Paris Peace Congress and the navigation of the Pruth 
and Sireth Rivers Cover Image

Congresul de Pace de la Paris şi navigaţia pe râurile Prut şi Siret
Paris Peace Congress and the navigation of the Pruth and Sireth Rivers

Author(s): Theodor Smeu
Subject(s): History, Political history, Modern Age, 19th Century
Published by: Editura Academiei Române
Keywords: river navigation; captain Magnan; navigation privilege; freedom of navigation; Moldova

Summary/Abstract: Both Pruth and Sireth Rivers are discharging in the Danube near the Galatz City on the Lower Danube. Since the beginning of the 18th century first Austria and second Russia were more and more interested on the Lower Danube. In the 1850’s several countries established consulates at Galatz. In the time of the Crimean War Austria forced Russia to retreat from the Principalities and occupied them. Austria tried to replace the Russian protectorate over the Principalities whit its own but the Treaty of Paris established to put the Principalities under the joint protection of the great Powers. At the end of his reign Grigore Alexandru Ghica, hospodar of Moldavia, granted a navigation exclusive right on the rivers Pruth and Sireth for 30 years to a French captain named Magnan. Granting the right dissatisfied Austria which considered this as an act of interfering in its own area of influence. Because of that Austria started to make pressures on Ottoman Empire to cancel the right. In the end the Porte cancelled the right and dissatisfied France.

  • Issue Year: LV/2016
  • Issue No: 55
  • Page Range: 179-194
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Romanian