Esther M. Lederberg
Spław Handel (Trade)

Apoteoza_Gdanska

Apoteoza (Culmination) of Gdańska


The "Spław" refers to river trade from inland Poland and Lithuania to the Baltic. The major rivers were: Nieman, Dwina, San, Vistula, as well as the Odra, Pregel, etc. The major Baltic ports were situated upon inland river cities as well. Cities such as: Gdańsk, Königsberg, Memel, Riga, Lublin, Poznan, Torun, Gniezno, Warsaw, Jaroslaw, Kazimierz, Lowicz, Krzepice, Wilno, Grodno, Breslau, Leipzig.

Such trade required capital that few people possessed, other than the King and the magnates. These wealthy people engaged primarily in grain and potash trade. Other trade was carried on by people such as wealthy merchants, Jews and occasional noblemen. Other products were exported such as: hemp, flax seeds, furs, plótno (linen), etc. Imported products included: fine fabrics, French wines, perfumes, English clocks, weaponry, coffee, spices, metals (silver, iron, steel, lead), salt, salt herring, paper, charm water (wealthy women used this to induce pregnancy)1, black African slaves2. Magnates were primarily interested in the spław trade to the Baltic so that they could trade latifundia grain or potash to obtain ready cash. On the return trip, magnates used the skipper to obtain goods. Lesser nobility, clergymen, townsmen and peasants depended upon the Jewish spław merchant. Jewish "froktarz" (shipped freight by spław riverboats) composed between 55% to 70% by 1717, and 50% to 90% of freight fees were paid by Jewish "froktarz"3.

The magnates might encounter obstruction, from bandits or greedy port towns along the spław rivers. "Protekcja" prevented this. "Protekcja" included: 4
  1. Protection against molestation (by officials or others).
  2. Avoiding or reduction in customs or tolls otherwise at extortionate levels.
  3. Loans to build stores and to purchase stock.
  4. Void competing towns from other magnates.
  5. Orders issued to Saxon and Polish armies and customs and treasury officials to allow spław boats to pass freely and safely.
In addition to "protekcja", more stringent methods existed. "Egzekucja" could be employed. When someone broke a law, a posse of magnate private soldiers or lesser noblemen dependent upon the magnate visited the home of the law breaker and the law breaker was arrested, property seized, or the house burned down. 5

One might consider this riverine trade as a nascent trade network similar to that of the Hanseatic League, which also included inland riverine trade primarily focused upon the Baltic and the North Sea. Indeed, Gdańsk, Königsberg, Klaipėda and Riga were already Hanseatic League cities. Had this Polish-Lithuanian trade developed, it would most likely have resulted in a commercial rivalry similar to that of Venice and Genoa in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and the Sea of Azzov.

Rafts and ships were used. Some of the vessels were as follows: Szkut, Szkuty, Dubas, Byk, Lyżwa, Koza, Galar, and the Berlinka. These had skippers ("szyprowie"), a steward or factor ("szafarz"), that acted as a purser to procure and dispense supplies en route, and a clerk ("pisarz"), that kept records of freight (what, how much, who, how much paid).

The British in the New World were aware that the ships used to transport slaves from Africa, as well as ships used to transport colonial products like sugar back to Europe, could be counted (employed) as a part of the British Navy. Each ship captain could, in an emergency, become a Royal Navy War captain, or even an admiral! The Spław skipper and his rafting ship or barge or raft might also be viewed as a part of an embryonic Polish Navy.
1 "The Lords' Jews: Magnate-Jewish Relations in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 18th Century", M. J. Rosman, p. 165
2 "Money, Power, and Influence in Eighteenth-Century Lithuania", Adam Teller, p. 163.
3 "The Lords' Jews: Magnate-Jewish Relations in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 18th Century", M. J. Rosman, pp. 96, 102
4 ibid., pp. 80, 81, 108
5 ibid., pp. 170, 193

We can gain insights by seeing Spław art work and photographs of related buildings (such as warehouses and shipyards) still extant.
  1. Barges of Gdańsk grain
  2. Barges of Gdańsk grain (in color)
  3. Polish szlachta selling goods in Gdańsk
  4. Barges with grain (zboźem) on Mołtawie river (Krantor)
  5. Barge ("galar") of grain ("zboźem") on the Mołtawie
  6. Barge Galley rowers (14)
  7. Consignment of grain on a barge
  8. Barges (szkuty) and Hanseatic style buildings
  9. Warehouse ("składnica") for ash ("popiołu") and potash ("potaźu")
  10. Barge ("szkuta"): an etching ("sztychu")
  11. View ("widok") of Warszawy, XVIIth Century, on the Vistula
  12. View ("widok") of Warszawy at the foreground of the harbor ("przystań")
                 are small sailing vessels ("statki")
  13. Rafts on the Vistula river: a woodcut ("drzeworyt")
  14. Raftsman ("flisak") vending ("sprzedający") groat kasha ("kaszę gryczana")
  15. Towing ("holowanie") a vessel ("statków")
  16. Granery ("Spichlerz") in Sandomierzu
  17. Old granary ("spichlerek") in Płonce
  18. 17th century Spław Vistula granary
  1. Szkut
  2. Szkuty
  3. Dubas
  4. Byk
  5. Lyźwa
  6. Koza
  7. Galar
  8. Berlinka

Spław (River/Baltic trade) Glossary

Polish Meaning
Artfulnik Oldest, most skilled rafter (sailor) on the lighter.
Bat, bacik Sailing vessel to transport goods and people since the 16th century.
Beczka Barrel (72 gallons).
Berlinka A type of spław river trade boat, like a large canoe, supports 6 paddlers.
Blat Long beam paddle used by helmsman (pilot), submerged in water.
Blinki Unspecified device on the keel.
Blok, bloch Pulley using ropes to move sails.
Bocznica Lowest beam in the side wall of the vessel.
Bokszpryc, bukszpryt Bowsprit Rod protruding from the front of the ship, to block ropes from entangeling with the anchor.
Bosak Hook at the end of a long stick.
Bratnal Iron nail with flat (hat) at the top, up to 3 inches long, to nail boards.
Buda Shack or hut on a barge or dubas (see below), cabin for the skipper made of boards having windows inside and shelves, with food on the shelves for the crew. Also used to store trade goods, especially paintings.
Burta, burtnica Side of the ship.
Burtować If large waves are encountered, boards may be added to raise the sides of a ship.
Byk Big "bull" ship similar to galar (see below).
Cetnar Hundredweight weight (65 kg.) or 5 stones, 120 pounds.
Cuma A hawser (thick) rope tethering a ship.
Czółno, czołn A small boat or canoe, made from a single tree trunk.
Drygawka A variety of large oars found with lighters.
Dubas A sailing vessel with one or two masts using 8-16 rafters. Known since the 15th century.
Dunal 1. Pin at the helm, the great nail at the helm where the attachment forms the axis to which the rudder is attached
2. Shack on the barge
Dylka Board used to make a bridge from the ship to land
Dycht Caulking material for sealing the vessel: moss, lint tar (Targan), hair
Dychtarz Worker that fills cracks in the ship with caulking
Esy S-shaped cam, used by rafters to zakladania on oszewke to nadlozenia sides tarcicami the tidal waves.
Falami Waves.
Flisak Raftsman (sailor).
Fok Foksail, sail at the bow.
Forst Extremely large unstripped timber beams.
Fryjor The first rafting expedition in the spring.
Gaga Wood binding on both sides of the ship for strength against the pressure of the weight of the load.
Galar River boat similar to a barge, usually rectangular in form, constructed out of planks of pine or spruce. It is used mainly for transporting salt, lime and cereal grain.
Gara Thinnest rope to rotate the sail to adjust for the wind.
Garniec A gallon, or 4 quarts.
Gaty Object to rivet nails.
Gorcel Rope or wooden device for rope.
Gratyna, grotyna 1. Place between wooden beams or planking where water collects.
2. A bridge between ship and shore.
Gwoździe, karpiowe (karpowe) 18 inch rough nails.
Gwoździe, ramowe (zaramowe) Nails, for nailing a (ship) framework.
Gwoździe zumowe Nails for sewing (see "szycie").
Hamer Cap cross at the upper end of the paddles (part of an oar lock?).
Hamulec Brake rod 4 elbows in length, nailed on top of rudl, controlled by the helmsman.
Holowanie Towing (a barge).
Kalarefa, kalaryfa Rope to unfurl sails.
Kamień Stone measure containing 32 pounds. 1 hundredweight corresponds to 5 stones.
Kara Punishment, keel hauling(?).
Karnat, szpantał Rope between the ship's bow and the top of the mast.
Klambrą A buckle to bind trees.
Klamburta, klemburta, klemborza Upper and wider side of the ship where one can walk.
Kliniec 1. Wooden nail or peg.
2. A kind of little iron wedge to be driven into the place where the rudder joins the keel (dunali).
Knaga Cleat (fitting designed to tie off ropes) slat nailed down along the side of the dowel (dulek) for oars (part of oar lock).
Korzec Bushel measure of grain (varies in different parts of Poland) adopted during the second half of the 18th century, though the Warsaw bushel was 32 gallons.
Korczyk A half Korca, a Warsaw bushel was 2 korczyki.
Kotew, kot, kotwa Anchor.
Kufa Measure(?) of two barrels.
Kwarek A curved piece of oak wood, used for the construction of lighters, a rib.
Koza Goat sailing vessel, like a small barge or Dubas (above), with a crew of 4-6 people.
Koziołek Goat pin with legs for holding the sail ropes.
Laska 1. Pole to push galaru (river boats).
2. Thin poles to plug gaps in moss chaulking.
Lichtan, lihtun, lichton A smaller vessel (lighter) for handling goods. A galarach is a smaller lighter, with a shed for the skipper with food supplies, and Fleece and spare equipment used during river trade.
Lichtowanie, lichtuga Unloading goods, by boat (lighter).
Likowanie (o żaglu) Sail trimmed by cable.
Łatr sążeń Fathom, the measure of depth used in mountain river transport (Spław).
Ława Bench along the bottom of the vessel.
Łyżwa A spław river vessel, similar to a barge, carries 10 people.
Magister Master shipbuilder.
Masztach Masts.
Miarka Measure in Sieniawa, probably 12.5 gallons.
Napłata Keel.
Narożnice żelazne Iron clamps to nail the shack (buda) to the ship.
Obceje (Foreign) thick rope, holding the horizontal sail balance pole, running from the top to the sides of the masts.
Oberlok A device for sails.
Obsztak A thick rope to fix masts, or to pull the ship out of shallows.
Odbieg, odbiega A long rope to hold the ship to shore.
Ogibiel A device for iron keels.
Okowa, okówka A fitting for paddles to protect them from scuffing due to resistant abrasion on the river bottom or edges.
Okrętka A swivel type of rope.
Okseft, oksefta A hogshead for wine and other liquids.
Osaczka In Sieniawa in 1727, was 84 quarts.
Pachołek kołek (Bollard) 1. Pin to attach sailing ropes or mooring lines to. A short, thick post on the deck of a ship or on a wharf, to which a ship's rope may be secured.
2. Vertical pin through an oar (part of oar lock).
3. A rib that protrudes higher vertically upon which to tie ropes of ships.
Pałąk Headband: "On the barge, a headband is the beam reaching sideways".
Panew, ponew Bushing.
Pecka (Workshop) A stake driven into the ground.
Pilasy The area (szkutach), where the crew sleeps.
Pióro Claw anchor.
Plichta A flat, little room for the crew on larger ships.
Pobiegi Lumber from the sides of the ship after they have sailed.
Pobitka Roof or covering of the lumber on board ship, or of stall.
Pochoda See "trep".
Pociosek A kind of wooden shovel.
Pojazdy Sailing vehicles with long oars.
Policzek Cheek lift: side, or side by side.
Pólka lina Shelf rope to the ship being towed up river.
Połba A device under the mast.
Półbeczek 36 gallons.
Połeć Elephant fat from the middle of the pig (bacon).
Półmacek, półmarek Same as "maca".
Półsetek Measure on canvas of 40 Arshinov (arshin - 71 cm). Półsetek linen is thin enters pieces 8, piece as 12 elbows.
Półwręczek Rung.
Potaż Potash obtained from wood ashes.
Przednik Oldest (most experienced) rafter (river sailor) on the ship.
Przystań Harbor.
Rabandy, rabendy, szuty Strings at the corners of the sail.
Raki Wooden knobs or hooks at the mast, to make it easy to pull the sail.
Rama Frame bonding planks and lumber.
Reja Auxiliary mast, supporting the upper outer end of the sail, used like the main mast.
Retman Rafter (river sailor) that leads all ships on a river trip.
Retmańczyk Midshipman reitman.
Rozkloc, rowkloc, rukloc 1. Surface of the wall to the rear of the ship for oars.
2. The rear wall of the vessel.
3. The small bar at the rear of the ship, running from the brake to Rudl - part of the rudder.
Rudel Helm. The part of the rudder actually in the water.
Ryszpa A ball.
Ryza The part of the river trip completed.
Ryzbort, ryzburta Surface of the ball in sewing ship.
Sążeń Fathom: 3 elbows or 6 feet.
Siadanka Bench to sit upon on the ship.
Składnica Warehouse used in the spław river trade.
Skoblica, skobliczka See żabka.
Słupiec Pole behind the vessel, attached to the helm
Słuszyna Type of rope on a dubas.
Snop żelaza A beam of iron of 12 iron rails.
Spichlerz A grainery used in the spław river trade.
Sprzedający A vendor.
Statków A ship.
Stembloch, sztemblok, sztymblok See stolec masztowy (mast stool).
Ster The rudder comprises (on larger ships) of three parts:
a stem (brake),
the head,
the base portion.
The "Slupiec" is mounted on the "sworzn" (pin).
Spław River trade, rafting.
Statek, tatku Ship, ships.
Stepka Keel beam (napłata) extends along the vessel bottom, having in the center a hole to mount the mast. The opening in the "stolcu" is perpendicular to the keel opening ("stepki").
Stepki Keel.
Steru Rudder.
Stojaki, sztalugi Racks, easels: two vertical balls attached to opposite sides of the walls, serving as a basis for the bridge, after which comes the helmsman. (See "trep").
Stolec, stembloch Stool, "stembloch": a thick timber or beam set at the height of the sides on the ship frame. It has an opening in the center for the mast. This hole corresponds to the recess in the keel.
Stoszyba Circle of iron.
Stroisz Straw mats used aboard vessels as damp grain sticks to clothing.
Struzin, struzina The line to set the sail against the wind.
Sworzeń dunal A big iron nail used as an axil on which is mounted the rudder.
Szarpacz, szarpak A chopper or iron shredding tool to pull apart oakum to make caulking (see "targanu").
Szkuta The largest river sailing ship with a crew of 16-20 people, 7-10 paddlers. This cargo barge was in practice about 40 Polish lasts (łaszt), about 40 x 30 Polish bushels (korzec) or 1200 Polish bushels. Alternatively, about 40 x 3840 liters.
Szkutnik A boatbuilder craftsman that builds riverboats.
Szmelcuga (smelcuga) A type of potash (a major item transported on the Spław).
Sznur A measure of length made by burning rope tied around trees to produce a black mark. A length of about 45 cubits.
Szopka A Crib of unspecified wood art, probably for storage.
Szpantał See "karnat".
Sztaba The bow of a ship.
Sztak 1. Thick rope to kowicy, also served to attach a ship like the hawser;
2. Thickest line connecting the top of the mast to the bow of a ship (sztaba).
Sztyber Helm fitting.
Szut, szuta, szuty, sut Cords on the corners at the bottom of sails, which are attached to bollards (short, thick posts on the deck of a ship or on a wharf).
Szyba (glass) 1. Log on the block in the rigging of ships;
2. Aside a "Dubas".
Szycie (sewing) 1. Wood, comprising the side of the vessel;
2. A wooden strip, covering "szparunki" (spars?) on the sides or bottom of a ship.
Szyper (skipper) 1. Foreman responsible for a splaw vessel
2. A vessel owner, who is responsible for the organization and the financial aspects of river trade (rafting).
Spiluza, szpiluza Chisel-shaped tool.
Targan (caulking) Caulking material for sealing ships or oakum (hemp strands from old ropes, boiled in pitch).
Traref, trarwa A thin rope to pull up the sail yard.
Trep, trepy, pochoda A footbridge set in the back of the ship above the sides, after which comes the helmsman while steering.
Treska See "tryska".
Trosa A thick rope, used mainly for towing ships, see "tryl", "trel".
Trunkal A beverage or snack.
Tryl, trel A rope for towing a ship, see "trosa".
Tryska, treska A link to the podkaywania sails, so that the skipper could see the road for himself.
Uzda (bridle) Whip for horizontal suspension "drygawki" (a variety of long oars found with lighters) to the lower part left above water.
Wał płótna Shaft of canvas the size of "półsetka", a canvas "arszynowego" can be 150 cubits.
Warsztat (Workshop) Shipyard.
Ważenie statków (szkut) Weighing a vessel (barge) - during repair.
Winda (elevator) Ship winding rope from to the anchor or to "ciągania" weights, at the front of the vessel.
Wioślarzy Paddlers.
Wrąg, wręg (frames) Trees, usually oak, in the form of bent knees, up to 18 feet, used to connect the sides of the ship to the bottom of the frame (a thickness of up to 5 inches).
Wrzeciono (Spindle) Part of the elevator ("winda").
Zawłoka Wedge ("zatycza").
Zbożem Grain.
Zembrat, zębrat, zymbret 1. The last ball in the side of the ship, situated at the bottom;
2. ball on the bridge of the ship.
Zuja, żuja Twisted cattle hair to fill empty spaces in the ship.
Zuma A variety of nails to pull the sewing.
Zycembel See stembloch (mast stool).
Zyza A walled circle around the mast stool, where leaking water is collected.
Zabka, skoblica A plate used to nail ship sewing.
"Kwartalnik Historii Kultury Materialnej", Vol. 4, 1955, pp. 752-782, "Materiały do techniki spławu rzecznego na Sanie i średniej Wiśle z XVII i XVIII w.", J. Burszta

"Kwartalnik Historii Kultury Materialnej", Vol. 8, 1960, pp. 229-241, "Konstrukcja statków pływających po Sanie i Wiśle w XVIII w.", K. Waligórska

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