Estimate of the Cost, of a Vessel of English Frigate-Construction, of 500 Tons Measurement, 130 Feet Keel, with two Flush Decks, Quarter Deck, Fore Castle upon the Upper Deck, Gun Ports, Head and Gallery, &c. with the whole Work and Sheathing. For the wharf and privilege Necessary timber Charges for providing the timber Masts, yards, &c. complete Building, or labour. 2,000 poods different iron and nails, for all the iron work, 7,000 250 100 500 200 Sundry small materials, as tar, pitch, cloth, hair, bristles, the upper deck, 13 of a side, 5 on the quarter deck and forecastle; in all 36 ports, with iron work, &c. &c. 500 deals. 650 waylocks 60 poods nails at 50 Cop. Rubles 250 20 325 . 36,925 450 Nails for the waylocks 35 barrels of tar Carpenters and caulkers Carriage of these materials 50 poods oakum 6 barrels of pitch Rubles 130 195 22 105 550 25 50 36 1,363 38,738 If only copper sheathed to the water line, there are required 500 plates of 1 arsheen each, at 8lbs. will be 310 poods, at Rubles 20 per pood Carriage from the fabric For the sheathing, copper nails, at 40 nails on a plate, in all 75 poods Smith, for workmanship, at 10 co. per plate, computed, if nothing comes betwixt the copper and plates In all, with copper, the first cost Except the cook, kitchen and cabin apartments, water-cocks, colours, compasses, hour-glasses, and provisions; brokerage and commission, stapt paper, the guns and ammunition, rigging and. equipping. If a frigate of 400 tons is to be built of English construction, 120 feet. keel, excepting the port holes, &c. &c. and the sheathing and copper, would cost . Rubles 33,500 A vessel of 400 tons sheathed and coppered would amount to 42,600, CHAP. IV. - Of the Baltic Sea, as connected with the Russian Empire. Its Ports in that Sea. A Table shewing when they are open, and when they are shut by the Frest.-The Account of the Shipping, &c. in 1797 and 1802. — Of the Trade and Navigation of all the Ports of Russia in the Baltic. IT was only in the year 1558 that the English first had any direct trade to Russia by the Gulph of Finland; and, in 1560, the King of Poland threatened Queen Elizabeth of England with his resentment, if she suffered her subjects to continue it.-- What great changes have taken place amongst these three powers since that period! It was the building of St. Petersburg which drew the principal part of the Russia trade thither: the subsequent conquests from the Swedes, of all the provinces and south coast of the Gulph, quite to and including Riga, added great importance to it; for, in the year in which the piles were driving for the foundation of Petersburg, Riga alone loaded and dispatched 292 ships from her harbour. The ports which Russia possesses in the Gulph of Finland are Fredericksham and Wyburg, in the government of Wyburg; Petersburg, the residence, and capital of the government of that name; Narva, Revel, and Hapsal, in the government of Revel; as is Arensburg in the island of Oesel, immediately facing the Baltic sea; Pernau and Riga, in the government of Riga, and in the bay of that name. As Petersburg ranks the first port, by its commerce, in the empire, and Riga the second: we shall treat particularly of the trade of these two cities under separate chapters; in a third, of the others, under their respective heads; and, at present, give a state of the trade of Russia collectively by the Baltic sea. The navigation of this sea is always closed during the winter, and it becomes tempestuous as that season approaches, till closed. A state P ment of the periods at which each Russian port throughout the Baltic is closed by the winter, or opened by the spring, may be useful. Riga At Revel in the Month of February or March At Revel in the Month of November or Dec. ditto March or April Rogervich Bay, or Baltic Port, Revel Bay, Kasperwick, under Hogland Island, Aspo and Sceskar, are the principal and safe anchoring places. The coast is rocky. Excepting Revel, the whole of the ports are more or less dangerous for the loading and landing of goods. Between Petersburg and Cronstadt are frequent accidents. From Narva, into the Roads, but little danger; and the same at Riga. The proprietors of goods would always act prudently to include in their policy those risks specifically, which occur from taking on shore till safely on board, to prevent any altercation in case of loss, and the underwriter will of course take into consideration this small but additional risk. As Great Britain has her principal intercourse with Russia by means of the Baltic, the following observations may be found useful to many. Masters of vessels, when they arrive in sight of the Guard Ships, &c. are to hoist their colours, and bring to, for the purpose of the guard ship sending her boat, to make the necessary inquiries, particularly whether the merchantman has any gunpowder on board; and, in case there is, the same must be removed on board the guard ship, and kept there until the departure of the merchantship, when it will be restored; but, if concealed and afterward discovered, the master is subject to very heavy penalties. A custom house vessel, which is always stationed close to the guard ship, then sends her boat, and places an officer on board, where he continues until the vessel reaches the port, first putting scals on the passengers' trunks, &c. &c. in which state they remain until sent to the custom house, where they are examined; which sometimes takes eight or ten days. As soon as vessels come to anchor at Cronstadt Mole, captains are to go immediately to the agent, and make a proper report of their cargoes, ship's crew, names and number of passengers, &c. and in their manifest to specify every thing on board: likewise, on their departure, passports, particularizing their cargoes, &c. will be required by the proper officers at the custom house and admiralty. Passengers must produce their passports to the governor, or commanding officer, before they are permitted to leave any port in Russia, or frontier by land: when they arrive they should go immediately to the police master general, produce their pass, and shew him to whom they are recommended, their business, &c. Travellers by sea and land are neither to arrive or depart without passports; otherwise liable to detention, until the proper officers are satisfied. 4 Previous to departure, the laws of Russia require persons of all descriptions to cause an advertisement to be inserted in the public newspapers, three times, in the Russian and German languages, expressive of their intention to leave the country, their profession, &c. agreeable to a form prescribed; in order that all persons having claims may make them, and be satisfied before the advertiser departs. A pass, from the minister for the country to which such person be-· longs, must also be produced to the general police officer, who, upon being satisfied therewith, will grant him a government passport, if he goes by land; but if by sea, the same memorial will be required with the government pass; as likewise one from the admiralty. |