TRIPOLI.
167
The commerce of Tripoli has decreased lately, in proportion
with that of the entire commerce of Syria. There are no longer
any Frank establishments, and the few Franks who still remain are
in the greatest misery. A French consul, however, resides here,
M. Guys, an able antiquary, and who was very liberal in his literary
communications to us. He has a very interesting collection of
Syrian medals. Mr. Catziflis, who is a Greek, is a very respectable -
man, and rendered considerable services to the English
army during the war in Egypt. He is extremely attentive and
hospitable to English travellers.
The principal commerce of Tripoli is in silk produced upon the
mountain, of which it exports yearly about 800 quintals or cwt., at
about 280.sterling per quintal. Formerly the French merchants used
to take silk in return for their goods, as it was difficult to obtain money ¬
in the Levantine trade ; it is true that they sold it to a disadvantage ¬
in France ; yet not so great as they would have done had they
insisted on being reimbursed ready money, upon which they must
have paid the discount. The silk was bought up at Marseilles by
the merchants of Barbary, who thus procured it at a lower rate
than they could do at Tripoli. This intercourse however has
ceased in consequence of the ruin of French trade, and the Moggrebyns ¬
now visit Tripoli themselves, in search of this article,
bringing with them colonial produce, indigo, and tin, which they
buy at Malta. The sale of West India coffee has of late increased
greatly in Syria ; the Turks have universally adopted the use of it,
because it is not more than half the price of Mokha coffee ; a considerable ¬
market is thus opened to the West India planters, which
is not likely to be interrupted, until the Hadj is regularly re-established, ¬
the principal traffic of which was in coffee.
The next chief article of exportation is sponges; they are procured ¬
on the sea shore ; but the best are found at a little depth in
