Black Sea Saint Nicholas Customs (1856-1910)

Abstract

After the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Kobuleti coast of the Black Sea had a particular military strategic function. The outpost of St. Nicholas included the area at the mouth of the Natanebi, where the quay of Shekvetili was located. Professor Tamaz Beradze names the year 1737 as the date of the fortress's foundation. On the map of Western Georgia at the beginning of the 19th century, the fortress of St. Nicholas is marked. In honor of the Russian king Nicholas, it was also referred to as Nikolaevsky. Initially, it was a customs checkpoint located on the sand hill, where there was a quarantine zone, a provision store, and a barracks for up to 30 guards. In 1788-1792, the Nakashidze princes enjoyed the right to be customs officers under the will of Simon III Gurieli. In 1812, according to the Treaty of Bucharest, the Russians occupied it, and the Russian-Turkish border was approved there. In 1813, with the will of the chief ruler of Georgia, Nikoloz Rtishchev, Guriel developed the construction of St. Nicholas Fortress.
Black Sea Nicholas Customs was established in 1856, and its principal duty was to monitor the border and establish control over imported goods. The customs checkpoint of St. Nicholas was subordinated to the Quarantine-Customs Office of Poti, which was part of the Kutaisi Customs District. Customs affairs in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia were managed by the Customs and Quarantine Department, whose residence was in Tbilisi. Initially, the customs house of St. Nicholas was located on the border of Guria-Adjara. After 1878, the customs checkpoint was moved to the Churuksu area. At the same time, a customs quarantine supervision was established in Batumi, which supervised the ships in the port of Batumi. Then, the customs of St. Nicholas moved to Makryal, near the
153
Turkish border. The border villages of Nikoloaevsky checkpoint were Khofa, Arkhavi, and Vytse. Sailing ships used to enter Kobuleti from Turkey.
On August 25, 1865, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Russia (Petrograd, Minister N. Krabe) approved the rules of operation of surveillance ships on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea. Coastal surveillance was established by Azov barques, which made fast trips along the coast. Commercial ships had to pass through the quarantine zone. Control of ships sailing between Constantinople and Sukhumi was established. Control was mainly carried out in the quarantine zone, where ships detained on the seas were brought for inspection. The goods seized from foreign ships were kept in customs warehouses for one year, and before that, they were confiscated. On July 23, 1857, it was forbidden to export oak wood.
Trade goods were mainly imported from Poti, Ochamchire, Kerch, Rostov, Redut-Kale, and Evpatoria. They used to import European luxury items, perfumes, mirrors, and watches. In 1857, various types of fish were named among the items brought to the customs territory, as well as tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flour, beans, halwa, sheep's wool, paints, and metal. There was a sizeable demand for Asian shawls in the Russian market, which supplied Moscow enterprises.
On May 31, 1866, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia, Baluev, approved the instructions of the quarantine customs, rights, and duties of employees.
Particular prohibitions were imposed on religious servants who came from Constantinople. They were admitted with the permission of the Russian Synod.
According to the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on December 19, 1878, and the decision of the Asian Department on May 19, 1886, customs had established exceptional control over the import of weapons, paper, and wool. Customs used to carry out medical checks on ships arriving from abroad to prevent various diseases' proliferation. On July 8, 1910, based on the Minister of Finance of Russia, the Black Sea St. Nicholas customs was canceled, and it was declared as the Churuksu customs crossing point. Since 1918, Russian Old Orthodox Christians settled in Shekvetili. In 1920, the castle of Shekvetili was demolished.