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Statue of Captain Niko vitez (knight) Duboković (1834 - 1912) in Jelsa.
In 19th century a small town of Jelsa at the island of Hvar was at the peak of its economic power, in the industrial, agricultural, cultural, political, and above all the maritime sense, its fleet was the strongest in Central Dalmatia. In 1884 Jelsa had 142 ships of 1550 tons. The most powerful shipowner of Central Dalmatia was captain Niko Duboković. His fleet included eight ocean-going vessels, which sailed all the seas of the world. He was a landowner, shipowner, 44 years he served as mayor of the city, a member of the Dalmatian Parliament, President of the Croatian party, the founder of the First National Reading Room on the islands. In 1873 he built the largest Dalmatian sailing ship in the shipyard at the island of Korčula, and called it after his father's name 'Giovanni D'. During his leadership Jelsa was a progressive municipaliti in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
