The Åland War on Lake Ladoga
During the Eastern, Crimean or Åland War, Lake Ladoga was of great importance, also for the transport of food. At that time, Finland was dependent on grain imports, and that traffic shifted from the Gulf of Finland to the interior. Freight traffic ran from Russia via Lake Ladoga and Lake Saimaa to Vyborg and elsewhere in the interior of Finland. There was traffic at least in Kexholm and Jaakkima. From there, the journey led via Putikko in Punkaharju to Lappeenranta. The Gulf of Finland and the rest of the Baltic Sea were dangerous due to the blockade operations of the Western powers' navies.
The Western powers declared war on Russia in March 1854, and as early as April, two English warships appeared off the coast of Viapori.
The Saimaa Canal was still under construction, and some of the new waterways passed through the unfinished canal. Flour, salt and other foodstuffs were brought to Lappeenranta via Lake Ladoga. Lappeenranta became the hub for transport, from where food was freighted further to places such as Kouvola and Vehkalahti.
From Interior Finland, planks and boards, pig iron, butter, tar and willow bark were exported to St Petersburg.
Traffic continued at least into 1855. After that, British warships were no longer in the Baltic Sea.
