358 stimulate trade and industry, since it was supposed that any increase in these activities would produce a comparable increase in state revenues. This viewpoint emerged with great clarity, when it comes to commerce, in a statement made by Axel Oxenstierna in 1643 to the effect that if any increases were to be made in the revenues of the crown it would have to be in the area of “commerce, through which both town and countryside could derive benefit.” ® One element of this policy was that a kommerskollegium was actually founded in 1651 and charged with working “for the improvement and betterment of the people and for the culture of the countryside and of the towns, as well as for the increase of the crown revenues and for the strength and security of the realm.” ® According to its instruktion, which was also issued in 1651, the newly-established college was responsible for shipping, foreign and domestic trade, and the manufacturing industries. The task of administering matters concerning the manufacturing industry made the kommerskollegium significant in a military sense, since its efforts in this area were devoted primarily to supporting and developing manufactories engaged in the production of war materiel.^ The responsiblities of the college were broadened even further in 1654, when the administration of the customs service was also placed under its direction. In addition to purely administrative duties, the kommerskollegium was also charged with important judicial functions, since it was to adjudicate all disputes concerning shipping, trade, and manufactories, as well as cases involving members of the customs service. The kommerskollegium served for some time, too, as the superior court in cases concerning maritime law, but this function was transferred to the courts of appeals in 1679.® The kommerskollegium was dismantled at the beginning of the 1680s, and its functions were taken over by the kammarkollegium. In spite of this organizational reform, however, commercial affairs continued to constitute a separate area of responsibility for which separate series of minutes and separate registers were maintained. Indeed, the kommerskollegium lived on in name in governmental correspondence,® and a report of activities written in its name was submitted to Charles XII in connection with his accession in 1697.'® ^ Sven Gerentz, Kommerskollegiet och näringslivet (Stockholm, 1951), 24. “ Anders Anton von Stiernman, ed., Samling utaf Kongl. Bref, Stadgar och Förordningar etc. angående Sweriges Rikes Commercie, Politic och Oeconomie (6 v., Stockholm, 1747—1775), II, 671. ’’ Gerentz, 24. » Ibid., 47—48. » Ibid., 56—57. Samuel Loenbom, ed.. Handlingar til Konung Carl XI:s historia (15 v. Stockholm, 1763—1774), IV, 1—66.
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