RUSSIA. Manuscript, Du commerce de Russie. Histoire du commerce maritime de la Russie; 18th c. [ca. 1775-1780]; 12-page folio. Study, which appears to be unpublished, in two parts: a history and description of Russia's 7 trading ports and the state of their activity. "1. kola in the icy sea. Seaport and town in Muscovite Lapland at the mouth of a river of the same name in the icy sea [...]. This town or city is not large and does not contain 60 merchants; foreign vessels come here to load up on meat and salted fish; every year, Russian vessels leave here to fish for whales and sea calves"... Etc. The Peace of Karnardgi (July 21, 1774) gave the Russians "the freedom to sail and trade in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, opening up a new route for this nation's trade, the extent of which cannot yet be measured. The ports in the Sea of Azov and on the Black Sea should become the center of trade between North and Midy, and provide Russia's southern provinces with an easy outlet for their products, which they have hitherto lacked"... Etc.