To be sure, the great powers in question had every reason to want to ensure their ability freely to use the sea lanes of communication for commerce vital to their economic well-being.
The chamber of commerce for the Cyclades, an island group in the Aegean Sea, reported shortages in goods and warned that serious health cases were going untreated and dead bodies were not being transported for burial.
When Christopher Columbus risked his life and that of many others to complete his first voyage across the sea to the unknown, his journey led to a great wealth of knowledge and commerce for Europe.