Bosphorus and the Dardanelles is one of The most important in the world

Commerce, however, had contributed still more largely to from com- the wealth of the capital. The highway of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles is one of The most important in the world. No city which exists, or has ever existed, lias so completely commanded an open road leading to, and having on each side of it, so many fruitful countries. Prom Batoum, which is the most direct outlet from Central Asia, the best available route to Europe was by the Bosphorus. This channel, varying from half a mile to a mile wide, could be easily defended. After a passage of eighteen miles these noble straits lead to Constantinople, which commands on one side of it the Marmora, a beautiful and convenient lake under the entire control of Constantinople. Its outlet is at the Dardanelles, where the facilities for its defence are equal to those on the Bosphorus.

Thence through the Aegean

Thence, through the Aegean, all Europe, Africa, and Asia Minor was open to the trading vessels of the capital. The imports for the supply of the wants of Constantinople and the export of her own products were themselves considerable. We have seen that the rulers of Constantinople had conceded many privileges in favor of trade to foreign subjects. But while these concessions doubtless increased her wealth, she had reserved to her own merchants the exclusive privilege of the Black Sea trade and of the import of provisions.

But she was then, as she has continued to be till quite recently, and will be again under a good government, a great mart for the collection and distribution of goods. A large amount of the trade between Asia and Europe passed through the Bosphorus. Persian and Armenian merchants brought their merchandise to Constantinople, to be distributed from thence throughout Western Europe. The city had occupied the first rank among the great marts of commerce for so long a period that, at the end of the twelfth century, she had supplied not only the empire of which she was the capital, but also Western Europe, Central Asia, and even India, with gold coin.