Their jewelers and workers in precious metals soon became famous
throughout Europe; the glass-works of Murano rose into celebrity and
importance which they have never since lost (for they still supply the
world with beads); and they began to weave stuffs of gold tissue at
Venice, and silks so exquisitely dyed that no cavalier or dame of perfect
fashion was content with any other. Besides this they gilded leather for
lining walls, wove carpets, and wrought miracles of ornament in wax,--a
material that modern taste is apt to disdain,--while Venetian candles in
chandeliers of Venetian glass lighted up the palaces of the whole
civilized world.

The private enterprise of citizens was in every way protected and
encouraged by the State, which did not, however, fail to make due and just
profit out of it. The ships of the merchants always sailed to and from
Venice in fleets, at stated seasons, seven fleets departing annually,--one
for the Greek dominions, a second for Azof, a third for Trebizond, a
fourth for Cyprus, a fifth for Armenia, a sixth for Spain, France, the Low
Countries, and England, and a seventh for Africa. Each squadron of traders
was accompanied and guarded from attacks of corsairs and other enemies, by
a certain number of the state galleys, let severally to the highest
bidders for the voyage, at a price never less than about five hundred
dollars of our money. The galleys were all manned and armed by the State,
and the crew of each amounted to three hundred persons; including a
captain, four supercargoes, eight pilots, two carpenters, two calkers, a
master of the oars, fifty cross-bowmen, three drummers, and two hundred
rowers. The State also appointed a commandant of the whole squadron, with
absolute authority to hear complaints, decide controversies, and punish
offences.

While the Republic was thus careful in the protection and discipline of