The government’s policy of favoring the cities at the expense of the country was one of the obstacles to the prosperity of the farming communities and the success of agriculture. The spirit of the age was commercial. As it was thought that cities alone could conduct trade to advantage, and, as the custom service was aided by the concentration of commerce at a few points, laws were made to favor urban communities. The country people were allowed to trade only with the cities, all trade among themselves being forbidden, and goods shipped to foreign ports must first be sent to the staple towns, which enjoyed special privileges. Farmers, mechanics and skilled workmen were often ordered to remove to towns or cities. In case of refusal they were pressed into military service or carried by force to the cities and their rural homes were demolished. By these stringent means many new towns were founded, and some of the older cities became prosperous and increased in population, aiding industry and commerce. II. The government naturally paid much attention to the means of communication. As country roads, canals and other inland waterways were the thoroughfares of domestic commerce and of immense importance in the transportation of troops and munitions of war, the King and his statesmen paid particular attention to them. The old highways were greatly improved, new ones were constructed through the northern provinces, even as far as to the borders of Russia; and soon Sweden had one of the best road systems in Europe. When Whitelocke made his long journey from Gothenburg to Stockholm in 1654 he could write: “The way was very good and it was much to the cheering of Whitelocke and his company in so long a journey, a time of so much hard weather and where other accommodations were wanting, to find generally such good highways.... Hardly any other country affords better ways than these.” An extensive system of canals was proposed for Finland and Sweden. The Hjälmare canal, begun in 1629, was ready for traffic in 1640,--this at a time when England did not possess a single canal. A number of other canals and waterways were projected and, in some cases, finished in this period.