Petrović, Nikola: Hajózás és gazdálkodás a Közép-Duna-Medencében a merkantilizmus korában (Vajdasági Tudományos és Művészeti Akadémia, Novi Sad - Történelmi Intézet, Beograd, 1982)
Summary
ownership be ceded to the company for good. Obviously, cameralists in the empire were still obstinately defending their policies. Further, this chapter deals with the problem canalization of the Kupa, a mountain river flowing through the northern ranges of the Gorski Kotar massif and constituting the frontier between Croatia and Slovenia. The Kupa was never navigable upstream of Karlovac. According to the project, the length of the canalized part of the Kupa would have to be 16.5 miles (124 km) the longest of all three canals proposed by the Kiss brothers, and it would passthrough the most difficult terrain of all. The road the rest of the way to the sea would be 71.5 km long and would be much more suitable for transportation than the old Caroline road built early in the 18th century, which was both much longer and much steeper. According to the preliminary estimate, the training of the Sava and Kupa from Samac to Karlovac and the canalization of the Kupa up to Brod would cost two million forints. However, this cost, intentionally or by mistake, was understimated. The procedure for obtaining a concession for this project was much more complicated than for the previous two, because the agreement of four more administrative bodies, i.e. the governments of the Carnian and Styrian provinces and the city authorities of Trieste and Rijeka had to be obtained, too. The construction of the new traffic routes would essentially affect their trade interests. This complex procedure is reconstructed in full detail. An outstanding protagonist in this matter was again played by Kempelen, as an expert in whom the emperor had great confidence. In the course of this procedure, and even before, i.e. in 1794 and 1795, the company spent large sums on the reconaissance, surveying and mapping of the hilly area and on picking the best location for the locks. As a result, it announced that the canalization of the Kupa was not only feasible, but that it could be completed in only three years! In this case, too, the most involved problem were the privileges. The company asked to be guaranteed the right to purchase and export 150 000 bushels (63 000 metric tons) of grain (mainly wheat) over the next 20 years from the state estate stocks, with a one—year grace period for payment. In addition, it asked for firm purchase prices, when they were teadily rising on the European market. Then barges of 1000 bushel capacity could transport 150 cargoes a year by the canal, which would make it profitable. A compromise solution was found, and such was accepted by the company. The company was guaranteed priority in the purchase of grain surpluses from the Chamber's estates, but at the prices offered by other 496
