo or bushel. Supposing a full aged labourer to consume six or seven kilos of corn in the year, he observes, that such a person could earn bread for himself; for a whole year, in 36 or 40 days, and food of all kinds in 80 ; that he could provide subsistence for himself and his wife in 160 days ; and for a child, besides, in 40 days more. The vast number of fasts, as he remarks, are the chief cause of these high wages, which do not enable the labourer to live well, but to live idle, and indulge his superstitious feelings. (Beaujour, ii. 168.) The provincial governments of Greece bear the different denominations of pachalik, mousselimlik, agalik, vaivodalik, according as they are admini stered by Pachas, Mousselims, Agas, or Vaivodes. The pachaa are the first of these functionaries in rank, and gowrn the largest districts ; the others follow in the order in which they are named. The ages often take the title of Bey, though that be longs properly to military commanders, one de gree higher. The most essential distinction between them -regards the extent of the districts they go vern ; for they are all independent of one another, and accountable separately to the general gevern meat. Each, as vicegerent of the Sultan, exercises the full powers of sovereignty within his own dis trict. This seems to be the theory of the govern ment ; but as theoey and practice seldom coincide in Turkey, we fire that in the Mores., and perhaps in other parts, the boys or ages are, to a certain extent, dependent on the paellas. The limits and the num bers of these provincial governments are often in a state of fluctuation, in consequence of the hostilities which the beys and padias carry on against one another. The enterprising ambition of Ali, the Pacha of Albania, has nearly obliterated all the an cient political divisions of Northern Greece. In 1812, the provincial governments consisted of five pachaliks, two vaivodaliks, and a number of smaller districts,governedby beys, or officers of inferior rank. These were, 1. The pachalik of Albania, now compre hending the territories which formerly constituted the pachaliks of Lepanto, Arta, Janina, Delvino, Ocrida, Avlona, with the mousselimlik of Larissa, and several towns and small districts governed by bees, ages, or vaivodes; the whole comprising the an cient Epirus, Acarnania, /Etolia, Phocis, the greater part of Thessaly, the southern division of Illyricum, and the western divisions of Macedonia and Bceotia. 2. The pachalik of Scutari, consisting of the coun try watered by the Drino, a part of the ancient 11 lyricum. 3. The pachalik of Salonica, including all the lower part of Macedonia, except the districts be longing to the Pacha of Albania. 4. The pachalik of Negroponte, consisting of the eastern part of Borotia, and the island of Eubcea or Negroponte. 5. The pachalik of Tripolitaa, comprehending all the Morea, except some maritime towns and dis tricts. The paella has under him twenty-four offi cers, governing the different cantons, some named Boys, and others Codja-bashees or elders. 6. At tica and Livadia are each governed by a vaivode. 7. The high country of Macedonia is divided among a number of beys or ages. 8. The small territory di Zagora, the ancient Magnesia, is under the go vernment of the Greek primate of the country. 9. The district of Maine, in the Mores, is disjoined from the ronhalik of Tripolitsa, and though nomi nally subject to the Capudan paths, actually enjoys a great degree of independence, under the sway of its own beys who are twelve in number, and live much in the condition of feudal barons. 10. All the Greek islands, with some maritime districts on the main land, are under•the authority of the Capudan pasha. This enumeration of the provincial governments is not so perfect and detailed as could be desired, but it comprises the beat information we have been able to collect from a considerable variety of sources.* The civil polity of the Turks is in substance the discipline and arrangements of a Tartar camp ap. plied to the government of a nation. The pasha, like the commander-in-chief, determines every mat ter civil, military, and judicial, with summary dis patch, and without reference to any other rule than his own untutored conceptions of right and wrong.