Henrik Costa and his description of the free port of Trieste in 1838

Abstract

In 1838, the book by Henrik Costa Der Freihafen von Triest. Oesterreichs Hauptstapelplatz für den überseeischen Welthandel was published in Vienna. The work is divided into three chapters. The first chapter describes the geographical position of the city of Trieste, sea currents, winds, »good« and »bad« seasons, which might hinder access to the port. The author presents the port’s accessibility by sea and land. The second chapter provides a concise and systematic overview of the history of the port, from Charles VI to 1836, and the third chapter presents the institutions and authorities necessary for the smooth operations of the free port. This part also contains statistical tables on the trade and the frequency of port traffic between 1815 and 1835.