Review article
The Development of Maritime Traffic and Trade in Dalmatia from 1850 to 1880
Tomislav Pejdo
; Kožono, Zadar, Hrvatska
Abstract
After all that has been said it can be concluded that because of its exceptional location the Dalmatian coast is very favorable for the development of maritime traffic but that it used this advantage only partially. In spite of some obstacles, already by the end of the 19th century Dalmatian harbors evince more intensive traffic. Going by the importance of maritime traffic, Zadar and Dubrovnik found themselves immediately next to Split. At that time Split was the Dalmatian harbor with heaviest traffic owing to the vicinity of the trade centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and it was this harbor that in 1848 acquired the status of a free port. The evolving situation in Italy and France in respect to the fall in the production of wine and the economic circumstances relating to wine production in Europe favored Dalmatian wine growers, merchants and shippers who knew how to benefit from these misfortunes. The export potential of Dalmatia consisted in the following: wine, oil, salted fish, while at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century this potential consisted of these products: cement clay, cement and coal. Up to the end of the 80ies sailing vessels dominated maritime traffic. In large part Dalmatian harbors were integrated in transportation or transit trade with the Turkish hinterland. From that destination mostly stock for slaughter and meat products, barley and rye came to Dalmatia. Products transported from the Turkish hinterland continued its route by sea, most frequently into the nearest and the busiest harbors of the eastern Adriatic coast, into Trieste and Rijeka. Products which arrived into Dalmatian harbors by sea chiefly consisted of manufactured and industrial goods and colonial goods (coffee, sugar, rice). A part of the goods in transit essential to the life of the domicile population remained in the Dalmatian harbors. As a whole the maritime-trade traffic within Dalmatia resulted in the increase of the accumulation of capital, especially within the cities. Owing to the entire harbor and trade traffic of Dalmatia the life of its populace made a significant leap forward.
Keywords
maritime traffic; maritime trade; shipping; Turkish hinterland
Hrčak ID:
26694
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2007.
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