DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57079#0068
52 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
from the lucrative trade in currants 29 and
began by levying taxes on English traders in
currants, and currants, be it noted, was the
staple of the Anglo-Levant trade. The Vene-
tians could do this effectively because the
lands where currants grew were under Venetian
rule. There were three places “ for the whole
growth of currants ” 30—Zant, Cephalonia
and Patras. Zant and Cephalonia were Vene-
tian islands, while Patras in the Morea was
under Turkish rule.31 Finding that the im-
positions were of no avail to drive off the
English, the Venetians made Venice the
centre of the currant trade.32 Now as Venice
lay out of the way for ships trading to the
Levant, this became a hardship. In addition
to this the Senate decreed that no foreign ship
should lade currants unless it brought with
it to Venice the wares of its country to the
extent of two-thirds of its freight.
29 S. P. D. James I. vol. io, No. 29.
30 S. P. D. James I. vol. 10, No. 26.
31 Patras was estimated to yield about 400 tons of
currants yearly, but the Patras currants were not so
good as the currants of Zant and Cephalonia, and sold
cheaper by two shillings or three shillings a hundred-
weight. Cf. S. P. D. James I. vol. 10, No. 26.
32 Cf. also S. P. D. James I. vol. 6, No. 69.
from the lucrative trade in currants 29 and
began by levying taxes on English traders in
currants, and currants, be it noted, was the
staple of the Anglo-Levant trade. The Vene-
tians could do this effectively because the
lands where currants grew were under Venetian
rule. There were three places “ for the whole
growth of currants ” 30—Zant, Cephalonia
and Patras. Zant and Cephalonia were Vene-
tian islands, while Patras in the Morea was
under Turkish rule.31 Finding that the im-
positions were of no avail to drive off the
English, the Venetians made Venice the
centre of the currant trade.32 Now as Venice
lay out of the way for ships trading to the
Levant, this became a hardship. In addition
to this the Senate decreed that no foreign ship
should lade currants unless it brought with
it to Venice the wares of its country to the
extent of two-thirds of its freight.
29 S. P. D. James I. vol. io, No. 29.
30 S. P. D. James I. vol. 10, No. 26.
31 Patras was estimated to yield about 400 tons of
currants yearly, but the Patras currants were not so
good as the currants of Zant and Cephalonia, and sold
cheaper by two shillings or three shillings a hundred-
weight. Cf. S. P. D. James I. vol. 10, No. 26.
32 Cf. also S. P. D. James I. vol. 6, No. 69.