Item #5015 Verordnung, betreffend den Handel zwischen den Königlichen europäischen Staten und den dänischen Inseln in America. Christiansburg, den 7ten April 1777. CHRISTIAN VII OF DENMARK.
Verordnung, betreffend den Handel zwischen den Königlichen europäischen Staten und den dänischen Inseln in America. Christiansburg, den 7ten April 1777
[DANISH WEST INDIES].
Christiansburg, Nicolaus Christian Höpffner, [1777].

Verordnung, betreffend den Handel zwischen den Königlichen europäischen Staten und den dänischen Inseln in America. Christiansburg, den 7ten April 1777.

4to, (4) ff. Disbound with marbled paper spine, edges red. A very good copy.

Extremely rare printed proclamation concerning trade between the Danish West Indies – St Croix, St Thomas, and St John – with the mother territories of Denmark, Norway, and Schleswig-Holstein. In order to promote trade in sugar, wool, and coffee, Christian VII announces several tax breaks and confirms a monopoly of Danish ships in the trade – ships from other European powers are barred on pain of confiscation.

The sole North American possessions of the Danish, the three islands proved lucrative to Christian VII, who seeks to increase protectionism over their trade products. The 10 regulations of the present Verordnung decree that products travelling from the Danish East Indies (Java) and China on to the West Indies must travel via Copenhagen; inter-island trade is exempt from taxation, and so on; in an effort to encourage commerce Christian even proposes a lowered tax on sugar.

The Danish West Indies were established by the Danish West India and Guinea Company in 1672 and became crown colonies in 1754. They are better known today as the US Virgin Islands, having been sold for $25 million in 1917.

OCLC shows one American copy, at Minnesota.

Sold

See all items in Rare Books
See all items by