-jra.>t TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction 5 Chapter I. Geographical Position and Administrative Division 9 U. Area 10 m. Climate 11 On November 14, 1922. the National Assembly of the Far Eastern .blic voted unanimously to amalgamate with the Russian SocuO^t Fed- jid Soviet Republic, of which it is now an integral part. yiii. Cattle Breeding 56 IX. Industries of the Far Eastern Republic 61 1) The Zabaikal and Pribakal Provinces 63 2) The Amur Province 69 3) The Maritime and Priamur Provinces 72 X. Exports eind Imports 75 1 ) Trade with Japan 81 2) Trade with China 85 3) Trade with the United States of America 88 4) Summary 96 XI. The Prospects of the Far Eastern Republic 101 XII. The Cooperatives of the Far Eastern Republic 105 ^ rr i r^ r^ i f^ I / w^-TSk^rf^Ce- t' , %.. •V*: iTU INTRODUCTION Up to the present time there still exists in the mind of the average foreigner the unfounded idea of Siberia and the Rus- sian Far East as being buried under eternal snow, and popu- lated mostly by I^alf civilized wandering tribes or ex-Russian convicts. To his imagination Siberia is the last place safe for travelling let alone the risking of an investment of consider- able capital for the development of industries there. The old Czarist Government Which regarded Siberia as a safe and spacious asylum for political offenders, and which was never interested in the proper development of the vast natural resources of the country, has done nothing to enlighten the foreign nations regarding the splendid healthful climate of the country, with its untouched stretches of fir, pine, and birch forests, its numerous rivers and streams and mineral springs, its green meadows catching the traveler's eye for thousands of miles, and last, but not least, its untold wealth buried in the ground. The great opportunities in agriculture, cattle raising, mining, and other industries are known only to a few foreign newspaper men and commercial representa- tives and those who have visited the country. The Far Eastern Republic, the present rightful sovereign of the Russian Far East, is sincerely desirous of affording all possible facilities for the application of foreign capital in the development of the country's wealth. It therefore intends to give its utmost attention to the problem of supplying the busi- ness world with available data of the mineral, forest, fishing and other resources of the Republic. 6 ft < car* THE FOUNDATION OF THE FAR EASTERN REPUBLIC. After the defeat of the Kolchak army in western Siberia in the winter of 1919-20, the rule of the Omsk Government was overthrown in many cities of the Far East and revolutionary Governments established instead. Being at the time absolutely isolated from Soviet Russia, their territory occupied by foreign expeditionary troops, con- fronted by the constant danger of counter-revolutionary plots which were aided by foreign aggressors, the people of the Russian Far East which has always been removed from the centre by great distances, naturally had to depend upon them- selves for protection; hence the general tniovement towards the organization of an independent government. Thus ap- peared the Vladivostok Zemstvo Government, and almost si- multaneously the Amur and Verkhneudinsk Governments. All these Governments had one aim — the unification of the Rus- sian Far East into an independent democratic state which could protect its people against all emergencies. On the 6th of April, 1920, the declaration of independence took place in Verkhne- udinsk, and on the 14th of May, the Far Eastern Republic was recognized by Soviet Russia. The process of unification of the Far Eastern provinces went further on in spite of the innumerable difficulties created by the interventionist troops (Japanese). In September a preliminary conference of representatives of all Far Eastern Governments was convened in Verkhneu- dinsk, and after the expulsion of the counterrevolutionary Ataman Semenoff from Chita, which was the result of the evac- uation of that territory by the Japanese troops, a final confer- ence took place in Chita, where the unification of all the prov- inces and governments was completed. On the 9th of Novem- ber the Chita conference confirmed the declaration of inde- pendence, promulgated laws for the calling of a Constituent 6 » • • » « Assembly, and elected a Provisional Central Government. Dur- ing December and January of 1921, the elections of the As- sembly, which were conducted according to universal suffrage, took place. The Constituent Assembly was composed of over 400 members, mostly non-partisan peasants. The Assembly went into session on the 12th of February, and on the 27th of April the final draft of the Constitution was adopted, and a new Government was elected. The efforts of this new and regu- larly elected Government were primarily directed toward the election of new local authorities for the whole Far Eastern Republic. Elections soon took place, and district, country, and provincial assemblies and administrative authorities as- sumed control over the various parts of the Republic. This important task accomplished, the Government of the Far East- ern Republic directed its energies toward the establishment of conditions which would ensure prosperity to trade and industry. Much has already been accomplished in this respect, but still more may be expected with the complete liberation of those parts of the territory of the Far Eastern Republic which are occupied by the Japanese. CHAPTER I. GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION. The Par Eastern Republic is situated between the 101 °40' and 141 °40' East Longitude, and 57° and 42° North Latitude. The position of the respective provinces relative to Soviet Russia is as follov^s: The Zabaikal region (Zabaikal and Pri- baikal Provinces), between 49°41' and 57° North Latitude; the Amur Pi'ovince between 47° and 56°; and the Maritime Province between 42° and 530 North Latitude. The boundaries of the Republic are the River Selenga and Lake Baikal on the west, the Yakutsk Province (belonging to Soviet Siberia), and the Madjelinda Cape on the Sea of Okhotsk on the north; the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan on the east; and Manchuria and Mongolia on the south. The Far Eastern Republic is divided into five administrative centers (provinces) : Pribaikal, Zabaikal, Amur, Priamur and Maritime. The administrative center of the Pribaikal Province is the city of Verkhneudinsk on the Trans-Siberian Railroad of Zabaikal — Chita, on the same railroad, which is also the capital of the Far Eastern Republic; of Amur — Blagovesh- chensk, on the Amur River; of Priamur — Khabarovsk, also on the Amur River; of Maritime — Vladivostok, the principal com- mercial port of the Republic. CHAPTER II. AREA. The total area of the RepubHc equals 1,690,568 square kilo- meters, divided among the respective provinces as follows: Province Area in Square Kilometers Pribaikal 165,462 Zabaikal 896,004 Amur 400,917 Priamur (including Russian Saghalien) and Maritime 728,185 Thus, the area occupied by the Far Eastern Republic is one-seventh of that of the whole of Siberia, and about one- thirteenth of the whole of pre-revolutionary Russia. The ter- ritory of France, Spain and Germany combined is less than the area now occupied by the Far Eastern Republic. 10 CHAPTER III. CLIMATE. The climate of the Far Eastern Republic varies greatly in the various parts of the country. The Zabaikal Province is distinguished by its dry continental climate, cold winters and comparatively hot summers. The nights and mornings during the summer months are, however, cool and refreshing. The atmospheric nijoisture is very small. Spring does not begin before the latter part of April and vegetation begins to show signs of life in May. The climate of the Maritime and Amur Provinces is rather cold. This is explained by the proximity of the Okhotsk Sea and the prevailing north, northeastern and northwestern cold winds. The climatic conditions of the inter- ior of the country, which is protected by mountain ridges, are considerably milder and generally more favorable. The at- mospheric moisture is considerably greater than in the Zabaikal Province. Vladivostok, although situated 0.75° higher than the city of Nice and 2.5° lower than the city of Venice, differs greatly from them in climate. The weather is cold and usually accompanied by more or less severe northeast winds. The ther- mometer reaches as low as minus 25-30 degrees Centigrade. Spring weather is rather cold. Beginning with April, fogs and rains are rather frequent. The summer temperature goes up to plus 25-30 degrees Centigrade. The best season is autumn, beginning in August and lasting till the end of October. The days then are sunny and warm. 11 CHAPTER IV. POPULATION. The greater part of the Russian population of the Far East- ern Republic is the peasantry from the southern provinces of European Russia, which had emigrated to the Russian Far East because of the shortage of land (most of the land was in the hands of the land owners). Some of the peasants, belonging to various religious sects, so-called "Sectants," emigrated with their families because of religious persecution by the Czarist Government. A considerable part of the population is com- posed of Cossacks, who are living in the Amur (Amur Cossacks) Zabaikal (Zabaikal Cossacks), and Maritime (Ussuri Cossacks, who were formerly part of the Amur Cossacks but who formed a separate group in 1889) Provinces. The following table gives the population in round figures according to the Provinces. Popuiation by Provinces (round figures) Province Rural Population Urban Population Toteil Pribaikal) 675,000 223,000 898,000 Zabaikal ) Amur 242,000 158,000 400,000 Maritmie ) 436,000 296,000 732,000 Priamur* ) Totals 1,353,000 677,000 2,030,000 At the present time the population is more than two mil- hon because of the large number of refugees from Russia, in- cluding the former Kolchak army which arrived from Russia ♦The Russian half of the Island of Saghalien is included in the Priamur Province. Ita population is 18,900. 12 during and towards the end of the civil war. The refugees flocked mainly to the cities. The city of Vladivostok, partic- ularly, which according to the statistics of 1917 had a populo- tion of 151,000, increased its population. At the present time the population of Vladivostok greatly exceeds that of 1917. In the total figure given for the population of the Zabaikal Province (including the Pribaikal Province), there are included 101,000 Buriats and Mongols, who are living in this territory and are enjoying wide national cultural autonomy in accord- ance with the Constitution of the Republic. In the population of the Amur Province are included 9,500 Giliaks and other small tribes. The approximate numbers of Chinese, Koreans and Japan- ese who reside in various parts of the territory of the Far East- ern Republic are as follows: Location Chinese Koreans Japanese Vladivostok 39,187 4,180 3,668 (Maritime Province) Rural Communities 5,468 36,235 (Maritime Province) Blagoveshchensk 4,513 306 10 (Amur Province) In the Zabaikal and Pribaikal Provinces there are over 25,000 Chinese and Koreans, principally Chinese. Considering the vastness of the territory, the population of the Far Eastern Republic is very small. The Far Eastern Re- public can accomodate at least five times as many people as live there at the present time. This increase in population can undoubtedly be effected by a well organized policy of coloni- zation, by transporting part of the peasant population of Rus- sia,particularly from Ukraine. The density of the population of the Zabaikal and Pribaikal Provinces is four per square mile; of the Amur Province, 2.5 per square mile; and of the Maritime and Priamur Provinces (including Russian Saghalien), 2.6 per square mile. The density of the Maritime Province alone is considerably greater. The Priamur Province is very sparsely populated. As is evident from these figures, the rural population of the Far Eastern Republic is more than 65 per cent of the total 13 population of the Republic. The total number of populated centers of the rural population in the Republic is 2,919. They are distributed as follows: Province Number of Centers Pribaikal 634 Zabaikal 809 Amur 725 Maritime and Priamur 751 14 CHAPTER V. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. 1— RAILROADS. The railroads of the Russian Par East have been system- atically subjected to destruction for almbst three years. Civil war, originally fanned by foreign intervention in general, and later, after the departure of foreign troops in 1920, particularly by the Japanese, inevitably reflected upon the condition of rail- road transportation. The tracks, bridges, and other railroad appurtenances, were dynamited. Many of the wooden bridges and buildings were burned down. Only after the departure of the Japanese troops from the territory of the Amur, the Pri- baikal and the Zabaikal, and part of the Priamur Province, and after the driving out of the Semenoff and Kolchak bands which followed the withdrawal of the Japanese troops, could the reorganization of transportation begin. The Far Eastern Republic inherited from the Russian Em- pire the following railroads: 1. — The Amur Railroad — running from Station Karimp- kaya on the Chita railroad to the city of Khabarovsk — 1,254 miles (a branch of 62 miles connects this railway with the city of Blagoveshchensk). 2. — The Chita Railroad — conencting the Trans-Siberian with the Chinese Eastern and the Amur Railroads — 648 miles long. 3. — The Ussuri Railroad — 555 miles long, connecting Kha- barovsk with the cities of Nikolsk and VladivostoTc (a branch of 48 miles connects the Suchan coal mines with the city of Vla- divostok.) 4. — The Sretensk Railroad — running from Station Karims- kaya on the Chita Railroad to the City of Sretensk on the nav- 15 igable River Shilka — 168 miles. The city of Nerchinsk is con- nected with this railway by a branch railway of 6 miles long. THE AMUR RAILROAD. The Amur Railroad, all of which is on Russian territory, was built for strategic purposes in view of the fact that the Chinese Eastern Railroad (from Station Manchuria to Station Pogranichnaya, 925 miles, and from Harbin to Kuanchendzy 148 miles), which connects two parts of Russian territory which are separated by Manchuria, is built on foreign (Chinese) ter- ritory. The Chinese Eastern Railway, although it is a Russian railway, and of as great importance to Russia at the present time as in the pre-revolutionary period, and also of great im- portance to the Far Eastern Republic, cannot be so dependable as a railroad which is built entirely on Russian territory. The Amur Railway, which fulfills these requirements, unfortunately was not fully completed at the time the world war began. It is still unfinished, although it has been in use for several years. The Amur Railroad, which passes through a very fertile part of the Amur Province, rich in natural resources (gold, etc), (must play a great part in the development of the country, but it requires a considerable expenditure before it can be brought into proper condition so as to be operated successfully. The railroad stretches from Kuenga to Khabarovsk, 1,254 miles, and has 192 miles of branch lines connecting it with the harbors of the Amur River. During the civil war, the road suffered greatly. 419 wooden and 9 steel bridges were destroyed. Among the latter was the greatest bridge in Siberia, the Alex- eevsk Bridge, which crosses the Amur River at Khabarovsk. Two of its spans, 420 feet each, have been blown up. A ferry is being used temporarily, until the bridge will be repaired. In the winter the rails are laid on the ice of the river, and trains are drawn by special, small engines. Among other bridges that require much repairs may be mentioned the bridge across the river Tom, 770 feet long, and a bridge 840 feet long across the River Arkhara. The water supply on the Amur Railroad is not in a satis- factory condition. Of the 47 water tanks only 11 have been fully completed. 16 The shops and depots which have been built on ground which is eternally frozen, and on a stretch of 700 versts of rail- road, are not in a satisfactory condition. At the present time, except in emergency cases, not more than two trains, one each way, per week travel in the district of Kuenga — Jtfochkarevo — Blagoveshchensk, and to Khabarovsk not more than four trains daily, two trains each way. Theoretically the carrying capacity of the road, according to the conditions of the road bed and the water supply in the [majority of the districts, is not more than four trains per day, two trains in each direction. In urgent cases, however, as, for instance, for military purposes in connection with Japanese occupation in the Maritime Province, it was necessary at times to dispatch a greater number of trains, which was managed, although with diflSculty. THE CHITA RAILROAD. The Chita Railroad has a double track from Junction Mos- tovoy to Junction Kitaisky, 431 miles, and a single track from Junction Kitaisky to Manchuria, 226 miles, and to Sretensk 160 miles. During the civil war, 98 wooden bridges and 36 steel bridges were burned down or dynamited. Some of these bridges have been restored entirely and some by temporary wooden structures. The carrying capacity of the road in general may be estimated as 24 trains per day, 12 each way. At the present time, although the road is not operated fully, it has greatly improved and is still improving daily. Pas- senger trains cover the distance from Station Manchuria to Chita in 16 hours, which almost equals the pre-war speed. THE USSURI RAILROAD. The Ussuri Railroad was in a better condition because of its assured supplies. It has been aided a great deal by the In- ter-Allied Railway Committee, but the fact that the principal part of the railroad is in the zone of Japanese occupation, and because of the constant Japanese military activities, its condi- tion is made conisderably worse. The population, which has become embittered because of the cruelties and violences of 17 the Japanese and the bands of Semenoff and Kolchak soldiers who are supported by the Japanese, has been compelled in the because of the constant Japanese military activities, its condi- damage it considerably. The Japanese do not permit a single car or locomotive outside of the zone of their occupation, thus carrying their domination of a foreign country to the extreme. ROLLING STOCK. On the 15th of December, 1920, the number of locomotives and cars in the depots was as follows: No. of No. of Railroad Locomotives Cars Amur 169 2,809 Chita 279 4,315 Ussuri 220 4,713 Total 668 11,837 Part of these locomotives and cars was in need of repairs. Since that time conditions improved only on the Chita Railroad where the work of repairing the locomotives and cars has been organized satisfactorilly. Some locomotives and cars were also received from the Chinese Eastern Railway and from Russia. At the end of 1921 the numjjer of cars on the Chita Railroad had reached 8,000; that on the Amur — 3,700. The num- ber of locomotives on the Chita Railroad was at that time over 300. The telegraph system of the railroads is more or less sa- tisfactory, although not what it ought to be. The railroads need parts of locomotives, babbit metal, iron, various pipes, wire, tires, graphite, lighting and oiling materials. CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE RAILROADS. Some idea of the capacity of the Chita, Amur and Ussuri Railroads, and their work, can be had from the following table, given for three months in 1921. 18 Loaded and Shipped . ^ Railroad Average Number of Average Number of Cars per Day Cars per Month July 118 2,959 Chita— August 134.5 3,381 September 170.2 4,255 July 59 1,468 Amur — August 74 1,849 September 41 416 July 66 1,981 Ussuri — August 67.3 2,020 September 40 1,200 Totals 770 19,529 Remark: The capacity of a freight car is 1,000 poods, or about 17 tons. In pre-war years the Chinese Eastern Railroad shipped over the Ussuri Railroad to Vladivostok about 30-40,000,000 poods of beans and grain annually. It must be noted that the Ussuri Railroad began to resume its activities very satisfactorily in 1921, under the rule of the Far Eastern Republic, and only the overturn of May 26th, 1921, in Vladivostok, which was organized by the Japanese with the aid of the remnants of Semenoff and Kolchak armies, armed by the Japanese, interfered with this work. This fact is clearly evident from the following figures: from January 1st to June 30th, 1921, the total number of cars arriving in Vladivostok from Station Pogranichnaya (on the frontier of Manchuria) was 14,000, an average of 2,333 cars per month. During March the number of cars was 521; during April— 3,122; and during May— 5,484. After that date (i. e.. after the overturn of May 26th), there is a decrease in the num- ber of cars, as is evident from the table shown above (Ussuri Railroad). The table given below gives additional figures about the work of the Chita and Amur Railroads. 19 Total Work of Roads in Loading and Receiving from Neighboring Roads During One Month Railroad Month ^ \ ^ Average 1921 Cars Loaded Cars Rec'd Total Per Day July 2,959 1,422 4,381 175 Chita— August 3,381 1,325 4,706 188 September 4,255 748 5,003 200 July 1,468 240 1,708 68 Amui^ August 1,849 620 2,469 98 Sept. (10 days)... 416 516 932 93 July 4,427 1,662 6,089 243 Totals August 5,230 1,945 7,175 286 September 4,671 1,264 5,935 293 Comparing these figures with those of the past years, as shown in the table below, a considerable decrease in the rail- road transportation becomes clearly evident. But this decrease is easily explained if political conditions of the country during the last few years are taken into consideration, and also the fact that the country has been separated from Russia and the Russian markets. Pre-War Capacity of the Railroads Railroad Year Ussuri Chita in short tons per year 1912 953,532 381,055 1913 1,554,109 424,089 1914 1,421,878 306,531 Transportation of Manchurian beans on the Ussuri Rail- road played an important part in the sum total of its freight. A general idea of the character and quantity of the freight carried on the Ussuri Railroad prior to the war and prior to the country being cut off from Russia, i. e., normal tim-es, can be seen from the figures for 1913. 20 Transported in 1913 on the Ussuri Railroad Article Quantity (in tons) Beans 374,472 Wheat 73,566 Oats 42,102 Millet 8,136 Goalen 2,916 Buckwheat 4,392 Barley 2,520 Linseed 16,794 Wheat flour 25,974 Oil Cakes 21,492 Straw 3,726 Hay 22,014 Total agricultural products 598,104 Board Lumlber 82,566 Other Lumber 68,832 Wood 99,666 Total lumber and wood 251,064 Coal 217,674 Rails 22,500 Railroad equipment 3,852 Concrete 73,152 Cement 29,502 Lime 12,114 Asphalt 1,872 Bricks 23,850 Total building material 166,842 Fish 11,923 Caviar • 4,907 Salt 59,076 Total salt and fish 75,906 ■ . 21 . . • Article Quantity (in tons) Tea 71,640 Rice 7,668 Canned goods 3,420 Iron 9,216 Tin plate 3,690 Iron Manufactures 9,720 Agricultural implements 8,226 Kerosene 5,130 Various machinery 2,664 Soda 2,124 Meat 7,074 Cabbage 5,976 Potatoes 7,290 Apples 2,718 Sugar 5,724 Bottles 3,240 Others 85,345 Total miscellaneous 172,879 GRAND TOTAL 1,554,109 The percentage of the various products is as follows: Article Percentage (of entire shipment) Beans 24 Other agricultural products 14 Lumber and wood 16 Coal 14 Building material (except lumber) 11 Fish and salt 5 Tea 4 All other 12 Manchuria with its annual crop of over 5,000,000 tons is a constant source of freight for the Ussuri Railroad for trans- portation to the port of Vladivostok, and, morever, during the 22 . • • summer months it provided freight for ships going from the River Sungari (Harbin) along the Amur to Port Nikolaevsk (on the Amur). During the year 1914, tlie Ussuri Railroad car- ried from Manchuria 387,341 short tons, of which 341,276 were beans. In 1915 it carried 508,964 tons, of which 422,329 tons were beans. During nine months, January to September 1921, 19,467,036 poods, or 324,450 tons, were carried, which makes a total per year of 434,600 tons. Some idea about the character and quantity of freight carried by the Chita Railroad to the Zabaikal Province can be had from the following table giving figures for about three months in 1921. TABLE OF FREIGHT CARS RECEIVED AND DISPATCHED BY THE CHITA RAILROAD FROM JULY 1st TO SEPTEMBER 2l9t, 1921 AND KIND OF FREIGHT Station Manchuria A Station Missovaya Kind of Freight Received A . Dispatched Grain Prod. Lighting Materials Sugar Cereals Groceries Tea Rails Iron Copper Min. Coal 34 Charcoal 1 Wood for fael 44 Machine parts Sleepers (ties) 2 Lumber Materials 2 Salt Freight cars 22 Military Received A . Dispatched July Aug. Sept. July Aug. Sept. July Aug. Sept. July Aug. Sept. 34 115 130 18 .... 6 . . . . 84 1 39 5 1 10 11 3 6 69 32 2 2 10 3 6 6 9 3 12 3 5 17 12 2 70 23 Station Manchuria Station Missovaya A Kind of Jid^ Received Aug. Sept. L July )ispatcl ked Sept. Received A D f July spate hed Freight Aug. July Aug. Sept. Aug. Sept freight School books • • • • • • • • • 3 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • « • • 2 5 • • ■ • • • 3 141 18 45 • • Soap Bristle Lime • • • • • • 6 • • • Furs Tobacco • •. .* •> .•.C Tob. Prod. 8 3 22 7 23 1 23 Varia 33 9 20 • • Fish • ■ • 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ■ • « • • • • • • • • 5 5 5 4 2 Live stock Fats 1 Paper 2 Various Materials 4 • • • • • • 34 15 4 67 .. 6 •• TOTAL Freight 118 136 127 195 198 212 342 • • ■ • 79 , , , , NUMBER OF RAILROAD EMPLOYES, In connection with the general difficult financial situation, due principally to Japanese intervention in the Russian Par East, the number of railroad employees had to be decreased considerably. This decrease was accom,>plished gradually in 1921, as is evident from the following table: Railroad or Department Ministry of Transportation (Central Department) .. Chita Amur Ussuri Dept. of River Navigation and Dept. of Highways Jan. 1st 339 16,818 9,284 11,845 5,459 Number of Employees A May 1st 305 16,219 9,284 11,625 5,459 July 1st 311 13,042 8,400 3,000 4,893 Oct. 1st 234 11,627 4,575 2,350 3,000 TOTAL 43,745 42,892 29,646 21,792 24 There was a small decrease after October as well. The considerable decrease in the number of the railroad employees fi'om May to July on the Ussuri Raihoad does not mean an ac- tual decrease but the cutting off of a part of the railroad from the control of the Far Eastern Republic. After the Japanese overturn on May 26th, in Vladivostok, part or the Ussuri Rail- road frdm Vladivostok to Station Evgenievka and from Ni- kolsk to Station Pogi'anichnaya (i. e. zone of Japanese occu- pation) remained in the hands of the Japanese. Thus the ac- tual decrease of employees took place only in a part of the Us- suri railroad which is under the control of the Far Eastern Re- public, i. e., from Stations Evgenievka to Khabarovsk. THE FUTURE OF THE FAR EASTERN REPUBLIC RAILROADS. Speaking of the problem of the future of the railroads of the Far Eastern Repubhc, it is necessary to state that in spite of the present very difhcult conditions, improvement is quite evident in the repairs of the road beds, convenience of passen- ger traffic, speed, etc. The necessity for the Manchurian pro- ducts to find a carrier on the one hand, and the vast Siberian and Russian markets on the other, in themselves hold out a promising future for the railroads of the Far Eastern Republic. As a result of the industrial developmient of the Far Eastern Republic, connected with the development of its vast natural resources, a great future for the railroads of the Far Eastern Republic is assured. The development of the natural resources makes impera- tive the building of new railroads. For instance, plans are being made to connect St. Olga Bay with the Ussuri Railroad as there are tremendous quantities of iron ore in the district. It is also being planned to connect Khabarovsk with the Imperial Harbor as there are immense forest resources there, and it is a very good outlet to the ocean; and to connect Nikolaevsk on the Amur and De Kastri with Alexeevsk on the Amur Railroad. 2.— RIVER TRANSPORTATION. The great length of the river Amur and its tributaries, and the fact it is navigable not less than six months in the year, 25 n^ake it of extreme importance in the economic life and develop- ment of the Far Eastern Republic. The total distance of all rivers suitable for navigation pur- poses is 14,000 miles. The investigated navigable part is about 4,500 miles. The following table shows the navigable distance of the respective rivers. THE AMUR RIVER AND ITS AFFLUENTS River Navigable Distance (in miles) Amur 1,800 Shilka 250 Argun 280 Zeya 466 Selemdzha 220 Bureya 290 Amgun 270 Ussuri 320 3,896 Selenga 420 Total 4,336 The depth of the Amur River between Khabarovsk and Nikolaevsk is not less than 10 feet; between Khabarovsk and Blagoveshchensk — 4% -6 feet; between Blagoveshchensk and Sretensk down to 3^^ feet. Five dredges are maintaining a navigable depth on the various sand bars of the above rivers. The principal river harbors of the Amur River are as fol- lows: Blagoveshchensk, Alexeevsk, Sretensk, Zeya-Pristan, Dzhalinda, Khabarovsk and Nikolaevsk. The principal water artery of the Republic, the Amur River, fiov/s at a considerable distance along the railroad, and through its connections with the railroad by trunk lines serves as a means of transportation for freight coming from the ports of the Pacific Ocean to the Russian Far East and Russia. The Amur River thus plays the part of a second track of the rail- road, supplementing the single track of the Amur and Ussuri Railroads and making its capacity equal to the general carry- ing capacity of the double track, Zabaikal Railroad. 26 The mouth of the Amur River gives a second outlet for this combined route to the sea at the Nikolaevsk Port. The Amur River, as Vv^ell as the railroads, serves as the principal route for the movement of the freight of the Republic. The tributaries of the Amur, Rivers Zeya and Bureya, and also the tributary of Zeya — Selemdzha, run perpendicularly across the province from one border line to the opposite one, and thus provide secondary river routes. Tertiary branchings of these tributaries cut across the entire province and open accesses to its mineral wealth. The first steamer appeared on the Amur River and the Shilka River in 1854. In 1911, according to the statistics of the Department of Water Routes, the Amur Merchant Fleet had in navigation that year 523 ships, the tonnage of which was 6,813,930 poods (113,565 tons). The fleet was composed as follows : Kind of Ship Iron Wood Tonnage (poods) Steamer 96 92 1,171,220 Barge 162 115 5,635,100 Tug Boats 21 15 2,040 Motor Boats 9 13 5,570 The horse power of the 176 power ships was 44,017, and the value of all the merchant ships, not counting shore equip- ment, according to pre-v/ar prices was 20,810,616 gold rubles. Besides these ships there were also government service ships of the Department of Water Routes, and also war vessels. Altogether there were 33 government ships which consisted of the following: Kind of Ship Iron Wood Tonnage (poods) Steamer 7 — 13,000 Barge 8 10 314,100 Tug Boats 7 1 550 The horse power of these ships was 1509. Almost all of the bodies of the iron and steel boats and barges were mlanufactured abroad or in the ship yards of Eu- ropean Russia, such as the Sormovo, Votinsk and Finnish. The greater part of the rear-wheel wooden steamers were built in local ship yards from drawings made in America. 27 During the later years, steamers of the so-called "Volga" type appeared on the Amur. These mixed freight-passenger steamers were not intendd to be used as tugs. They were of a light type and carried up to 20.000 poods of freight and a considerable number of passengers, first, second, third and fourth class. Should the ten years from 1901 to 1911, after the building of the Chinese Eastern Railroad, be considered, when the policy of penetration first into the whole of Manchuria and later, after the Russo-Japanese war, into the northern part of Manchuria by the Czar's Government, reached the height of its develop- ment, then considerable results are evident. The number of steamers increased 80%; the tonnage increased 27%; the num- ber of vessels without mechanical power — 52%, and their ton- nage 40%. This development was aided also by the conimence- ment of the Amur Railroad and the anticipated results issuing from the development of the country due to the building of the railroad, and later, the growth in the exportation of beans from Manchuria through the Sungari and Amur Rivers to Nikolaevsk for further shipment to various markets. The Amur fleet, after its development as indicated above, was capable of trans- porting from twelve to fifteen millions of poods of freight from two ports, Nikolaevsk and Khabarovsk, to Sretensk, The Chinese Eastern Railroad had and still has its own fleet on the Sungari River. It consists of 23 steamers, and 49 barges, with a total capacity of 1,800,000 poods., There was, as often happens, competition between the Chinese Eastern Railroad and the Amur Merchant Fleet. The railroad tried to retain all of its freight of Manchurian beans for transportation by rail to Vladivostok, and established a special low tariff for this freight. The Amur fleet tried to obtain part of this freight for transportation on the Sungari and Amiur Rivers to Niko- laevsk. The Sungari was of great importance in the develop- ment of the Amur fleet. The following table will serve as an illustration of the importance of the Sungari: From Amur to Sungari From Sungari to Amur No. Passengers ^. A carried Year r Steamer Barge f Steamer Barge From Amur To Amur 1908 .. 211 227 209 227 7,913 11,919 1909 .. 233 277 233 277 13,628 21,621 1910 .. 240 359 240 28 358 20,922 33,871 lu 1903 the total carrying capacity of the Simgari, not counting the local freight and the local Chinese shipping amounted to 26,878,945 poods. In 1906 it amounted to 20,834,234 poods. From the ports of Sungari to the ports of the Amur was carried during the navigation of 1910 (besides the local freight) to the ports of upper Amur 5,815,717 poods, and to the ports of lower Amur 3,749,248 poods. Altogether during that year 9,559,025 poods of various freights were carried by this route from Manchuria to the Amur. In 1913, 1,200,000 poods of beans were shipped through Ni- kolaevsk to western European markets. The return traffic to the Sungari River was never so large. In 1910 the inward freight was 261,775 poods, of which 219,000 poods were Amur fish. That year may be considered as the average. For four years, 1907-1910, inclusive, 501 ocean going vessels arrived in Nikolaevsk. The freight brought in by them and carried out by them was as follows : Quantity Quantity Year Number of Ships Incoming Freight Outgoing Freight poods pooda 1907 131 3,885,117 1,298,579 1909 145 3,015,677 1,443,671 1910 101 4,571,128 2,302,911 The freight from Nikolaevsk consisted of large quantities of fish shipped to Japan. In accordance with the treaty of Peking of 1860, and the treaty of St. Petersburg of 1881, only Russians and Chinese are permitted to navigate the Sungari and Aniur Rivers. The Japan- ese have made many efforts, and are now particularly active in trying to receive the right of navigation of these rivers. Not having the open opportunity, the Japanese are trying to achieve their aim under the mask of Chinese and even Russian fiags. Since the time of the revolution, and especially since in- tervention, the Amur fleet was considerably weakened. The owners of many ships, in spite of the strictest prohibition by law, sold Amur ships to foreigners, (this law was first intro- duced by the Czarist Government), removed many steamers to Harbin and sold during the year 1918, the first year of inter- vention, about 40 ships, principally to Chinese. Some of these sales may have been fictitious. 29 At the present time the Russian Amur fleet is as follows: Tonnage Steamers Quality Horse Power poods Mail-Passenger-Freight 29 9,175 226,400 Freight-Passenger, with tugging arrangements 6 1,740 16,600 Tug Boats 26 6,770 TOTAL 61 17,685 243,000 To this must be added 103 barges with a tonange of 2,578,000 poods. Thus the tonnage of the whole merchant Amur fleet equals 47,016 tons. At the present time in the Amur River there are being operated: 1) "The Amur State Fleet", operated by the Government; 2) "The Amur Company of Ship- ping and Trade", which is owned by private individuals. All ships were to be employed in freight and passenger traflic in the following lines: Name of Line Distance in Miles Number of Trips per month Sretensk-BIagoveshchensk (Upper Amur Line) Blagoveshchensk-Khabarovsk (Central Amur Line) Khabarovsk-Nikolaevsk (Lower Amur Line) Blagoveshchensk -Zeya (Zeya Line) Blagoveshchensk-Ekimchan (Selemdzha Line) Blagoveshchensk-Chekunda (Bureya Line) Pokrovka-Olochi (Argun Line) Lokhososu-Harbin (Sungari Line) The number of trips of the Sungari line was to be determ- ined by the actual necessity, which varied a great deal. Political conditions connected with Japanese aggressiveness, the seizure by them of Nikolaevsk on the Amur, made condi- tions very unstable and detrimental to the people of the Far Eastern Republic. According to the figures of the Shiping In- spection of the Amur basin, the movement of freight for three months, May, June and July 1921, was as follows: Freight Shipped and Received 807 SVa 620 lOVa 591 12 415 10 483 5 400 3 267 3 571 ■ • Month On Steamers and those Rafts Total Quantity tugged by steam power in poods in poods in poods May 141,820 191,940 333,760 June 256,652 1,033,345 1,290,197 July 657,006 690,050 1,347,056 TOTAL 1,055,478 1,914,535 2,971,013 30 There are no definite figures for August and Septelnber but tJiey were higher than those for the preceding three months According to reports regarding navigation on the Amur River for the first month of the season of 1922 the amount of freight carried during that month is greater than for the entire season of 1921. If the figures for the ten years, 1901-1911, which *were given above, should be taken into consideration, the quan- tity of freight on the Amur increased from 340,000 to 1,500,000 tons (i. e., it increased four times), and the considerable drop in the quantity of freight in the recent years becomes clearly evident. The principal cause of the decrease in the quantity of freight can be attributed to allied intervention, particularly that of the Japanese. The principal river harbors, important for their facilities as well as the quantity of freight handled, are the following in the order named: 1. Blagoveshchensk. 2. Khabarovsk. 3. Sretensk, 4. Nikolaevsk. 5. Zeya-Pristan, The harbor of Blagoveshchensk handled 32% of the total freight of the Amur system; Khabarovsk — 14%; Sretensk — 81/2%; Nikolaevsk— 7.8%; and Zeya-Pristan— 3%. The mouth of the Sungari passes to the Amur 16% of the total freight of the basin, and the rest of the small harbors handle about 17%. Commodities carried on the Amur River can be classified in the following manner: Article Percentage Grain (wheat, oats, etc.) 42% Fish 8.7 Tea 3 Salt 1.6 Groceries 2.9 Iron 1.8 Various 40 . Of the 42% grain freight the quantity of oats is 6%, and the rest is wheat. The importance of Zeya for the district is significant. The 31 rich gold mines scattered throughout the upper part of the Zeya and its tributary Selem^ztia employ a great number of workers who produced annually up to 400 poods of gold worth $4,000,000, (these gold mines in the near future ought to play a very important part). The fertile valleys inhabited by an agricultural population give very good crops, the surplus of which is shipped to Blagoveshchensk and other markets. The following table shows when the rivers in the Amur basin are open to navigation: Breaking up of Freezing of River River Principal Harbor Ice in River Shilka Sretensk April 5—29 October 11—30 Amur Blagoveshchensk April 8—20 October 22— Nov. 5 Amur Khabarovsk April 7—20 October 29— Nov. 16 Amur Nikolaevsk April 28— May 12 October 21— Nov. 5 Zeya Zeya-Pristan April 15—29 October 11—24 Ussuri Khabarovsk April 7—19 October 29— Nov. 10 Ussuri Iman March 23— April 9 October 24— Nov. 11 With the general restoration of the whole country com- mercially and industrially, which has already begun in the ter- ritory liberated from foreign troops, the Amur Basin will un- doubtedly not only assume its former place, that properly be- longs to it, but will even surpass it. The whole problem now hes in the liberation of Nikolaevsk, and other territory of the Par Eastern Republic occupied by the Japanese. The Russian Volunteer Fleet operated several fair-sized vessels between Vladivostok and foreign and Russian ports. Its ships plied between Vladivostok and Japanese, Chinese, Amer- ican, and other foreign ports. At the present time, because of Japanese intervention, the Volunteer Fleet has curtailed its functions considerably, but after the departure of the Japanese troops it will resume its previous activities. 3.— HIGHWAYS. The future of the Far Eastern Republic depends on the or- ganized exploitation of its vast natural resources. There are two obstacles to the development of these resources on a very large scale: first, the sparseness of the population of the vast territory (2,030,000 people, to a territory of 1,690,568 square 82 kilometers) ; second, insufficiency of highways compared to the great distances of the Republic. The first problem can be solved by an organized policy of colonization of the country by the surplus peasant and other population of Russia, which plan has been taken into consider- ation by the Government of the Far Eastern Republic. The second can be solved by organized building on a net of highways. Together with the railroads and water routes, highways are of tremjendous importance. The purpose of high- ways, among others, is on the one hand to carry through the territory of the country commodities for export, and to direct these commodities into the principal routes, and, on the other hand, to distribute among the population the imported goods received from the principal routes. By these highways it will be possible to reach the known vast mineral deposits. Through these roads it will be possible to find and explore many new mineral deposits which are believed to be just as vast. These roads will give an additional opportunity to exploit the forest wealth. Many of the gold mines which have been opened, and which are not being worked at the present time can once more pro- duce a large quantity of gold if only a convenient and cheap access for dredges and workers and supplies were created. The majority of the roads of the Far Eastern Republic, as in Russia itself, came into existence in a natural way, under the influence and demands of local life. The primitive pack trail turned into a dirt road; later it became a post road, and then it had to be improved and repaired by the local popula- tion by Government orders, but without the participation of any technically qualified builders. It is not surprising, there- fore, that there often are great difficulties for travel on these roads, especially in rainy weather, because of lack of bridges and well organized crossings, steep cliffs and poorly constructed road beds. More or less regular technical construction of roads in the Russian Far East began to take place about ten or fifteen years ago, first under the direction of the Emigration Department, and then by the Ministry of Ways of Communication. Unfor- tunately all the roads that had come into existance naturally, 33 as well as those that were especially constructed during the last few years, were, for general reasons indicated above, left without improvement and repair, and in places suffered a great deal from civil war, fanned by intervention. Some roads re- quire only small repairs in order to be fit for equestrian traffic as well as for automobile and tractor traffic. Some other roads, particularly those built by the local population, demand more or less greater repairs in order to be fit for such transportation. Prom the national point of view, as well as from the point of view of the local population, besides improving the existing roads it is of no less importance to build new roads. The im- possibility of a wide development in the immediate future of railroad construction, due to the economic conditions, and the large requirements for roads, make it essential to consider the building of highways which are less expensive, but which would be constructed so as to permit automobile and tractor trans- portation. With the growth of the quantity of freight carried on the highways, a necessity will arise for strengthening the road beds, and gradually transfor'ming them into macadamized roads. The success of automobile traffic abroad, especially in America, and the colossal development of the highways and macadam roads occasioned by it, give a basis for the belief that in the Par Eastern Republic improved highways will for a long time take place of railroads. In the near future it will be possible to organize, either through the Government or by private means, automobile and tractor transportation of freight on the same commercial basis existing at the present time on the railroads and water routes. Because of the similarity of the geographical conditions of North America and the Russian Far East, it may be expected that in the near future the successful application of mechanical means in the construction of new roads and in the improve- ment of old ones in the Par Eastern Republic will take place. ZABAIKAL PROVINCE (INCLUDING PRIBAIKAL PROVINCE) In the Zabaikal Province at the present time there are 1691 miles (2,536 versts) of post roads, and 694 miles (1,041 versts), built by the Emigration Department. A small net of 34 roads about 100 miles (150 versts) long, fit for automobile traf- fic, was built during the war by the Ministry of Ways of Com- munication in the district of the tungsten deposits of the Ner- chinsk mining district, which made possible the development of the tungsten mining. Besides this there is a net of village roads and pack roads, the length of which is unknown. There are no macadamized roads in the Zabaikal Province. Many of the roads of the province can be quickly made fit for automo- bile trafllc at a small expenditure of money for their repair. These roads require principally the construction and repair of river crossings and the construction of bridges. A plan has been prepared for the building of new roads along the entire frontier of the Zabaikal Province, with China, and the cross roads to the railroad line. Besides, plans have also been pre- pared for two or three roads leading to the rich gold deposits of the Bargusin and Vitim forest area. If these roads are built, then the principal roads of the Zabaikal Province will be about 4,000 mUes (6,000 versts.) AMUR PROVINCE. The Amur Province has a comparatively large net of high- ways. The following is the mileage of the roads. Road Mileage 1. Government Roads 2,589 2. Provincial Roads 1,165 3. County Roads 507 4. Township Roads 730 5. Village and Farm Roads 1,029 Total 6,020 The principal roads of the Amur Province are located in the stretch between the Amur Railroad and the Amur River, especially in the grain district between the lower part of the Zeya and Bureya. In the northern part of the province in the gold mining district there are a few roads, not counting the unfinished roads of Dzhalinda, Zeya and Nikolaevsk. The proposed plan for additional roads in the Amur Pro- vince has in view the construction of roads which would be connected with the trade centers of the Priamur District, with 35 the west, east, north and northwest, specially with the gold mining districts and the districts which are to be colonized in the Priamur territory. The connection of the Amur Province with the economic center of Manchuria-Harbin, is maintained in the summer by steamers on the Sungari River. There is also an automobile road between Tsitsikar on the Chinese Eastern Railroad and Sakhalyan, a Chinese city on the Chinese side of the Amur River, opposite which is Blagoveshchensk, the principle center of the Amur Province. To connect the Amur Province on the northeast with the lower part of the Amur there was outlined, and partially built, the Nikolaevsk road: Blagoveshchensk- Nikolaevsk, a total distance of 889 miles. The significance of this road is very great. Blagoveshchensk is the Government center of the Amur Province, and the chief commercial indust- rial point in the Priamur District. It has a surplus of grain, and is located near the largest gold mining centers. Nikolaevsk is a port for import and export trade in the Priamur District, the center of a large fishing industry of the lower part of the Amur and also of the gold mining industry of the Amgun District. The Nikolaevsk road will have to be the only per- manent road between these two points. The distance between these two cities, by this road, is considerably shorter than by the river. It also crosses and connects with commercial — in- dustrial centers, and with a net of main roads, three most important gold mining districts of the Priamur Province: Sel- emdzha, Niman-Bureya, and Amgun-Kerbin, which produced half of the gold mined in the district. At the present time there is a road from Blagoveshchensk to Khabarovsk ware- house along the Amgun River (691 miles) from where there is a regular steamer connection with Nikolaevsk. To the north a road is being planned connecting the Amur Province with the city of Yakutsk, which is 1,867 miles from the nearest railroad. The connection with Yakutsk will give an access for cattle to the mining regions, and an outlet for the Yakutsk furs to the territory of the Far Eastern Republic. It is planned to supplement the existing roads which are in a suitable condition by repairing, finishing, and building new roads, by additional 4,667 miles. 36 Maritime and Priamur Provinces. In the Maritime Province there are artifically built high- ways in the narrow strip along the Ussuri Railroad and in the southern part of the Ussuri District, i.e., in the most populated and cultural parts of the province. North of Khabarovsk (Pria- mur Province) there are a few roads. The roads Sofiisk-De Kastri has not been completed. Neither has the end of the Nikolaevsk road which connects Khabarovsk with Nikolaevsk, i.e. Kerbin Pass-Kerbi been finished. There are small roads among the lakes in the lower part of the Amur. For com- munication with the gold mines there are only pack roads. Beyond the railroad in the valleys of the rivers there are colonization roads which were built in recent years by the Emigration Department. Communication between Khabarovsk and Nikolaevsk in the winter time was by post roads (589 miles), or by ice across the Amur River. In the Priamur Province there is a macadam road of 8.3 miles between Khabarovsk and the naval base. In the district Nikolsk-Ussurisk (Martime Province) there are a few post roads which need repairs. Along the sea coast from Razdolnaya to St. Olga there is a shore road. Along the Ussuri Railroad there is an abandonned temporary road which may yet be of great importance. In all there are in the Maritime and Priamur Provinces the following roads: Road Mileage Macadamized Roads 8.3 Post Carriage Roads 565 . Emigration Department Roads 1,600 . Roads built by the Ministry of Ways and Com- munications 264.0 Total miles 2,437.3 The length of the smaller roads and most of the pack trails is not known. It is planned to build a shore road from the lower Amur from Khabarovsk to Nikolaevsk, and also to reconstruct the abondonned road along the Ussuri Railroad. There is also a project to connect these roads in a few places with the sea- 37 shore across the mountain range Sikhota-Alin, For connect- ing the gold mining districts of the lower part of the Amur with Nikolaevsk and the sea coast, short distance roads are planned in the district of Lakes Orel and Chlya. Also out- lets from the Nikolaevsk road to the Ud District and a branch for connecting Khabarovsk with the upper Amgun and Niman gold mining districts are planned. The building of the latter roads will greatly stimulate the gold mining industry in that region. It is intended to repair and build 3600 miles of new roads in the Maritime and Prianiur Provinces, which include the im- provement of the very important road Khabarovsk-Imperator- sky Harbor (300 miles). This road is a direct continuation of the Amur River and Railroad route to the sea. 4. PORTS AND HARBORS Among the ports and protected harbors which are of com- mercial importance at the present or which mjay become such in the immediate future, the following should be memtioned: Vladivostok, Nikolaevsk, De Kastri, Imperatorsky Harbor, Bay of Peter the Great, Bay of St. Valentine, Bay of St. Olga, Bay of Alexandrovsk. Of these only Vladivostok can be considered a fully equip- ped port in the real sense of the term. Of the others mem- tioned, Nikolaevsk and Alexandrovsk, which are already at the present time of great importance, require considerable improve- ments and expenditure of money before they can be made into modern ports. De Kastri, Imperatorsky Harbor, and others, have all the natural requisites for becoming first class modern ports, but require considerable capital for their construction. The de- veloi)iment or the economic resources of the country undoubt- edly will, in the more or less immediate future, make it neces- sary to utilize these valuable gifts of nature. Vladivostok Vladivostok is situated on the southern end of Moora- viev-Amursky peninsula, and hes 43° 7' 5" north latitude, and 38 131° 54' east longitude. The stretch of land occupied by the city is washed by the Amur Bay on the western side and by the Ussuri Bay on the eastern. This peninsula has a length of 29 kilometers, and a total area of 330 square kilometers. To the south lies the Russian Island which is separated from the mjainland by a strait called Bosphorus Vostochny, having a westward direction. Two kilometers before the Vladivostok Harbor it becomes round, and assumes the shape of a horn. The Zolotoy Rog is about six kilometers long, one kilometer wide, and has a depth of from eight to thirty meters. The town is built on the slope of the Sikhota Alin. During high tide the water rises not more than one foot, which makes the harbor a safe refuge for ships. The port has good warehouses. For unloading operations there are over fifty cranes. The port can be used throughout the entire year. During the three or four months (December to March), when the Bay is covered with a thin layer of ice, the ice is cleared away by special ice breakers. The Ussuri Railroad has its terminal in Vladivostok. It connects first, Khabarovsk with the Amur Railroad, which in turn connects with the Chita Rail- road, which leads into Russia; second, at Station Pogranich- naya, with the Chinese Ea,stern Railroad, which connects with the Chita Railroad at Station Manchuria and with the South Manchurian railway at Chang-Chun. Vladivostok is connected by a branch line with the large Suchan coal mines. From the port of Vladivostok ships leave for Kolima through the Arctic Ocean for trade and barter with the population of the north- ern Yakutsk Provinco, for Sakhalin, for the Black Sea (Odessa) for Japan, China, America, etc. The commercial importance of Vladivostok is great not only in regard to coastwise trade, but primarily as an export and import base of the Far Eastern Republic and Russia, and an outlet to the ocean for the five million tons of the annual crop of Manchurian beans and other products, and as the eastern port of the Far Eastern Republic and Russia. In spite of the temporary difficulties in the way of commercial and other activities in Vladivostok, due to the political situation it has a great future, and, in normal times, can successfully compete with its rival Dairen. 39 Nikolaevsk The significance of Nikolaevsk as a port of special im- portance may be attributed to the fact that it is the center of the prosperous fishing industry of the district, as well as the river outlet, for the Manchurian market, and because the port is open almost six months in the year. The port of Nikolaevsk can receive sea going vessels with a draft of 16 feet, although at times ships with a larger draft come into the port. Large ships unload in the Nikolaevsk Bay. After an expenditure of some money for the deepening of the channels at the places where the Amur River flows into the sea, it will be able to accomodate large ships. Nikolaevsk never had sufficient port facilities, warehouses, etc. At the present time after the des- truction which has taken place there, its restoration will re- quu-e a large expenditure of money. The future for Nikolaevsk as a port is assured, because it is located in a district of vast fish, forest and gold resources. De Kastri De Kastri is located opposite Sakhalin. It has all the natural requisites for a first class port. Plans have been made to con- nect it with the Amur River (30 miles). This would at once increase its importance. Navigation in De Kastri Bay is open for 7 — 71/2 months in the year. Ships with a draft of 30 feet can enter De Kastri, thus giving it certain advantages over Nikolaevsk. Alexandrovsk Because of the vast coal wealth of Sakhalin, Alexand- rovsk is of importance for the Russian Far East. Arter the building of a necessary port, its significance undoubtedly will be tremendous as the coal deposits could thus be developed on a large scale. St. Olga St. Olga is located in the district of vast iron deposits, and after port facilities have been built it will occupt the place that belongs to this natural harbor. After the carrying out of 40 the project for connecting the Bay with Ussuri Railroad Its significance will be much greater. Bay of Posiet The Bay of Posiet may be in the future of great import- ance, if the project of connecting the Chinese city Hunchun with the Bay by a railroad is affected. The railroad would give a good outlet to the rich Chinese grain region. 41 CHAPTER VI. AGRICULTURE From the fact that 65% of the total population of the Far Eastern Republic are peasants, it is clearly evident that agri- culture occupies an important place in the economic life of the Republic. The peasants and the cossacks (who are also en- gaged in agriculture) emigrated from various parts of agricul- tural Russia. The Czar's Government brought the peasants here for the purpose of developing and populating the country, and the cossacks for the guarding of the eastern frontiers. The most populated regions of the Republic are the southern parts of the provinces, along the Amur River and its affluents, and the districts along the railroads. The nothern parts are sparsely populated, and consist of practivally virgin Taiga (for- ests), which contains innumerable wealth. In the Taiga re- gions the population is engaged to a great extent in hunting, and in the districts close to the Amur River, in fishing. In spite of the large percentage of peasant population and the coUosal territory fit for cultivation, the republic has to import grain. The cultivated area in the Republic is on the average 3,598,356 acres. This acreage is divided as follows: Province Acreage Maritime— Priamur 893,028 Amur 1,485,177 Zabaikal 742,584 Pribaikal 477,567 Total 3,598,356 These figures indicate that only a small part of the ter- ritory is under cultivation. According to approximate figures the territory fit for culitvation is as follows: 42 Province Acreage Zabaikal 15,000,000 Amur 21,000,000 Maritime— Priamur 18,000,000 Total 54,000,000 Of course hopes for the cultivation of such vast area can be justified only with the solution of the problem of coloni- zation of the Russian Far East and in the introduction of a suf- ficient quantity of modern agricultural implements. The following are the graminous plants: wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, barley. Plants of industrial value are flax and hemp. The agricultural region is primarily in the Amur Province, and the cattle breeding in the Zabaikal Province. The popu- lation of the Amur Province may be classified as follows: Classification Percentage of Total Population of Province Peasants 62 Cities and Towns of City Type 27 Mining Regions 11 The early emigrants among the peasants received 300 acres each. During later years they recived 45 acres, and later even less. The average holding per peasant in the Amur Province is 41 acres; in the Zabaikal Province 11 acres, and in the Maritime Province 15 acres. According to the figures of the so-called Amur Expedition, which explored the Amur Pro- vince in 1910, the number of peasant holdings engaged in agri- culture was 21,074, with a cultivated area of 832,395 acres. According to statistics of 1917, the number of holdings in- creased to 36,280, giving a total area under cultivation of 1,486,177. By comparing these figures, it is evident that the number of peasant holdings for seven years increased to 14,280, i. e., almost 65%. The growth of the area under cultivation for the same period was 652,782 acres, or 78%. In the Zabaikal Province in 1897, the area under cultiva- tion was 873,621 acres, and in 1916, it was 1,323,679 acres, and the number of holdings increased from 79,420 to 125,931, i. e., during 19 years, the number of holdings increased only 29%, 43 and the cultivation area 34%. In the Maritime Province during the year 1909, there were cultivated 580,000 acres, and in 1916—859,536, acres, an increase of 48%. The area under cultivation in 1918 in the Amur Province was 1,655,919 acres; in 1919, 1,490,331 acres. The figures of the local statistics give the following picture of the output of the grain products of this province (net crops, deducting grain for seeding purposes) : Year Output in tons 1917 303,457 (according to the figures of the Ministry of Agri- culture— 3 4 , 4 5 ) . 1918 475,088 1919 344,552 This means that the average production per person of the peasants population during the year 1916 — 1919 was 86 poods or 1 1-3 tons. In the Zabaikal Province the net crop of grain per per- son of peasant population during the years 1915 — 1917 was as follows : Year Net Crop of Grain per Person in poods 1915 17.5 1916 25.0 1917 20.5 In the Maritime Province during the year 1915, the net crop was seven poods per person. The crops in the Amur Province per peasant exceed the crops of any of the Siberian provinces. As to the quantity of land per peasant holding the Amur Province occupies the first place among all the Russian Prov- inces. The quantity of the net crop per person shows that the crop at times far exceeds the requirements of the local popu- lation, and even years when the crops are poor give some sur- plus which may be exported outside of the province. Accord- ing to local statistics the surplus for 1915 — 1919 was expressed In the following figures: 44 Year Quantity, in tons .. 1915 206,982 1916 9,591 1917 58,269 1918 184,510 1919 53,974 The character of various cultures and the proportion of their area under cultivation in the individual provinces to the total area under cultivation is expressed in the following table. Percentage Product Amur Province Zabcdkal Province Maritime Province 1917 1916 1916 Wheat 52.2 17.3 31.6 Oats 39.3 .... 33.5 Oats and Barley .... 20.7 Rye 1.3 52.0 1.2 Bitckwheat 1.1 6.5 15.4 Millet 9.6 0.2 Barley 0.3 .... 0.9 Potatoes 1.4 0.9 6.3 Corn .... .... 2.8 Sunflower 0.6 .... .... Sunflower, hemp and poppies.. .... 0.1 .... Melons and cucumbers 0.2 .... .... Garden Vegetables, mellons and tobacco .... 0.7 .... Flax 05 .... 5.0 Hemp 0.1 .... . • • • Seed grasses .... 1-6 ■•.. Beans .... ••.• 2.9 Tobacco .... .... 0.4 Various 0.7 .... .... 100% 100% 100% The production of v/heat and oats occupies the most im- portant place in the Amur Province; rye and then oats and wheat, in the Zabaikal Province; in the Maritime Province, wheat and oats are divided about equally, occupying each 1-3 of the cultivated area; the percentage of buckwheat is high, being 15.4%, and potatoes— 6.3%, flax 5%. 45 AVERAGE CROPS IN THE AMUR PROVINCE ACCORDING TO THE FIGURES FOR 9 YEARS, 1911-1919, INCLUSIVE (given in an area of one desiatine [about 3 acres] in poods) 1 poo d — 36.11 lbs. Year Wheat Oats Rye Barley Millet Buckwheat Potatoes 1911 70 73 49 83 57 28 534 1912 81 65 53 71 52 34 885 1913 70 73 66 63 62 47 411 1914 38 55 50 .. .. .. 573 1915 64 66 72 45 51 42 543 1916 52 54 45 61 55 45 406 1917 45 55 61 54 37 41 450 1918 61 71 66 77 35 37 674 1919 49 56 49 77 61 49 The crops in the Maritime Province according to the fig- ures of 1914 were as follows: Product Poods, per desiatine Wheat 51.4 Rye 50.5 Oats 60.3 Barley 42.6 The average amlount of seed planted per desiatine (about 3 acres) in the Amur and Maritime Provinces v/as as follows: Seed Poods, per desiatine Amur Maritime Wheat 9.6 8.8 Oats 10.6 8.4 Rye 9.1 10 . 8 Barley 8.7 6.5 Millet 2.5 Buckwheat 5.7 Potatoes 68.8 The great development of agriculture in the Amur Pro- vince, which has an abundance of tillable lands, the wealth of the rural population, and the relative proximity to the Ameri- can market, with its highly developed production of argicul- tural machinery, resulted in a considerable utilization in the province of agricultural implements which have found wide application in this province. The number of agricultural im- 46 piements owned by the peasants, in the Amur Pi'ovince can be seen from the census of machinery taken during the year 1917 (for the purpose of comparison the corresponding figures are given for two other provinces of the Far Eastern Republic, and two large Siberian provinces outside of the Far Eastern Republic — Irkutsk and Tobolsk.) AVERAGE PER 100 PEASANT HOLDINGS Name of Implement , ' > Other Plows Tech- A Winnow- Wagons nical f \ Single Multi Drill Thresh' ing a Imple- Province Share Share Plows Mowers Reapers ers Mach. Iron Wood ments Amur 83.3 0.1 16.0 14.3 36.7 7.7 19.6 33.6 131.7 3.4 Maritime 56.5 0.2 0.8 2.2 11.6 3.5 10.0 26.1 2.8 Zabailkal 39.9 0.8 1.1 7.1 7.9 1.9 7.4 27.1 13.6 Irkutsk 24.8 2.1 0.4 2.5 1.6 3.8 10.6 5.1 107.0 2.7 Tobolsk 55.8 3.0 4.6 0.2 0.3 8.7 13.5 23.6 111.4 Thus in agricultural equipment also the Amur Province occupies a high place, exceeding in number of implements per holding both the neighboring provinces of the Far Eastern Re- public, and the highly developed agricultural provinces of Western Siberia, such as Tobolsk. The number of working horses per holding is as follows: Province No. of Horses per Holding Amur 3.1 Maritime 1.4 Zabaikal 3.4 Thus in the number of working horses the agricultural Amur Province almost equals the cattle raising z^abaikal Pro- vince. The soil and climatic conditions of the Maritime Province are very favorable for the raising of flax for seed and fibre. Unfortunately the conditions of life in this province since the war and intervention were unfavorable to aiding the population in the development of this branch of argiculture. The cultivation of flax may become a very profitable item in the budget of the peasant, and in the north in the swampy 47 clayrsh regions the raising of flax for fibre may become the chief item for the support of the emigrant. Flax is also culti- vated in the Amur Province, but in very small quantities. The amount of flax cultivated in the Maritime Province is as follows : Year Quantity, in tons 1910 1,298 1911 2,180 1912 2,938 Since that time the cultivation of flax increased, and in 1919, according to the figures of the Agronomic Department of the Centrosoyuz (Union of Cooperatives), the figures were 23,697 tons, of which 1,639 tons were kept for seeding pur- poses. In 1920, 50 tons of flax were exported to England, 6,708 tons were exported to America; 144 tons to Czecho-Slovakia; 54 tons to Germany; 3,673 tons to Japan; and, without speci- fication of the country 3,353 tons. The total quantity of flax exported was 838,922 poods, or 13,982 tons. During nine months of 1921, January— September, the quantity of flax fibre exported to Japan was 835 long tons, and of flax seed exported to Japan, 4,821 long tons, and China 23 long tons, a total of 4,844 long tons. Because of the lack of proper organization for the sale of flax, a great quantity of it perishes in the barns of the peasants. Local plants for compressing the oil are very few, and only a small part of the flax is utilized for the production of oil. The fibre is used very little, primarily for clothing. The greatest part of the fibre (80% — 90%), because of lack of utilization, is thrown away. The cooperatives are taking some measures in regard to the utihzation of the fibre, and its sale in the British market, which until the present timie has not been done in the Russian Far East. It may give the country a new source of revenue, which may amount to more than 10 million gold rubles. The sale of flax fibre is assured, as the world market is experiencing a shortage of fiax since the considerable de- crease in the quantity of flax exported from Russia. Hemp is produced in small quantities in the Maritime Pro- vince (up to 1000 tons) and in the Amur Province up to 500 tons. There was no detnand yet for the eastern Siberian hemp, wliich is the reason for the insignificant cultivation of it. 48 As the results of the cultivation of tobacco were very sat- isfactory, in the near future it will undoubtedly become a large item of revenue. Experiments with beet sugar in the Amur and Maritime Provinces also proved very successful, and its cultivation will probably be developed. In order to determine the consumption of grain and fodder in the Far Eastern Republic in connection with their produc- tion, it is necessary to consult the figures of the Ministry of Agriculture for the years 1911-1915, and separately for 1917. Since that time there were changes in the number of popula- tion and these changes will have to be takn into consideration when calculating the amount of grain that is being consumed. The increase in the population in the Russian Par East took place primarily in the cities and not in the rural communities. In calculating the consumption of grain, the following aver- age figure is taken per person in a year in the city and in the village: 14 poods 20 lbs. of wheat; 35 lbs. of rye; 41bs. of barley (or buckwheat) ; 11 poods 22 lbs. of potatoes (4 poods of pota- toes=l pood of bread) ; a total of 19 poods 14 lbs. or about 191/2 poods of grain products per person. These figures have previously been used in statistical estimates in Russia. From Table A, (see page 50) printed below, it is evident that for the entire population of Far Eastern Republic, it is necessary to have, in round figures: Quantity in poods Province Grain Products Potatoes Zabaikal and Pribaikal. . . . 13,897,000 10,372,000 Amur 6,190,000 4,620,000 Maritime and Priamur. . . . 11,328,000 8,455,000 Total 31,415,000 23,447,000 Table B (see page 51) shows the approximate amount of fodder necessary per year: Province Fodder in poods Zabaikal and Pribaikal 36,000,000 Amur 5,300,000 Maritime and Priamur 6,000,000 Total 47,300,000 Table C (see page 51) shows what the Provinces of the Par Eastern Republic produced during the year of 1917. 49 Province Grain Products Fodder Potatoes POODS Zabaikal and Pribailtal 17,674,000 8,591,000 2,520,000 Amur 9,760,000 10,667,000 3,000,000 Maritime and Priamur.. 6,524,000 7,120,000 7,715,000 Total 33,958,000 26,378,000 13,235,000 In other* words, according to the figures of 1917 (see Table D, page 51) the Provinces of the Far Eastern Republic produced 2% million poods of grain beyond the requirements of the population, but were short 21 million poods of fodder, and over ten million poods of potatoes. According to the average figures for 1911-1915, (Table E page 52) the folldwing is the situation showing the production in the Provinces. POODS Province Grain Products Fodder Potatoes Zabaikal and Pribaikal 13,567,000 3,976,000 1,680,000 Amur 6,809,000 6,339,000 2,975,000 Maritime and Priamur.. 3,216,000 3,678,000 6,366,000 Total 23,592,000 13,993,000 11,121,000 Taking into consideration the reqquirements of the popu- lation as shown above, the results are as follows: the popu- lation of the provinces was short: — grain products about 8 million poods; fodder over 23 million poods, and potatoes over 12 million poods. If the Provinces are considered separately the following is the situation: 1. According to the figures of 1917 the Zabaikal Province,, together with the Pribaikal Province (in former years these two provinces were one), had a surplus of grain products of over 314 million poods. It was short over 27 million poods of fodder, and nearly 8 million poods of potatoes. According to the figures of 1911-1915, there was a short- age of grain products annually of over 300,000 poods, of fodder over 32 million poods, and of potatoes over 8 million poods. Thus it is evident that the Zabaikal region did not produce a sufficiency of potatoes and fodder while of grain products there was sometimes a surplus which to a certain degree covered the shortage of fodder and of potatoes. The state of affairs in the 50 Zabaikal region in general is such that from two to three mil- lion poods of grain have to be imported. This is explained by the fact that the neighboring Irkutsk Province does not pro- duce a sufficient quantity of grain and has to buy fro^m its neighbor up to one-half million poods. Also, the consumption is somewhat greater than the average, and that explains the necessity of imiporting such a quantity of grain (from 30,000- 50,000 tons). 2. According to the figures of 1917, the Amur Province had a surplus of grain products of over 31/2 million poods, a surplus of fodder of over 5 million poods, and a shortage of potatoes of over li/^ million poods. According to the figures of 1911-1915, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, the surplus of grain products was 600,000 poods, of fodder over 1,000,000 poods, and a shortage of potatoes of over IY2 million poods. These figures for the Amur Province are undoubtedly not ex- act, as local statistics show a greater surplus of grain products. The figures for the crops of 1918 (28,505,235 poods) shows a surplus of over 8 million poods, over the crops for 1917. Com- pared with the figures of the Ministry of Agriculture, the 1918 crop was 15,000,000 poods gi^eater than the average crop for the years 1911-1915. It is clear that the Amur Province is not only self-sufficient, but even with an unsatisfactory crop it pro- duces a surplus. Part of the grain is shipped to the other side of the Amur River for the Chinese, and part is exported to other provinces, if the population of these provinces has the purchas- ing equivalent. Otherwise the grain accumulates in the barns of the peasants. The consumption of grain in the Amur Pro- vince is greater than in the other provinces. It may be stated with certainty that the Amur Province could always export up to 3,000,000 poods of grain. 3. According to the figures of 1917 the Maritime Pro- vince was short of nearly 5,000,000 poods of grain products, and had a surplus of over 1,000,000 poods of fodder, and a shortage of 700,000 poods of potatoes. According to the fig- ures of 1911-1915 the shortage of grain products was 8,000,000 poods, of fodder over 2,000,000 poods, and of potatoes over 2,000,000 poods. Thus the Maritime Province had to import from, 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 poods. The shortage of individual 51 years is partly covered by tlie surplus of fodder which equals from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 poods. The Maritime Provincial Zemstvo estimated that the shortage of wheat for the rural population of the province for 1919 was 1,800,000 poods. To- gether with the city population it can be considered from 4,000,000 to 4,500,000 poods. Grain products used to be ex- ported from the Maritime Province to Kamchatka and some- what to the Kolym region (of the Yakutsk Province). Be- cause of this it was necessary to import another 500,000 poods of grain. On the average it may be considered that the Mari- time Province has to import from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 poods of grain. Adding to these figures the imporation of the Zabaikal and Pribaikal provmces of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 poods, there is the necessity of importing from 7,000,000 to 9,000,000 poods of grain. Part of these requirements could be, and are, covered by the surplus of the Amur Province. On the average it may be necessary to import from Manchuria from 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 poods, i. e., 80,000 to 120,000 tons, of grain products annually. Thus the Far Eastern Republic is confronted by the problem, not only of increasing the area of cultivation, but also of introducing agricultural machinery in the Zabaikal, Pribaikal and Maritime Provinces, so that the standard of their production would at least equal that of the Amur Province. This undoubtedly would at once end the necessity of importing grain from Manchuria, for covering the shortage not speaking of the possibility of exporting the surplus. TABLE A Population and Consumption of Grain Products (annual requirements according to statistical estimates) Rural & Urban Province Population Rye Wheat Barley Potatoes Zabaikal and Pribaikal .... 898,000 Amur 400,000 Maritime and Priamur 732,000 785,750 13,021,000 89,800 10,371,900 350,000 5,800,000 40,000 4,620,000 640,500 10,614,000 73,200 8,454,600 TOTAL ..2,030,000 1,776,250 29,435,000 193,000 23,446,500 Remark: The average requirements per person per year are: wheat — 14 poods 20 lbs.; barley — 4 lbs.; rye — 35 lbs.; potatoes — 11 poods 221bs. (equal to 4 poods of grain) ; total requirements per person per year — 19.5 poods of grain. 52 TABLE B Quantity of Cattle and Consumption of Food by Them (according to Agricultural Census of 1916) (in thousands of heads and poods) Horses Work Rest Large Medium — Small Age Animals Animals Total incl A A A Total Req. Req. for horses in Quant. Quant. Quant. feed cattle Thous. feed Thous. feed Thous. feed in villages in cities Province heads poods heads poods heads poods poods poods Zabaikal and Pribaikal 610 12,200 1,400 14,000 1,910 9,550 33,750 ■36,000 Amur 147 2,940 137 1,370 164 820 5,130 5,300 Maritime and Priamur 122 2,440 213 ■2,130 210 1,050 5,620 6,000 TOTAL 879 1,750 2,284 47,300 Remark: In this table the average requirement is based on the following: working horse requires 20 poods; other large animals 10 poods; medium and small animals 5 poods of fodder. TABLE C Average Crop of the Principal Grain Products and Potatoes (In thousands of poods) Total G rain Prod. Total F adder Potatoes Buck- A A ■-\ r Aver. f Aver. Aver. Rye Wheat Wheat 1911- Oats Barley 1911- 1911- 1917 1917 1917 1917 1915 1917 1917 1917 1915 1917 1915 Zabaikal with Pribaikal 11236 4484 2054 17674 13567 7026 1565 8591 3976 2520 1680 Amur 554 8959 147 9760 6809 10600 64 10667 6339 3000 2975 Maritime with Priamur 184 3431 2909 6524 3216 7120 • • • • 7120 3678 7715 6366 TABLE D Surplus and Shortage (according to the figures of the Ministry of Agriculture for 1911) (in thousands of poods) Net Crop Consumption Province Products 1917 Requirements Surplus Shortage Grain 17,674 13,897 3,777 Zabaikal and Pribaikal Fodder 8,591 36,000 27,409 Potatoes 2,520 10,372 7,852 Grain 9,760 6,190 3,570 Amur Fodder 10,667 5,300 5,367 Potatoes 3,000 4,620 1,620 Grain 6,524 11,328 4,804 Maritime and Priamur. Fodder 7,120 6,000 1,120 Potatoes 7,715 8,455 740 53 TABLE E Surplus and Shortage (according to figures of Ministry of Agriculture for 1911-1915) (in thousands of poods) Province Zabaikal and Pribaikal Amur. Maritime and Priamur. Net Crop Consumption Products 1911-1915 Requirements Surplus Grain Prod. 13,567 13,897 Fodder 3,976 36,000 Potatoes 1,680 10,372 Grain Prod. 6,809 Fodder 6,339 Potatoes 2,975 Grain Fodder Potatoes Prod. 3,216 3,678 6,366 6,190 5,300 4,620 11,328 6,000 8,455 619 1,039 Shortage 330 32,024 8,692 1,645 8,112 2,322 2,089 54 CHAPTER VII. APICULTURE. In the Maritime Province apiculture is gradually beginning to prove a source of income to the farmer, and peasants are beginning to give serious attention to it. During the yar 1912, 42,858 poods of honey were produced, and 21,670 poods of honey were sold, value of v^hich amounted to 130,020 gold rubles. The vv^ax produced was 4,301 poods, of which 2,351 poods were sold, the value being 42,318 gold rubles. Since that time the production increased up to 70,000 or 80,000 poods. Chemical analysis of Ussuri honey showed that it is one of the best in the world. In 1914, the number of bee hives was 200,000. The average number of bee hives is from 150,000 to 225,000. 55 CHAPTER VIII. CATTLE BREEDING. Cattle breeding in the Far Eastern Republic occupies a very important place in the economic life of the country. It gives an opportunity to export hides, wool, fats, bristle, hair, casings. The Zabaikal and Pribaikal Provinces, which are neighboring with the cattle breeding Mongolia, are considered the principle cattle breeding provinces. In the Amur and Ma- ritime Provinces the number of cattle is increasing, but it is far behind the number of cattle in the Zabaikal region. The following table gives the census of cattle in the various pro- vinces of the Republic in 1916. TABLE I. Zabaikal Maritime Kind of Animal and Amur and Pribaikal Priamur Horse 606,162 146,862 121,695 Horned Animals.. 1,392,331 136,798 212,338 Sheep 1,314,684 22,917 4,101 Goats 249,772 514 3,465 Pigs 334,882 140,051 145,466 Varia 9,979 9 4,957 Total.... 3,907,800 447,151 492,022 Thus, according to the census of 1916, the total number of cattle in the Republic was 4,846,973. Adding to it the calves, and city horses, the number will exceed by far 5,000,000. The number of cattle per peasant holding, and the quan- tity of hay consumed, is evident from the following table: ... 56 . TABLE 2 Classification of Animals A Working Sheep Province Horse Cows & Goats Pigs No. Per Peasant Holding Zabaikal and Pribaikal . 3.4 3.8 11.5 2.4 Amur 3.1 1.4 0.7 3.4 Maritime and Priamur .. 1.4 1.2 0.2 3.4 Total 28.7 11.8 8.8 % Hay fields compared ivith Acres Cid- total culti- live ted vated area for Hay Per Peasant Holding 19.8 11.1 2.7 192.3 27.3 54.4 From this table it is evident that the Zabaikal Province occupies the first place in the number of cattle, the Amur Pro- vince the second place, and the Maritime Province the last. As compared vdth the Siberian Provinces outside of the Far East- ern Republic, in cattle breeding the Zabaikal Province is second only to Semipalatinsk Province, v^here per each holding the average number of animals is 31.9. In the number of v/orking horses the Amur Province is very close to the Zabaikal, which is explained by the fact that the Amur Province as a producer of grain products requires the greatest number of vv^orking horses. The relation of areas under hay cultivation and the total cultivated area also clearly demonstrates the character of the various provinces of the Far Eastern Republic in regard to cattle breeding. Cattle breeding as part of the agricultural industry is con- stantly growing in the Amur Province as well as in the Ma- ritime Province, in quantity as well as in quality. As compared with 1910, the number of cattle in the Amur Province in 1917 increased by 45%. The sheep breeding is developed only in the Zabaikal Province. The sheep are mostly of Mongolian extraction, more rarely of Manchurian. There are also sheep of breed mixed with merino. Of farm horses, the Amur horse is of a very good quality and large size. The Amur Molokans (a religious sect which emigrated from southeastern Russia where good breeds of horses are raised) are responsible for the good breed of the Amur horse. In the Amur Province there are known to be 200 thorough-bred stallions and 500 mares which greatly facilitated the improving of the breed of local 57 horse. Milch cows of the Republic are mostly of local breeds; of Manchurian and Mongolian, and in the southern part of the Maritime region, the Korean breed. The cows of these breeds give little milk. There are cows of cultured breeds: Simental, Holland and others. The frosts are very bad for the good breed- ing of cows. The best cows are those brought from western Siberia, primarily from Tomsk. They do not require special care, give a sufficient quantity of milk, especially if properly cared for. The pigs are principally of Manchurian breed, al- though there are some of the mixture of cultured breeds, such as Yorkshire and Berkshire. This breed produces very good re- sults; a four month old pig of mixed breed is equal in weight to a year old pig of local breed. Deer breeding can become a very profitable source of in- come in the agricultural life of the Amur and Maritime Pro- vinces because of the demand for the horns of deer while in vel- vet (used in medicine). In the Maritime Province this branch of animal breeding is already being developed by some people. The price of a pair of deer horns (including the forehead) is from 100 to 800 gold rubles. The meat of deer is also used for food. Until the present time the Russian Far East did not com- pletely meet its requirements of meat, which are about 35,000 tons. The shortage was supplied from Mongolia. To the Amur gold mines cattle and meat were shipped across Man- churian cities Aigun, Sakhalyan (which is located on the Chin- ese side of the Amur River opposite Bla.goveshchensk), and floated on the river Sungari. To the Maritime Province meat and cattle were shipped across Manchuria and partially through the port of Vladivostok from' Chinese ports. It was also shipped through the city of Hunchun which is close to the frontier, and where there is a special Russian plague quarantine station for animals. The Zabaikal Province can produce 120,000 poods and more, of sheep wool for export, but this amount cannot be taken as an average, as it depends on conditions. This is evid- ent by comparing the figures of exports of wool for 1919 and 1920. According to the figures of the railroad freight during the year 1919 from the Zabaikal Railroad to the Ussuri Rail- 58 road there were carried to Vladivostok for export 112,402 poods of sheep wool and 11,029 poods of camel wool. During 1920, the year of disorders in the Zabaikal Region because of the athrocities of Semonoff and the Japanese, the situation is altogether different. WOOL EXPORTED THROUGH VLADIVOSTOK IN 1920. Kinds of Wool Exp. to Japan Exp. to U. S. Total Poods Caimel Wool 800 . SOO Sheep Wool 20 66 86 Goat Wool 10 — 10 Mongolian Wool 35 270 305 Lamb Wool — 800 800 Total to other countries. . — — 1,161 Total 865 1,136 3,162 The same situation may be observed in regard to hides and horse hair and bristle. While in the pre-war years over 150,000 poods of hides were exported, during the latter years the quantity was greatly reduced. During the year 1920 the following quantity of bristle was exported : Total to Exp. to Exp. to Other Kind of Bristle Japan U. S. Countries Poods Bristle, Unsorted 462 — 462 Bristle, Raw 77 25 102 Bristle, Uncleaned ... 980 — 980 Bristle, all sorts 2,775 166 2,941 Unsorted, exported generally abroad ... — — 13 Uncleaned, exported generally abroad ... — — 108 All kinds, exported abroad — — 846 Total 4,294 294 5,555 The year 1920 was a very difficult year for the Russian Far East. The various provinces were separated from each 59 other, and Vladivostok was cut off from the producing regions. In connection with this all production in the producing regions was greatly diminished. Business was also very poor during the first nine months of 1921, January to Septem'ber, and through Vladivostok there was exported only 100 long tons of wool. The improvement in the exports through Vladivostok may be ex- pected only with the departure of the Japanese troops, when the population will feel secure from one day to the next. 60 CHAPTER IX. INDUSTRIES OF THE FAR EASTERN REPUUBLIC. The vast area of the Republic which is fit for agriculture and cattle breeding, the wide forest areas, the colossal mineral wealth, and the inexhaustible fishing resources in themselves presuppose the future of the RepubUc, at least in the nearest future, as a country primarily of the basic industry type rather than of the manufacturing industry type. The utilization of 3,500,000 acres of land out of the 54,000,000 acres fit for cultivation on the one hand, and the shortage of grain products on the other, make it imperative to increase the area of cultivation. The existence of the neighbor- ing vast Manchurian grain market limits the development of the area of cultivation of grain products to the requirements of the Republic. This neighboring market makes the farmer interested in the production of technical plants, such as flax, hemp, and tobacco. This is also facilitated by the already achieved success and the favorable soil and climatic conditions. This is particular- ly true as regards flax. This increase in the cultivation of flax puts forward the issue of the vegetable oil industry which at the present time is in its infant stages in the Republic. The considerable size of the cattle breeding industry will make it possible in the near future to develop the preparation of animal products to a considerable extent. This development is al- ready taking place in the Zabaikal region, in the Amur Pro- vinces, and in the Maritime Province, but did not attain the size possible in proportion to the existing resources. This is true in regard to the leather, wool and soap making industries. The forest area, which is over 300,000,000 acres, is abundant with first class pine, spruce, larch, cedar, oak, etc., and opens wide possibilities for the timber industry, for paper, match and oil industries. The latter industry (preparation of cedar nut oil) 61 up to the present time was developed on a very small scale. The export of timber did not exceed a few million gold rubles annually, while the resources are such that, if properly deve- loped, the revenue for the government treasury can nearly cover the annual budget of the country. The mineral wealth m)akes it possible to develop industries such as the gold industry, which, since the time of the revolution, has fallen oft considerably; the presence of vast resources assures a great future to this in- dustry. The same thing may be said in regard to the iron and silver-lead industries. There is only one iron manufacturing plant, the Petrovsk works, the capacity of which is 4,000 tons of iron and iron products, while the requirements of the repub- lic are 70,000 tons annually. The presence of the market on one hand and the resources (ores) on the other, create a basis for the development of the iron industry. This will be facil- itated by the tremendous requirements of the neighboring mar- ket of the rest of Siberia. Regarding the existing lead-silver industry, it may be stated that it is very small if the 500 known deposits are taken into consideration. The coal industry, for which resources of coal are known to be about 40,000,000,000 poods (not including Sakhahn), prior to the war produced about 65,000,000 poods annually, and now produces about 50,000,000 poods. This also cannot be considered as a satisfactory stage of development. The production during the period between 1905-1919 of 8,580 poods of tungsten with the known large de- posits indicates the infant stage of the development of this mining industry. At the present time even this small mining of tungsten has practically ceased. The exploitation of the vast resources of Sakhahn oil did not even begin. This remarkable contrast between the mining industry and its possibilities has its justification: the absence of capital and technical equipment and the shortage of technical per- sonnel. If to this should be added the unfavorable conditions created by armed intervention, then the picture Is clear. The vast resources of fish in the waters of the Republic make pos- sible not only the suplying of the population, but also the ex- portation of over 100,000 tons annually. The canning industry which was just beginning to develop was destroyed by Japanese aggression, and will undoubtedly become one of the important 62 industries of tlie Republic after the departure of the Japanese from the coastal territory of the Far Eastern Republic. Thus from this brief sketch it is evident that speaking of the industries of the Far Eastern Republic it is necessary to speak not so much of the present, when the industries are prac- tically in their embryonic stages, but of the future, and of the resources and possibilities that would follow the application of sufficient capital. THE ZABAIKAL AND PRIBAIKAL PROVINCES. Comparing the figures printed below for the years 1898- 1910, which give the number of going enterprises, it is evident that the industry of this province (including the Pribaikal Pro- vince) was begining to develop and grow. Industry No. of Enterprises 1898 1910 Manufacturing from Vegetable Products 36 187 Manufacturing from Animal Products... 85 96 Since that time up to 1916, although the development was slower, it was steadily increasing, especially during the war, but since 1916, and espevially since 1917, the first year of the revolution, the number of industries declined. The causes of the retarded development from 1910 to 1916 are as follows: 1. Lack of technisal equipment for the industrial enter- prises. 1. Lack of technical equipment for the industrial enter- 3. Lack of free capital among the local population which could place enterprises in their proper standing so as to be able to compete with the Russian products which were beimj brought into the Far East at that time. According to the figures of freight carried on the Zabaikal Railroad in 1912 the exportation of raw hides from the pro- vince was 153,898 poods; of raw furs, 75,558 poods, and tins was the situation when there were 40 tanneries in the province (it is true that the majority of these lacked mechanical equip- ment). From the figures of freight carried on the Zabaikal Rail- road it is evident that during the same year 304,735 poods of 63 machinery were brought into the province, of which 219,870 poods were agricultural machines, and the rest machinery for manufacturing purposes, and in this must be included those for the gold mining industry and the coal mining industry. Thus machinery imported for actual manufacturing purposes was only a small part of the total imports of machinery. From the beginning of the World War, when the importa- tion of manufactured products from Russia decreased, the ma- nufacturing industry improved somewhat in the province, par- ticularly the industry engaged in the development of animal products, for which raw materials (hides, fats, wool) were present in large quantities, there also being a permanent supply of raw materials from Mongolia. Tanning materials for the tanneries (oak and willow bark) were to be had in abundance, and there was always plenty of local soda for soap manufac- turing. Although due to the abundance of animal products the industry ought to develop and, apparently, should surpass any other industry in the country, in reality its total produc- tion is considerably less than the industry engaged in the de- velopment of vegetable products. The cause of this, as was already stated, is that the majority of the factories and shops lacked mechanical equipment. This applies to the tanneries, soap making, candle making, and wool manufacturing plants. The number of the more or less large factories in the province may be seen from the folowing table in the districts Zabaikal, Pribaikal, and Sretensk-Nerchinsk, which belong to the Pro- vinces Zabaikal and Pribaikal: Sretensk- Pribm Ikal District A Zabaikal District K Nerchinsk District A No. of Annual No. of Annual No. of Annual Name of Industry Plants Production Plants Production Plants Production Hide tanneries . . 10 96,000 hides 5 30,000 hides 3 30.000 hides Soap Making Factories 7 140,000 poods 2 180,000 poods 5 72,000 poods Sheep skin tanneries 5 48,000 skins 7 100,000 skins 3 30,000 skins felt boots factories. . . . 15,000 pair Candle making factories. . , 1 10,000 poods 2 18,000 poods Thus there were 18 more or less large tanneries in the Za- baikal and Pribaikal Provinces v\rhose annual production was 156,000 hides. There were 14 soap making factories with an 64 annual production of 392,000 poods; 15 sheep skin tanneries and felt "boot" factories with an annual production of 178,000 skins and 15,000 pairs of felt boots; 3 candle making plants with an annual production of 28,000 poods. Besides these there were in the provinces 25 small tan- neries (without mechanical equipment), which did not work during the years 1919-1920, and only recently did they gradually begin to revive. The branch of industry engaging in the development of vegetable products, in the number of plants and in the quantity of production stands higher than the industry developing animal products. This development is conected with the development of agriculture in this cattle breeding province. Besides the flour mills there are distilleries and breweries well equipped technically, which sold their products outside of the province, vegetable oil plants, etc. The number of these plants and their productivity can be seen from the following table : Pribaikal District Zabaikal 1 y\su\c\. Sretensk-Nerchinsk District A A j^ f ~ Name of Plants Workers ^ Plants Workers \ 1 1 Plants Workers Industry No. oi No. of Productivity No.. of No.of Productivity No. of No. of Productivity Distilleries 1 80 75,000 gal. 1 40 35,000 gal. 1 40 37,000 gal. Breweries 3 55 130,000 gal. 3 40 265,000 gal. 5 70 350,000 gal. Flour Mills 458 472 2,000 tons 7 115 1.500 tons 13 40 1,200 tons Oil Refineries 2 4 200 tons • . • • .. .. • • • • Saw Mills 6 saw mills in the Province, with a production of 400,000 logs. From this table it is evident from the number of workers employed that the majority of the enterprises were small fac- tories. The majority of the flour mills are either wind mills or wa- ter mills, which employed only one worker. The number of creameries is extremiely small in spite of the large cattle breed- ing in the province. Reflneries obtaining oil from cedar nuts would be of tremen- dous importance in the Zabaikal and Pribaikal region. The Pri- baikal region has vast resources of cedar forests covering enor- mous areas of the basins of Rivers Chikoy and Selenga. The local peasants distill oil and obtain from the remnants, cakes by 65 hand process. In the village Krasny-Yar it is Intended to put Into operation soon an oil refinery with a capacity of 40,000 poods of oil and 120,000 poods of cakes annually. Of great importance not only for the Zabaikal region but for the industry of the Far Eastern Republic would be the es- tablishment of factories for the preparation of tanning extracts so essential for tanneries. In the district of Verkhneudinsk and Troitskosavsk counties there are tremendous quantities of willow, oak and so-called "bodan", and it would be very simple to obtain tanning extracts from their bark with the aid of al- kalies. It is only necessary to have kettles for boiling, filters and dryers. Such experiments were made in the laboratories of the Verkhneudinsk Regional Self-Government, and they gave very positive results. The requirements of tanning extracts for the tanneries of the Zabaikal Province alone is not less than 25,000 poods annually. Until now the tanning extracts were received only from abroad. The development of mineral resources in the Zabaikal Province is in the embryonic state in spite of the fact that the province is prosperous with the richest deposits of ores, strata (lime, clay, etc.) soda, salt, and saline lakes. There are the richest deposits of lime in the region of Station Zaigraevo on the Zabaikal Railroad, 1), near verst 508, 2) seven miles from the above mentioned station. The lime deposits were inves- tigated thoroughly and are of the best quality, almost without any mixture of silica, and its deposits amounted to tens of mil- lions of poods. These deposits are within 8 and 20 miles south of Station Zaigraevo. They have not been explored, but are used by the peasants who derive good earnings from them. In the same district there are deposits of clay although not fire-proof, but its contents are fit for the production of cement. The Bryansk cement factory which was built 25 years ago, near Station Zaigraevo, has been worked up to 1914, producing for the market (primarily for the Zabaikal Railroad) 150,000 bar- rels of cement annually. The owners of the factory intended to increase the capacity of the factory up to 300,000 barrels, in order to do which a power plant was imported, and set up, with a steam turbine for 600 kilowatts. It was intended to move the plant to Junction 37 of the Zabaikal Railroad where 66 the Tarbogatai mines are located. Here the frame of the fac- tory had been built, the power plant moved, the pipe furnace put up, and most of the machinery shipped from the old plant. But the war, and later the revolution and intervention, stopped the further moving of the plant, so important to the Province and the entire Republic. The question of finishing the moving of the plant and putting it into operation is under consideration by the local government at the present time. The wealth of the Zabaikal Province in saline and soda lakes makes it pos- sible to develop highly the production of sulphate and also ren- ders possible the development of the glass industry. Twenty- three miles from the city of Bargusin there is the Algin Sul- phate factory which can produce up to 100,000 poods of saline and which can be worked to yield 30,000 poods of sulphate. At the present time, because the owner lacks capital, the work in the factory is gradually decreasing. This plant furnishes saline and sulphate to the yerkhneudinsk glass factory. About 4 miles from Station Dauria on the Zabaikal Rail- road on Lake Shekolan, there is working another sulphate fac- tory obtaining crystallized saline from the lake. Its production was annually up to 10,000 poods of pure dry sulphate. In the Zabaikal region there are many other saline lakes which have been explored geologically. Such lakes are: the Kazhar-Shan, Tsinganar, Belentuy, Hangai, Emikoy, and also others, that are still to be explored. The glass factory in oper- ation in Verkhneudinsk yields the following annual production: window glass, 14,000 cases; bottles, up to 500,000; tumblers, up to 600,000; lamp globes, up to 200,000; and pharmaceutical utensils up to 1,000,000 pieces. The demands for glass in the Zabaikal and Amur Province where there is no production of glass at all, is extreme, and the Verkhneudinsk factory cannot satisfy the demand, just as the demand for glass cannot be satisfied by the single glass factory in the Maritime Province. It is necessary to utilize the saline lakes for obtaining the raw materials, and developing the glass industry in the Republic (quartz, lime, and clay necessary for the production may be found on the spot in various localities in any quantity). There are great possibilities in the Zabaikal Province, be- 67 sides the production of sulphate, in obtaining and in the pro- duction of soda, crystallized as well as caustic, and calcined. Of the soda lakes the best known and worthy of attention is the Doronensk lake, which is located 80 miles to the south of Chita and which has an abundance of larch and pine forests four miles from the River Ingoda, which can be used for float- ing purposes. Judging by the content of soda in brine, from 8% to 10%, and also from the content of raw soaa (according to the calculations in 1912 by Chemist Belousov this supply is 24,000,000 poods), it is undoubtedly of great industrial import- ance. In the winter time when the temperature of the water is lowered, the soda in crystal form drops to the bottom of the lake from where it may be obtained by most elementary meth- ods as a pure product. As soon as the lake is covered by ice there appears on the ice the same crystallized soda, the layer of which is sometimes 1% inches thick. What quantity can be obtained by the simple process of sweeping off the soda can be imagined when the fact is taken into consideration that the area of the lake is 4 square kilometers. In 1920 the lake was investigated by an English company, which intended to obtain 100,000 poods of crystallic soda annually, 60,000 poods of calcined soda, 20,000 poods of caustic soda, and up to 200,000 poods of cooking salt. But the war prevented the realization of this plan. The Doronensk Lake belongs to one of those gems of nature which are scat- tered throughout the Russian Far East, and which await only the application of capital. Considering the fact that there are over 100 carbonic springs in the Zabaikal region, it may be ex- pected that there are other such lakes there. No investigation has been made in that line as yet. The Kiron cooking salt plant deserves attention. It was built on the lake of the same name, and is 20 miles from Ky- akhta, and 3 miles from Mongolian frontier, and ly^ miles from the river Chikoy which can be used for floating purposes. In 1885 a salt boiling plant was built on the lake, and in 1895 it produced 31,000 poods of salt, which is the maximum of its capacity. Since 1887, besides salt, there were also produced as by-products bitter salts, and they were reproduced into caustic soda. This salt plant is still being worked by primitive meth- ods.fl The brine is prepared during the warm part of the year, 68 i. e., it is pumped into a basin where by freezing in winter time it is separated from the bitter salts, and it is placed in boilers. The salt obtained contains 99.07% of sodium chloride. The Borzin salt lake is in the Aksha county not far from Station Borzya. During the summer, when the water is evaporating, the cooking salt precipitates. The lake has been little inves- tigated, and it is difficult to say regarding the quantity of salt in it. At the present time local peasants obtain salt from it by hand methods. THE AMUR PROVINCE. The industry which handles animal products in the Amur Province is little developed, as well as all of the manufacturing industries of that province. It is much below the basic indus- tries. Of industries engaged in developing animal products in the Amur Province there are tanneries, soap making, candle mak- ing, and felt making. The plants are very small and the m'ajor- ity of them need mechanical equipment. The number and pro- ductivity of plants can be seen from the following table: Annual Production 60,000 pieces 24,000 poods 2,500 poods 15,000 pair felt boots \ 15,000 yards of felt Sheep coat making 7 5,000 sheep skins 1,500 sheepskin coats The utilization of the vast fishing wealth of the Amur Ri- ver, in the fish canning industry, is only beginning. Among the manufacturing industries the first place belongs to those developing vegetable products. Due to the great production of grain, the numerous water power mills and wind mills do not satisfy the requirements of the district. There is a necessity for large steam flour mills. Most of the existing steam flour mlills are located in the city of Blagoveshchensk, v/here even grain from Manchuria is milled. But the flour produced by these mills cannot compete with the flour imported from ab- roadfl from Manchuria and America. Thus further develop- 69 Name of Industry No. of Plants Tanneries 23 Soap Making . . , 5 Candle Makings. . 1 Pelt Making .... 18 Productivity up to 10,000,000 poods up to 1,000,000 gold rubls up to 700,000 gold rubls up to 60,000 poods merit of the general flour milling industry of the country is pos- sible only with additional technical equipment and capital. Distilling of spirits and brewing was developed in this pro- vince to an insufficient degree. In the Amur Province there were two distilleries and four breweries. During the latter years the manufacturers planned to build sugar refineries and for this purpose experiments were made of planting sugar beets, which gave very satisfactory results. The following table shows the production of enterprises engaged in the development of vegetable products. Name of No. of No. of Enterprise Enterprises Workers Steam Flour Mills... 9 597 Spirit Distilleries 2 105 Breweries 4 200 Oil Refineries 2 — In spite of the vast forest resources, the timber industry is not developed, and produced only for local requirements. The work of the saw mills and lumber mills was confined to the cut- ting of timber, manufacturing of boards and beams, sleepers, and only partially staves for barrels and the manufacturing of the latter. There are no furniture factories in the province. The match industry was limited to one factory in the city of Blagoveshchensk where about 21,000 cases of matches were produced monthly. The Blagoveshchensk matches were used in the Zabaikal region also, but naturally there was not enough of them and a great quantity of matches was imported from Manchuria and Japan. The production of chemicals from wood, was in an infant stage, and there were a few small plants for dry distillation and for the production of turpentine. These plants had no mechan- ical equipment. There are no paper or cellulois plants. Only by an influx of capital and the application of m^echanical meth- ods can this industry be developed. The following table shows the productivity of the plants engaged in manufacturing wood products in the Amur Pro- vince. 70 No. of No. of Name of Industry Enterprises Workers Annual Production Saw Mills 11 206 500,000 logs Match Factories . . 1 66 21,000 cases Plants for dry wood 130,000 poods of tar distillation No information 50,000 poods turpentine The industry engaged in developing mineral products is also in its primitive stage, in the Amur Province, in spite of the very large valuable mineral ore deposits. The cause was the absence of mechanical equipment and therefore the inability to compete with Russian and Japanese products. This was the condition of the only glass making factory in the province which obtained its raw materials on the spot, (saline, lime, quartz). According to the statistics, the value of imported glass products in the province from Japan and European Russia in 1906, was 3,000,000 gold rubles. In many places there were tremendous deposits of fire-proof clay which is well suited for •the production of china and deposits of lime wTiich, together with the clay, and, considering the presence of mineral coal in the province, would make it profitable to build cement factories in the province. The manufacture of metals and machine production are also of great importance to the country in view of the considre- able use of agricultural machinery and the developm,ent of river shipping. In Blagoveshchensk in 1906 there were five mechanical plants engaged in the production of pig iron (at the present time the work there has almost ceased). In spite of this the importation from abroad (particularly from America) of ma- chines and metal products during the same year, 1906, was 2,098,000 poods, and their value v/as almost 17,000,000 gold rubles. In 1907 the imports amounted to 12,348,000 gold rubles, (according to statistics the average value of imported metal products per person in the total population of the province was 30 gold rubles). The following is a table of industries engaged in the pro- duction of articles from the mineral resources of the provinces. 71 No. of No. of Name of Industry Enterprises Workers Productivity Glass Manufacturing.. 1 30 20,000 poods glass prod. Pig Iron and Machine 826,000 gold rubles Construction 5 306 am't of production Brick Manufacturing.. 47 167 63,000 gold rubles am't of production THE MARITIME AND PRIAMUR PROVINCES. The Maritime and Priamur Provinces are extremiely rich in fish, forests, fur animals, coal, iron, and silver-lead. The Maritime Province is bounded by the ocean on one side, has a navigable river, Ussuri, which is a tributary of the Amur; the city of Vladivostok, the gem of the Par East, is in the Maritime Province. Through Vladivostok the Maritime Province is con- nected by means of the Ussuri Railroad, with the Chinese Eastern Railroad and the Amur Railroad. Thus there were present all the requisites for turning the Maritime Province, and particularly its southern part, into an industrial center. The development in that direction gradually began, but for general reasons which retarted the development of industry in the Rus- sian Far East, this developlnent in the Maritime Province was retarded as well. The timber industry in the Maritime Pro- vince was more developed than in the other Provinces. Its turnover during the year 1913 reached 3i/^ million gold rubles. At one time there were in operation in the Maritime Province 44 saw mills, with a capacity of 2,000,000 logs. There was also a furniture factory, box factory, and veneer factory, a match factory, a ship building plant, and a railv/ay car assembling plant. The production of tar and turpentine reached consider- able size. In spite of the abundance of flax, oil refining was only in embryonic stage, and there is no doubt that in the future it will develop into a large industry. The same is true of the tobacco industry. The steam fiour mills of Vladivostok pro- duced large quantities of flour and in the near future there will begin to be operated a new large flour mill for the milling of Manchurian wheat for export. The development of animal products, local as well as of other provinces, and partially of Mongolia, is beginning to develop and promises to increase in 72 the future. A new tanning plant with a capacity of 2,500 hides monthly, recently began operations. Of enterprises en- gaged in developing minreal rsources there have been in opera- tion cement, brick, and glass factories. Recently there has been completed a third glass factory. In Vladivostok there is in operation a large government owned well equipped mechanical and ship building plant. Lack of capital interferes with the development of its operation on a large scale. Another large government machine plant is in Khabarovsk. There are about 20 foundries and pig iron plants which are mostly engagend in machine repairs, but so far they did not even satisfy the local demands. On the Bay of St. Olga a large iron producing plant could be built, as there are very large deposits of iron ore there. From there it would be pos- sible to supply in addition to the Petrovsk plant located in the Pribaikal Province not only the entire Far Eastern Republic, but also Western Siberia and part of European Russia. There are three industrial centers in the Martiime and Pri- amur Provinces, namely, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Nikolsk- Ussuriisk. The total turnover of the factories and shops of Vladivostok during the year 1915 was 12,000,000 gold rubles. The following table gives information about the larger factories and shops in the Maritime Province. Some of the distilleries in the Republic are being worked again by the Goverment, the alcohol being used for technical and medical purposes.The income from this industry to the Go- vernment in the provinces except Maritime amounts to one million gold rubles, but much more is expected in the near future. 78 No. of Industry Plants Saw Mills* 44 Paper Mills 1 Furniture 1 Box 1 Veneer 2 Ship Building ... 3 Pig iron & machine 20 Glass** 2 Brick 6 Soap 4 Tanneries*** 3 Steam Flour Mills**** 18 Oil Refineries .... 8 Spirit Distilleries.. 3 Breweries 13 Canneries* ****.. 1 Tobacco and Cigarettes 11 Electric Power Plants 11 No. of Value of Production, Workers or Capacity 700 up to 2,000,000 logs 3,600 poods of cardboard 210 900 15 320 1,025 404 455 580 200 650 60 300 38,000 cu. ft. of wood 2,000,000 cu. ft. of wood up to 2,200,000 gold rubles 30,000 poods window glass 310,000 bottles 1,100 poods silicate 13,000 poods soap 1,100,000 pieces toilet soap 40,000 hides 3,500,000 poods grain 15,600 poods vegetable oil not working at present not working at present 37,656 cans of crabs 4,000 poods of tobacco 75,000,000 cigarettes 300,000,000 paper cases for cigarettes 5,067,640 kilowatt Remarks: *At the present time the number of saw mills has considerably decreased. Only 28 or 30 are in operation. ** Recently a third plant was put in operation. ***Recently a fourth plant began operation with a producing capacity of 2,500 hides monthly, ****A new large steam flour mill is being built. *****The second canning plant is closed at the present time. 74 CHAPTER X. EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. lliere ia no exact and exhaustive data in regard to the ex- ports and imports in the territory at the present time occupied by the Far Eastern Republic, from which a definite idea can be had regarding the movement of merchandise and of the charac- ter of the commercial life of the country. The figures for the years 1913-1917, i. e., for the pre-revolutionary period, are gen- eral figures of imports to Asiatic Russia as a whole, i. e., into the present territory of the Far Eastern Republic and also for further transit to Siberia and Russia. The same thing is true in regard to exports. It does not seem possible to exactly de- termine the proportion of this trade which can be applied to the territory at present occupied by the Far Eastern Repubhc. These figures are characteristic and important for determining the quantity of merchandise which in general was received and shipped through the Russian Far East (and which may be re- ceived and shipped in the future), whether the merchandise was goods in transit which gives an income to the customs and the railroads, or whether it was goods intended for the Far East. The figures for 1914-1917 (in 1914 only partially), include mostly the merchandise which was shipped to Russia through Vladivostok in connection with the war and the closing of the southern European Russian frontier. These figures are inter- esting as they indicate the significance of Vladivostok as a port not only for the Far Eastern Republic, but also for Russia, and as an indication of the carrying capacity of the railroads of the Far Eastern Republic. The figures for 1919, 1920, 1921, the years that the Russian Far East began to live an independent life, would be extremely important and decisive if not for the fact that these years could not be, under any circumstances, considered as normal; in 1919 and the beginning of 1920 mili- 75 tary intervention of the allies and civil war were still taking place; during tlie rest of the time there took place the develop- ment of the destructive Japanese aggression which absolutely violated the normal development of life in the country and which compelled the productive Russian population to abandon peaceful labors and to shoulder rifles for the purpose of self- defense. Thus far, in 1922, the situation still remains abnormal in view of the fact that the entire important province, the Mari- time, has been cut off from the Far Eastern Republic, by the Ja- panese, and part of the mainland on the lower part of the Amur, and the Island of Sakhalin, were seized by the Japanese. These factors have to be taken into consideration when the figures that are presented below are considered. If these figures do not give an exact picture of the commercial life of the country, they still give a more or less definite approximate idea of it, and such which permits the drawing of certain conclusions which may be of practical significance. Merchandise was imported into the Far East and through it to Siberia and European Russia by several routes. 1. Through Vladivostok, and then through the Ussuri, Chinese Eastern, and Siberian Railroads. 2. Through Nikolaevsk on the Amur and then along the Amur River to the city or Sretensk from where it was shipped by railroad. 3. Through Dairen to Harbin-Manchuria, i. e., Dairen, then the South Manchurian Railroad, Chinese Eastern Rail- road, and Siberian Railroad. 4. Through Harbin on the Sungari River to the Amur River, and further. 5. Through Manchuria from Station Pogranichnaya, to the Maritime Province (primarily grain products). The same routs were used in exporting. The principal routs were Vladivostok and Station Manchuria. Upon examin- ation of the figures given below, the following is evident: ac- cording to the information of the customs through Vladivostok and Nikolaevsk during the year 1917, there was brought in from abroad merchandise to the value of 82, 000, COO rubles (all the ruble figures are in gold). The importation of merchandise through Nikolaevsk in 1914 amounted to 85,000 tons. The im- 76 portation of merchandise through Vladivostok in 1913 amount- ed to 420,000 tons; during 1915, about 400,000 tons (value 81,400,000 rubles) were brought in. The imports through Sun- gari to the Amur during 1909 was 101,601 tons. During 1910 it was 159,317 tons (this freight was mostly intended for the Far East, the greater part of it being Manchurian grain and flour; in this freight was also included transit freight of 8,000 tons of Manchurian beans for the port of Nikolaevsk.) The following are the principal figures of imports for the years 1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, and 1920. Importi from 1913 1914 1916 1917 1913 1919 1920 in gold rubles, in round figures Japan 4,271,413 10,413,147 117,299,000 74,234,000 40,034,000 70,034,000 22,881,000 China 52,120,000 38,411,000 94,389,000 92,660,000 20,006,000 57,901,000 34,455,000 imerica 2,202,838 12,200,000 321,404,000 218,520,000 16,866,000 104,353,000 26,000,000 Total 58,594,251 61,024,147 533,092,000 385,414,000 76,906,000 233,212,000 83,236,000 The figures for 1913 and 1914 may be considered as prac- tically normal. The large figures of imports for 1916 and 1917 are explained by the war conditions as everything was imported by orders of the War Department. 1918 and particularly 1919, and the beginning of 1920, as already mentioned, are the years of military intervention and the domination throughout Siberia of Admiral Kolchak. Thus imports were exclusively for the Par East, and Siberia, which was separated from Euro- pean Russia by fighting fronts, Japan and America brought in their freight primarily through Vladivostok, China through Vladivostok and Nikolaevsk and Station Manchuria, (which is the land frontier). The situation in regard to exports prior to 1913 may be seen from the following figures: EXPORTS TO CHINA AND THE FAR EAST AND THE REST OF ASIATIC AND EUROPEAN RUSSIA THROUGH THE FAR EAST .Route 1909 1910 1911 1912 in rubles Through Station Manchuria 8,000,000 11,600,000 12,200,000 15,500,000 Through Amur Porta (Nikolaevsk and Blagvesh- chensk-Sakhalyan) 200,000 400,000 600.000 600,000 Through Station Pogranichnaya 11,500,000 7,900,000 9,400,000 11,400,000 Total 19,700,000 19,900,000 22,200,000 27,500,000 77 To America in 1912 there was exported merchandise to the value of over 2,000,000 rubles, and to Japan somewhat less. Altogether through Vladivostok to other countries there was exported during the year 1914 (not counting transit goods), about 30,000 tons; through Nikolaevsk over 38,000 tons. Dur- ing 1915 through Vladivostok there was exported over 46,000 tons, value of which was 34,600,000 rubles. When more de- tailed figures for years 1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, and 1920 are considered, the following becomes evident: Exports to 1913 1914 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 in gold rubles, in round figures Japan 750,486 1,025,695 1,774,000 3,775,000 4,367,000 4,925,000 3,832,000 China 30,000,000 31,000,000 44,102,000 21,022,000 8,735,000 62,691,000 22,908,008 America 2,356,527 2,200,000 8,000,000 4,000,000 8,000,000 14,000,000 22,000,000 Total 33,107,013 34,225,695 53,876,000 28,797,000 21,102,000 81,616,000 48,740,000 Note: The figures regarding China are taken from the Chinese customs reports which ar« givan la Haikwan Taels. The taels in this table were converted into yens (and rubles) at the averag« rate of exchange of the respective years. The rate of exchnage during 1916 in yens was 1.54 yen; 1917—1.98 yenffi 1918—1.37 yen; 1919—2.72 yen; 1920—2.38 yen. The yen then is taken to be equal to a gold ruble. Thus the commercial turnover with Russia through the Far East was as follows: Year Imports Exports Turnover 1913 58,894,251 33,107,013 91,701,264 1914 61,024,147 34,225,695 95,249,842 1916 533,092,000 53,876,000 586,968,000 1917 385,414,000 28,797,000 414,211,000 1918 76,906,000 21,102,000 98,008,000 1919 233,212,000 81,616,000 314,828,000 1920 63,358,000 60,640,000 123,998,000 If the articles of export and import are to be considered, the following is the situation: In 1914 and 1915 there were ex- ported from Vladivostok according to the figures of the Vladi- vostok Chamber of Commerce the following: Article 1914 short tons 1915 Wheat — 9,342 Oil Cakes 4,856 8,188 Veneer 1,849 6,016 Lumber 4,799 — Aspenwood 3,568 5,323 Herring fresh — 3,051 78 I Article 1914 short tons 1915 Seaweed 695 1,417 Oats 72 1,321 Bran 1,548 1,213 Sheep Wool — 1,114 Grass Seeds — 852 Fish 1,791 848 Butter 985 641 Beans 288 594 Fertilizers 1,100 587 Camel Hair — 448 Herring preserved 2,707 410 Zinc 52 229 Others 5,617 4,747 Total 29,927 46,341 The imports during 1915 through Vladivostok besides tea, which was imported on the average of 120,000,000 Russian ibs., and partially through Nikolaevsk, were as follows: Article short tons 1915 Acids 2,763 Aluminum 513 Ammonia 187 Antimony 4,772 Asphalt 490 Binder Twine 9,927 Boilers 846 Building Material 3,514 Biscuits 1,040 Cattle 1,881 Cement 4,789 Chemicals 441 Coal 84,006 Copper 25,342 Copper manufactures 256 Copra 10,867 Cotton, raw 58,747 Cotton, prepared for spinning 410 Drugs 436 Dyes 423 Pye extracts 207 79 Article short ton» 191S Explosives 482 Foodstuffs 5,845 Fruits 9,704 Grain 430 Grinders 835 Gums 493 Iron 2,126 Iron, crude 1,501 Iron manufactures 974 Iron ships 297 Jute 301 Jute Bags 5,542 Lead 14,917 Leather 563 Lumber 423 Machinery 7,888 Manganese Chlorate 315 Miscellaneous 24,665 Nuts 4,797 Oils 200 Paper 205 Pepper 182 Polishes 976 Plants 1,604 Potatoes 646 Rice 19,791 Rosin 947 Rubber 3,397 Salt 28,276 Soda 772 Sodium 2,101 Spices 1,611 Steel 412 Steel manufactures 408 Sulphuric Acid 187 Sulphur, refined 743 Tallow 3,186 Tanning Materials 9,435 80 Article short tons 1915 Tin 3,760 Tin Plates 3,058 Tinned Goods 311 Turpentine 446 Vegetables 7,020 Vegetable Oils 1,156 Wax 205 Wire Manufactures 853 Wooden Goods 754 Zinc 10,318 Total 396,915 The figures regarding the exports and imports by countries are somewhat more definite, and indicate the quantity and char- acter of the trade, of a given country (China, Japan and Amer- ica), with Russia through the Far East. TRADE WITH JAPAN. During the years 1918 and 1919 the following merchandise was imported from Japan (in 1918 and 1919 merchandise was mostly for the Far East especially during 1918. During 1919 some of the merchandise was intended for a part of Siberia where foreign troops had penetrated.) Article 1918 1919 in yen (or gold rubles) Rice 22,000 165,000 Refined Sugar 190,000 45,000 Coal 468,000 2,869,000 Sulphur — 2,000 Cotton Yarns 265,000 70,000 Leather Manufacturers 3,603,000 3,655,000 Cotton Fabrics 17,528,000 18,878,000 Woolen Fabrics 2,085,000 4,146,000 ICnitted Undershirts & Drawers 206,000 4,277,000 Other Knitted Goods 529,000 845,000 Paper 914,000 3,304,000 All Other (mostly supplies for the military dept.) 14,222,000 82,702,000 Total 40,034,000 70,958,000 81 if these totals are compared with the totals of normal years such as 1913, and partially 1914 (the large imports due to the war began only in 1915) it will become clear that these figures even without considering the war munitions (40,034,000 — 14,222,000=25,810,000 for 1918; and, 70,958,000—32,702,000 =38,256,000 for 1919) are abnormal. During 1913 the im- ports amounted to 4,271,413 yen, in 1914 to 10,413,147 yen. The following is a table of Japan's exports to Vladivostok by years: Year Amount in Yen (or Gold Rubles) 1913 4,271,413 1914 10,413,147 1915 78,299,178 1916 177,299,478 1917 74,234,145 1918 40,034,435 1919 70,958,261 1920 22,880,772 The figures of Japanese trade during the first four months of 1921 show the imports to the Russian Far East of only 2,750,- 000 yen, which for the full year would be about 10,000,000 yen. These imports, considering the concentration of Japanese troops in the Maritime Province and Sakhalin, and their with- drawal, together with their merchants, from the Zabaikal and the Amur region, were exclusively for the Far East, and prim- arily for the Maritime region. Beyond the Far Eastern Re- pubUc, Japanese merchandise is not sold. A part of this mer- chandise was intended for the Japanese army. During the first nine months of 1921 the Japanese brought in through Vladivostok the following: Article Quantity in long tons Agricultural Implements 194 Breadstuffs and grain 2,433 Cement 619 Chemicals 82 Coal 4,802 Cotton and manufactures of 494 Fiber 297 82 Article Quantity in long tons Fruits and nuts 1,653 Iron and Steel 1,394 Oil, mineral and vegetable 299 Paints and varnishes 68 Poultry and eggs 35 Salt 342 Sugar 1,596 Vegetable Products 2,298 Railway Material 1,646 Total 18,262 The Japanese imported from Siberia through the Russian Far East during the years 1913-1920 inclusive, as follows: Year Value in Yen 1913 750,486 1914 1,025,695 1915 3,564,492 1916 1,774,216 1917 3,775,281 1918 4,366,624 1919 4,924,980 1920 3,831,648 During the first nine months of 1921 the Japanese ex- ported through Vladivostok merchandise valued at 4,352,495 rubles. It consisted of the following items: Article Quantity, in long tons Chemicals 1,919 Fish and Fish Products 1,864 Flax 835 Flax Seed 4,821 Iron and Steel 9,204 Rubber Goods 1,181 Silver Ore 194 Vegetable Products 2,879 Wood 13,830 Total 36,727 83 It must be noted that during the years of Intervention the Japanese paid least of all attention to raw tmaterials. They tried to export primarily war munitions, and in general war supplies which they have bought for almost nothing, taking advantage of the abnormal conditions created by themselves. The only product exported by the Japanese in large quantities is fish, which was purchased from the population of Nikolaevsk on the Amur or which was caught by the Japanese themselves along the Okhotsk and Kamchatka shores, especially the Kam- chatka. The exports of fish from the Russian Far East were as follows: Year Quantity in tons 1912 98,355 1913 129,476 1914 92,400 1915 54,267 1916 61,667 1918 78,683 1919 42,117 Since 1915 and up to 1917 there were exported from Ni- kolaevsk to Russia instead of Japan from 30,000 to 35,000 tons annually. Most of the fish shown in this table prior to 1915 and a considerable part after 1915 was exported to Japan. The figures in regard to Japan are very interesting. These figures show that the exports from the Russian Far East to Japan do not exceed five million rubles. The only product in which Japan is interested is fish. In regard to the imports Into Siberia in normal years, the figures are equally eloquent, They are from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 yen, which is a very in- significant part of the total Japanese exports. Thus the Ja- panese cannot explain their outrageous aggressive policy by commercial interests. When they speak of the danger threat- ening the interests of their merchants they are saying a deliber- ate falsehood, as their commercial interests in the Russian Far East are insignificant. The presence of Japanese troops only hurts the interests of Japanese merchants. The whole issue, is, of course, an effort by the Japanese to seize undeveloped co- lossal natural resources, and, important in a military strategic sense, the territory of Sakhalin and the lower part of the Amur. 84 The number of ships which sailed to Japan from Siberia and vice-versa during 1918 and 1919 are as follows: Entered Qeared Year 1918 1919 r 'Jo, Ships Tonnage 1 *- '^ No. Ships ■ " T Tonnage 427 521,000 421 520,000 238 293,000 240 295,000 TRADE WITH CHINA The commercial turnover with China is considerably greater than with Japan, and indicates the importance of China in Russian trade, for the Russian Far East as well as for the Asiatic and even European Russia (especially exports of tea). China exported to the Russian Far East, and through it to Russia, during 1913, merchandise to the value of 52,120,000 rubles; during 1914 — 38,411,000 rubles. During the period of 1916 to 1920 China exported to the Russian Par East and through its ports and frontiers merchandise ol the following value : Through 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 (in taels) Russian Pacific Ports 37,056,545 28,748,557 11,037,662 12,671,335 7,062,125 Russian Amur Ports 3,790,230 7,085,862 1,593,227 3,099,263 3,155,238 By Land Frontier (Mainly Manchuria Station ) .... •20,444,813 13,438,274 1,972,357 5,516,517 4,259,420 Total 61,291,588 49,272,691 14,603,246 21,287,115 14,476,783 This is on the average of 32,000,000 taels, and if the aver- age rate of exchange of the tael is taken for the five years at 2.15 yen, then it was over 66,000,000 yen, which is about the same amount in gold rubles, China proper exported primarily tea, grain products (for the Russian Par East), cattle, wool, hides. Mongolia exported to Russia: cattle, hides, skins, furs, wool, and other animal raw products. Imports from China proper and Mongolia always exceeded the exports to these countries. During 1913 China imported from the Russian Far East mer- 85 chandise to the value of 30,000,000 gold rubles, and in 1914— 31,000,000 gold rubles. For the period 1916 to 1920 merchandise exported from Siberia to China amounted to the following values: Through 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 Russian Pacific Ports 18,588,221 8,094,348 4,676,830 12,228,251 5,732,681 Russian Amur Ports 314,505 154,193 265,008 95,281 380,577 Russisin Land Frontier (mainly Manchuria Sta) 6,735,186 2,933,515 1,434,106 1,724,603 3,511,835 Total 25,637,912 11,18'2,056 6,275,944 14,048,135 9,625,093 This is an average of 13,000,000 taels, or, at the average rate of exchange for five years, 2.15 yen per tael, 28,000,000 yen, or about the same amount in gold rubles (these figures would be less if the Far Eastern Republic alone was to be con- sidered). China imported from Russia dry goods, cigarettes, to- bacco, ready made clothing, arms, machines, railroad mater- ials, kerosene, alcohol, wines, vodka, footwear, chinaware, glass- ware, sugar, metals and their products, rubber goods, notions, electrical supplies, stationery and hardware. Mongolia im- ported dry goods, metal products, etc. (primarily through the highway Peking-Kalgan-Kiakhta). These items of imports, because of the difficulties exper- ienced by Russia, will, in the next few years, not be shipped to China, and the proportion of exports from China to Russia as compared with the exports from Russia to China will be even greater. In regard to the Far Eastern Republic, the trade relations with China are interwoven. A considerable part of the trade of the Republic is in Chinese hands. Manchuria furnishes the Far Eastern Republic the grain products and fodder in which the Republic experiences a shortage. Mongolia furnishes the necessary cattle. The Repubhc exports to China furs, lumber and fish. During the first nine months of 1921 there was exported to China through Vladivostok merchandise to the value of 2,148,- 726 gold rubles, and through Stations Manchuria and Blago- veshchensk-Sakhalyan a considerably greater amount. For the 86 same period of 1921 the Far Eastern Republic imported from China through Station Manchuria only, merchandise to the value of 6,383,188 gold rubles, and, judging by the increased imports during 1922, the imports from China will be at least double. The merchandise exported from Vladivostok to China dur- ing the first nine months of 1921, the value of which was 2,148,- 726 rubles consisted of the following items: Articles Quantity — Long tons Chemicals 2,812 Fish and Fish Products 2,125 Flax Seed 23 Iron and Steel 4,089 Rubber Goods 818 Vegetable Products 3 Wood 1,662 Wool 100 Imports from China to Vladivostok for the same period consisted of the following items: Article Quantity In long tons Agricultural Implements 1 Breadstuffs and Grain 228 Cement 146 Chemicals 79 Coal 205 Cotton and Manufactures of 170 Fibre 179 Fruits and Nuts 1,089 Iron and Steel 1,193 Meats and Dairy Products 1,008 Oil, Mineral and Vegetable 400 Paints and Varnishes 7 Poultry and Eggs 787 Salt 4,469 Sugar 283 Vegetable Products 971 Merchandise imported by the Far Eastern Republic through Station Manchuria consisted primarily of flour and grain, gran- 87 ulated sugar, bean oil, tea, millet, dry goods, notions, food stuffs, light metals, tobacco and paper. The Ussuri Railroad, and particularly Vladivostok and the Amur shipping, to a considerable degree depend on Manchur- ian transit freight, primarily beans, which are shipped through Vladivostok and Nikolaevsk, for the various foreign markets. Thus in 1914, through Vladivostok, there passed 387,341 tons of such freights (including 12,843 tons of hempseed, and 8,332 tons of lumber), and during 1915 508,964 tons. Through Ni- kolaevsk during 1913 there passed in transit 20,000 tons of beans, and figures for later years indicate that there is a prob- ability of transporting by this route over 100,000 tons during each navigable season. During 1920, 264 steamers with a tonnage of 117,636 tons arrived in China from the ports of the Russian Far East and from China in the ports of the Russian Far East there arrived 245 steamers with a tonnage of 107,678 tons. TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The trade between the United States and the Russian Far East, and with Russia through the Russian Far East prior to the War did not attain a large size. The exports from the Russian Fas East to the United States in 1912 totalled $1,443,- 577; in 1913, $2,356,257. The imports into the Russian Far East from the United States during the same years was $1,206, 828 and $1,101,419 respectively. With the beginning of the war the picture changes. The Russian Far East becomes the principal open entrance to Russia, and the United States be- gins to ship all sorts of merchandise on Russian orders. During che year 1914 the imports from the United States were only $6,000,000. In 1915 they attained the figure of $44,000,000, in 1916 $161,000,000, and in 1917 $109,000,000. Trade with Rus- sia after she drops out of the war ceases almost entirely, and the imports from America through the Far East during 1918 amounted to only $8,000,000. During the latter half of 1918, armed intervention begins, which in 1919 results in Kolchak's rule, which was supported by interventionists. The imports from the United States during 1919 increase, and reach the figure of $52,000,000. In March of 1920 following the Cana- 88 dian, French and British, the American troops withdraw, and the imports for that year drop to $13,000,000. During 1921 imports from the United States to the Far East were only a little over $1,000,000. Exports from the Russian Far East to the United States from 1914 to 1921 were as follows: Year Value, in dollars in round figures 1914 2,000,000 1915 1,000,000 1916 4,000,000 1917 2,000,000 1918 4,000,000 1919 7,000,000 1920 11,000,000 1921 1,000,000 The most active years in regard to exports from the Rus- sian Far East were 1919 and 1920, when, evidently, Americans succeeded in organizing some kind of local trade connections. Beginning with April 1920 begins the formal existence of the Far Eastern Republic, and since that time figures for the im- ports and exports are given only for the territory of the Far Eastern Republic. In regard to importation of American goods, it is necessary to point out that the given figures do not give the total quantity of American merchandise used in the Far Eastern Republic. The use of Ajnerican goods is much greater having, no doubt, entered the Republic through China, prim- arily through Harbin. The following tables, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, give a clear picture of the quantity and character of American exports and imports in regard to the Russian Far East for the years 1912, 1913, -916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, and 1921. 89 Table No. 1. Imports into the United States from the Russian Far East Years 1912-1913 Articles 1912 1913 in dollars Chemicals, drugs, dyes and medicine : Licorice Root 165,985 286,365 All other 24,021 30,439 Furs and fur skins, undressed 35,837 98,312 Hides and skins (except fur skins) 29,528 51,364 Manganese oxide and ore of 229,406 693,812 Wool, etc. Unmanufactured 686,088 854,524 Manufacturers of, carpets & carpeting 104,175 89,682 All other articles 168,537 252,029 Total Imports 1,443,577 2,356,527 Table No. 2 Exports from the United States to the Russian Far East Years 1912-1913 Articles 1912 1913 in doUeirs Domestic Exports: Agricultural implements, and parts of 695,506 550,871 Breadstuff s : Wheat flour 7,357 26,377 All other 4,374 6,076 Cars, carriages, other vehicles, & parts of 387 1,386 Chemicals, drugs, dyes and medicines... 403 6,686 Clocks, and watches, and parts of 150 145 Cotton, manufacturers of 10,960 11,884 Fibers, vegetable and textile grasses, ma- nufacturers of: Twine, binder 75,838 122,736 All other 5,195 1,167 Fruits and Nuts 57,941 31,192 Instruments, etc. for scientific purposes.. 95 32 Iron and steel, manufacturers of: Builders' hardware and tools 30,059 16,472 90 Articles 1912 _ 1913 in dollars Machinery, machines, and parts of . . . 134,076 66,335 All other manufactures of 46,957 42,128 Leather and tanned skins, and manufac- turers of 1,578 6,304 Meat and dairy products: Beef, pickled and other cured Milk, condensed All other Oils ' Paper and manufactures of . . . . Salt Soap Wood, and manufactures of . . . All other articles Total Exports 1,206,828 1,101,419 Table No. 3. Imports into the United States from Russia in Asia (Siberia) 1916-1918 (incl.) Articles Carpets and Rugs. . . . Fur Dressed Licorice Root Platinum Sausage Casings Seeds, Grass Seeds, sugar beet All other articles 84,153 1.181 145,056 1,474 14,987 276 2,287 1,280 628 261 39 34 107 4,955 1,506 41,331 43,344 Total. 1916 1917 1918 I N D L L A R S 63,000 240,000 150,000 188,000 548,000 1,476,000 184,000 175,000 2000,000 802,000 995,000 202,000 334,000 138,000 52,000 1,058,000 242,000 62,000 252,000 177,000 936,000 4,140,000 2,164,000 3,975,000 91 Table No. 4. Imports into the United States from Russia in Asia 1920-1921 Articles 1920 1921 IN DOLLARS Animlals, Swine 200 Articles specially imported, (other than scientific apparatus) 200 Articles ret'n'd (other than automobiles) 1,087,255 108,000 Art works, original paintings, etc 912 — Bristles : not sorted, bunched or prepared. . . . 12,457 2,247 sorted, bunched or prepared 25,401 20,000 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Licorice Root 434,500 — Nitrate of Soda — 245,822 All other — 35,123 Coal and Coke Coal-Bituminous 300 — Coffee 26,400 46,483 Fibres and Textile Grasses, n. e. s. Unmanufactured Flax, hackled "dressed line" 12,357 — Other 419,812 — Woven fabrics, plain, of flax, hemp, or ramiie, including shrirting cloth 1,791 — Woven articles and mfrs of flax, n. e. s. 2,131 — Fish: Cured and preserved 125 70 Cured and preserved 11,012 • — Fresh Fish, salmon 64 — Furs and fur skins: Undressed 4,553,471 341,752 Dressed on skin 10,869 394 Dressed and manufactured 4,381 245 Hair: Horse 99,544 — Other animal 12,439 — 92 Articles 1920 1921 in dollars Hides and skins (except fur skins) : Calfskins dry 159,231 — Green or pickled 33,867 — Cattle hides Dry 109,354 — Green or pickled 173,400 — Goatskins Dry 564,500 — Green or pickled 5,026 — Horse, colt & Ass Skins, dry 51,950 — Sheepskins Dry 261,334 500 Green or pickled 56,720 — All other 15,148 8,092 Household & personal effects, & wearing apparel in use, etc 7,159 709 Ivory — animal, tusks in natural state. . . . 50,810 5,652 Leather, manufactures of 64 — Mattings and mats for floors, of coco fiber, rattan, straw, etc 2,737 — Meat and Dairy Products Sausage casings 847 — Minerals, Crude, etc., n. e. s. Manganese, oxide and ore of 346,100 — Paints, Colors, Varnishes — 6,218 Phonogarphs, graphaphones, etc 351 — Photographic goods: Motion pictures, films, positives, etc. . . 80 — Platinum, unmanufactured 175,000 — Plumbago or graphite 19,370 — Precious Stones 4,872 — Seeds: Flaxseed or linseed 82,890 42,821 Grass seeds 754,800 — All other seeds 25,111 — ■ 93 Articles 1920 1921 in dollars Silk: Wearing Apparel 45 — Spices 4,601 — Wood, Manufactures of 7 395 Wool, unmanufactured: Clothing, wool 272,351 — Combing wool 62,381 — Carpet wool 678,495 2,034 Wool, manufactures of — — Carpets and rugs, woven, whole .... 19,713 — Other manufactures of 33 — All other articles 1,428 7,879 Total 10,655,196 874,491 Table No. 5. Exports from the United States to Russia in Asia 1916-1921 incl. Article 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 (IN DOLLARS) Abrasives 351 7,995 Agricultural implements Hay rakes and tedders 9,244 Mowers and reapers 582,000 441,000 524,854 Plows and cultivators 1,377 25,580 Binder twine 2,264,000 704,000 All other 116,193 Parts of 719,303 18 409 Asbestos, mfrs of 35,485 Athletic and sporting goods 8,927 65,090 24,863 23,722 Brass 62 5.344 3,433 1,742 Brcadstuffs 4,998 23,888 2,029,067 316,463 Cars automobiles and other yehicles: Au'tomobilcs, commercial 3,806,000 623,000 18,200 41,482 18,491 Automobile, passenger 1,441,000 419,000 11,734 52,145 124,235 Cars, freight 7,994,000 1,264,000 Parts of passenger automobiles (except engines and tires) 198 194,613 18,265 4,233 Cars for steam railways 1,333,367 All other vehicles and parts of 497,130 3,241.171 10,228 191 Celluloid and mfrs of 37 6,293 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc Coal-tar distillates 5,815 Logwood extract 7,575 690 Medicinal and pharmaceutical prepar 417 15,950 24,600 643 Soda, caustic 4 12,573 17.706 94 ( T N D L LARS ) 1916 1917 1918 6.082 1919 1920 1921 3,781 135,549 69,844 53,684 7,441 1,231 3,079 2,692 6,600 40.200 29,240 4,307 16 401 2 537 460 3,092.000 871.000 127,382 3,910,079 1,955,990 58,000 12,820,000 1,939.000 16 20,056 . Articlps Soda, ash AH other chemicals Cocoa and chocolate, prepared, etc. Confectionary Cork, mfrs of Copper, refined, ingots Cotton mfrs of Cotton, unmfrd Earthern, etone and chinaware, . . . Electrical machinery and appliances: (except locomotives) Dynamos or generators 5.975 22,773 Interior wiring supplies, includ- ing fixtures 5,317 2,210 938 167 Motors 16.299 25,622 Switches and accessories 11,040 535 Telegraph apparatus (including wiresless) 19,849 Telephones 15.012 4.222 All other 9,658 54,976 4,298 581 Explosives (cartridges, gunpowder, etc) 70,341,000 71,319,000 360,073 181,939 69,154 47,526 Fibers, vegetable, mfrs of twine and others 193 364,513 12,093 5,352 Fish, canned 16 7,674 2.279 5,934 Fruits 1,503 79,271 37,831 14,836 Glass and glassware 324 11,034 3,969 1,250 Hats and materials for 3 9,045 Hops 16.474 3,427 1,262 Household and personal effects 162 34.838 India rubber, mfrs of 12,097 558,025 57,571 3,310 Ink 453 11,335 Instruments for scientific purposes 99 6,164 9,862 858 Iron and Steel : Bars and rods of steel 210.568 16.209 4.534 Bolts, nuls, rivets, etc 2.865 34.670 7,043 7,705 Car wheels and axles 8.550 663.316 9t,320 Cutlery 1,176 83.603 2,139 337 Enamel ware 808 61.625 Firearms 1.642,000 771.000 5,331.043 8,405.739 216,747 30,746 Hardware 1,197 77,900 14.104 7,374 Hoop, band and scroll 10.274 5,917 95 Horseshoes 153,580 Machinery (except locomotives) 74.580 4,947,320 124,933 120.094 Locomotives 1,920.000 5,364 1,024.%0 3,416.893 Metal-working machinery 3,076,000 1,799,000 8,703 157,840 7,336 Mining machinery 146.906 22.861 92 Printing presses 10,500 95,600 2,087 Pumps and pumping machinery.... 1,232 201,288 Refrigerating machinery 38,500 Sewing machines 44 210.405 535 3,487 Textile machinery 12,000 Typesetting machines 18.650 4,846 Typewriting machines 2,296 181,179 20,040 Woodworking machines 40,407 12,693 450 All other machinery and parts of 43,030 276,297 237,811 3,600 NaiU, wood screws, needles 207 72,881 4,240 2,062 95 (IN DOLLARS) 6,344,000 614,000 Articles 1916 Pipps and fittings Radiators and houae-heating boilers Railway track material Sheets and plates Tin plates, and mfra of Tools Wire, barbed Wire, other All other mfra, iron and steel Lead 1,664,000 Leather and mfrs of: Sole leather 1,870,000 Shoes, men's 2,917,000 All other Meat and dairy products Motor Boats Oils (for 1920, 21 incl. painta) Paper Photographic goods (films and others) Soap (toilet and other) Sugar, refined Surgical appliances (not including inatruments) Tin, pigs, bars, etc Tobacco, mfra. of Typewriter ribbons Vegetables, canned and others Wood, and mfrs of Wool, mfrs of Wearing Apparel 2,614,000 All other articles 31,530,000 1917 1918 1,720,000 2,110,000 244,558 339,000 119,000 416,000 286,000 169 26,013 5,531 2,230 117,000 51,262 1919 88,316 12,099 780,066 62,361 11,327 269,152 15,767 69,335 3.852 1920 2,681 1,200 16,718 4,095 15,335 25,334 142,804 15,847 2,447,000 231,000 851 168,822 17,985 3,786 2,040,504 701.639 9,208,801 1,343,233 798,762 65,803 45,939 23,670 72,491 14,112 31,114 2,275 1,673 400,000 15,374,000 54,149 7 532 2,794 7,515 23,526 31.968 637,771 218,536 67,484 54,969 13,564 871,764 152,304 249,598 21,772 53.015 8,152 234,277 3.370.194 826.767 1,145,817 274,947 16,920 14.793 32,045 245,174 98.319 3.423 31,789 5,178 2,331,104 1,108.233 254,240 1921 439 9,774 337 12,973 10,710 2,293 155 19,152 7,398 11,190 50,500 10,849 2,893 514 2,548 27,646 183 43,096 49,469 5,366 3,257 30,400 141,936 Total exports 160,702,000 109,260,000 8,433,069 52,176,440 13,280,886 1,113,313 Summary. If the actual figures of imports and exports of the Far Eastern Republic are taken into consideration since the organ- ization of the Republic in 1920, then the following situation becomes clear: 1920 Country Imports from Exports to in gold rubles Japan 22,881,000 3,831,000 China 34,455,000 22,908,000 America 26,000,000 22,000,000 Total. 83,236,000 96 48,740,000 As was indicated above, the year 1920 should not be con- sidered in any degree a typical year for the movement of mer- chandise to the Far Eastern Republic, because during the first three months of that year American troops were still there (not counting the Japanese who are there even at the present time, August, 1922). Besides Kolchak was overthrown only at the beginning of 1920 and thus the year 1920 in regard to exports and imports was more or less connected with 1919, when the imports and exports included also part of the territory of Siberia which is not included in the Far Eastern Republic. Imports into the Far Eastern Republic in 1921 Country imported from Value, in rubles China through Manchuria for 12 motnhs.... 6,386,188 Japan for four months (through Vladivostok) 2,750,000 America for 12 months 2,000,000 Total 11,136,188 In the above table are not included figures for: 1. The amount of imports from China through Vladi- vostok and Blagoveshchensk. 2. Amount of imports from Japan through Vladivostok for the remaining eight mionths. It may be considered that the proper amount of imports was from 22,000,000 to 25,000,000 gold rubles. During the year 1921 the exports from the Far Eastern Republic were: Country Exported To Value, in rubles China, through Vladivostok for first 9 months 2,148,726 Japan for first nine months 4,352,495 America for the entire year 2,000,000 European Russia 1,982,368 Other Countries 138,505 Total 10,622,094 This table is also incomplete, as the following figures are not available: 1. Exports to China through Vladivostok for the last three months of 1921. 97 2. Exports to China through Stations Manchuria and Blagoveshchensk. 3. Exports to Japan for the last three months of 1921. On the basis of figures of exports to China and Japan for nine months through Vladivostok it may be estimated that the exports for the year to China through Vladivostok were about 3,000,000 rubles; to Japan about 6,000,000 rubles. Exports to China through Stations Manchuria and Blagoveshchensk, taking the minimum figures, should be at least 3,000,000 rubles. Thus the approximate exports of the Par Eastern Republic dur- ing the year 1921 would be over 16,000,000 gold rubles. The general informiation for 1922 so far indicates that the imports to the Far Eastern Republic through Station Man- churia only will be at least double that for 1921. The exports from the Far Eastern Republic during the year 1922 were also greater than those for 1921. Analyzing the quantity and kind of goods exported and be- ing exported from the Russian Far East (local products, not transit freight), it may be stated that the merchandise is prim- arily local raw materials, and that its quantity varies a great deal. The decisive factor for the last few years was purely political. Of the principal articles of export may be men- tioned: timber (to China and Japan), furs (to America and China), casings (to America and other countries), flax (to America, China, Japan and England), wool, various sorts (to America, China and Japan), hides (to China, America, and Japan), bristle (to America, Japan and China), fish (to China and Japan). Besides these principal objects of exports, there are being exported to China and partially to Japan, some of the accumulated stock of such merchandise as: rubber goods, iron and steel, chemicals. Besides these, local vegetable products and silver ore were exported. The imports to the Far Eastern Republic are primarily: grain products from China and breadstuffs from China and America; sugar from China, Japan, America; cloth from Amer- ica and China; agricultural implements, cars (passenger and freight), electrical appliances, explosives, India rubber products, iron and steel (such as bolts, nuts, rivets, nails, car wheels, axles, cutlery, firearms), locomotives, various machinery, (me- 98 tal working, wood working, mining, pumping, sewing machines) railway track material, tools (all these mostly from America), chemicals (America, Japan), manufactures of cotton (America Japan), leather and leather products (America, Japan), oils- mineral and others (America, Japan), paper (America, Japan). The rapid development of trade and partially of industry on the territory of the Far Eastern Republic, and the growth of cul- tural needs of the population indicate the gradual growth of the size of the market of the Russian Far East which is now existing as the Far Eastern Republic. The development of the natural resources, which is slowly and gradually progressing, will still more increase the demands of the market. The de- velopment of the forest and mining industries will require a tremendous quantity of machinery and materials. Also the im- provement in transportation on land as well as on water, and the construction of electrical tramways, the building of sewers, telegraph and telephone communications, will also aid in the increase of the demands of the market of the Far Eastern Re- public. In regard to the conditions of the export market, i. e., in regard to raw materials at the present time and in the near future, the following approximate figures may be given: The following items can be exported from the territory of the Far Eastern Republic: Fish— from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 rubles in the immediate fu- ture (after the liberation of the Russian territory from Japanese troops, the amount may again increase to former proportions 25,000,000 to 35,000,000). Sea weeds, sea cabbage, oysters, crabs — 200,000 to 500,000 rubles (and perhaps more). Timber (besides aspen logs) — 3,000,000 gold rubles (exports of timber will be increased to tens of millions of rubles when the large virgin forests begin to be exploited). Aspen logs— 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 rubles (may be higher). Furs — from 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 rubles (the average figure of 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 pieces of furs; the number used to be higher and with the carrying out of the proposed plan of furnishing hunters and trappers with all the necessary food supplies and equipment by the government of the Far 99 Eastern Republic, the quantity of furs may be increased considerably). Casings — on the average 500,000 rubles (it had reached up to 1,000,000). Flax— from 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 rubles (the amount could be increased to 10,000,000). Wool— from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 rubles. Hides — 500,000 rubles (prior to the war over 150,000 poods of hides were exported). Bristle and hair — from 400,000 to 700,000 rubles (in some years up to 1,000,000 rubles and more(. Honey and wax— 150,000 to 200,000 rubles. Not taking into consideration the possible exports of im- portant minerals, especially after the development of the mln-, ing industry — the development of the tungsten, silver, lead, iron and other ores, coal mines, gold mines, and other mines, the total amounts of exports of raw materials which had been exported and which are being exported at the present time may equal from 16,000,000 to 20,000,000 gold rubles annually. Ad- ding to this other objects which have been exported to China and Japan, to the amount of from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 rubles, the total possible exports should be from 18,000,000 to 25,000,- 000 rubles. With the re-establishment of the fish industry, it may reach 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 gold rubles. Taking into consideration the unlimited possibilities pre- sented by the vast resources of the country, this amount is not large, especially when taking into consideration the necessity of large imports owing to the destruction wrought by the mi- litary foreign intervention. These imports undoubtedly will inevitably exceed the exports during the nearest few years. 100 CHAPTER XI. THE PROSPECTS OF THE FAR EASTERN REPUBLIC. The geographic position, its means of communication and position occupied by it as a transit point for Russia on the one hand, and for Manchuria and Mongolia on the other, promises a great future for the Repubhc in regard to transit freight. The railroad Hues, the Ussuri and the Chita (besides the Amur Railroad which so far, because of its insufficient organization and its great length) instead of a deficit which is had from then- operation, due to the presence of and behavior of the Japanese troops, which had isolated one part of the Republic from the other, will bring a considerable profit. As had already been indicated above, up to 650,000 tons of Manchurian beans alone were shipped annually from the Chin- ese Eastern Railroad to the Ussuri Raih-oad. Fish, which at the present time is again being exported to Siberia and Russia, will have to be exported in large quantities, which will reach tens of thousands of tons. From the Far Eastern Republic will also pass the freight carried to Asiatic Russia and even Eu- ropean Russia, as well as the export freight from Siberia and European Russia. The liberation of Nikolaevsk by the Japanese, and the com- pl(te opening of the river outlet to the sea will increase still more the transit capacities of the Republic. Manchuria, with her colossal grain wealth, lacks flour mills for the miling .t the grain. The shipment of the grain to Vladivosiok in the past had already aided the development of the flour industry, but greater development may be expected in the near future, in connection with favorable political and economic conditions which have been created in the Far Eastern Republic. Already at the present time there has been organized a new large Rus- sian Chinese Flour Milhng Company, which has built a large 101 flour mill In Vladivostok. The riches of the neighboring Mon- golia in animal raw materials and the absence there of any manufacturing industry will give an opportunity to develop greatly and carry on on a large scale the tanning industry, soap making, candle making, and other affiliated industries. If to this should be added the wealth of the Far Eastern Republic, itself, in animal products, as shown above, then the optimistic expectations in regard to these industries may be fully justified. Great opportunities are open to the lumber and paper industries. The 300,000,000 acres of aimost virgin forests, consisting of pine, spruce, cedar, willow, larch, birch, oak, aspen, and others, make the future of the lumber industry secure. According to calculations of experts, the organized and complete utilization of forest resources of the Far Eastern Republic alone should give an income to the Government of the Far Eastern Republic sufficient for the covering of the Govern- ment expenses. Cultivation of flax which began so success- fully in the Repubhc promises to become a large and important source of income for the population. Its importance will in- creases still more, after the peasants have been taught to utilize it, or when special factories are built for the utilization of the flax fibre which at the present time is being thrown away. The abundance of mineral riches necessary for the glass making in- dustry make certain a permanent future for the glass industry. The same may be said in regard to the match manufacturing industry, and the cement industry. The fish canning industry also has a great future. In spite of aU these opportunities creating large manufacturing industries, the center of gravity in the Far Eastern Republic will, however, for the next ten years lie in the basic industries, that is, in the development of raw materials. The principal place in this regard in the future as it was in the past, will belong to the gold industry. The resources of gold which are valued at 4,000,000,000 gold rubles, are suffi- ciently great to arouse energy on the part of the Government and private capital, Russian and foreign, for ite development on a large scale. The millions of tons of silver, lead, tin, iron, copper, coal, tungsten, bismuth, oil, and other minerals, will also draw the attention of those interested in the development of these minerals. The success of a large metallurgical 102 factory is assured not only by the market of the Far Eastern Republic which comes not less than 70,000 tons annually, but also by the colossal market in Northern Siberia and Russia. Thus, although it is evident from the figures presented above that under the present conditions the trade balance so far is not in favor of the Far Eastern Republic, nevertheless the pros- pects are such that this balance will soon become one favor- able to the Far Eastern Republic. The energy of the Govern- ment is directed to the development of the area of cultivation of grain and intensification of agriculture in general, so that there would be no necessity to import the 80,000 to 120,000 toiis of grain products v/hich had to be imported up to the pre- sent time. Measures are also being taken to improve the equip- ment of the coal mines and to increase their production to an extent that would at least satisfy the requirements of the Re- public. The improvement of these two industries would r.t once improve the trade balance of the Republic, not mention- ing the fact that the increasing of oil making, candle making, soap making, fat melting, glass and tanning industries, would aid in creating a healthy commercial industrial life of the Re- public. Judging from the conditions of the cattle breeding industry and the possibilities of improving it, the Republic may also be provided with its own meat, in spite of the fact that at times the importation of meat to the Russian Far East amounted to 10,000 and 20,000 tons, and sometimes more. The city po- pulation (over 700,000 people) may easily be supplied with meat products of the Far Eastern Republic, as follows: Quantity Animals Poods Heads Large cattle 1,000,000 120,000 Pigs 350,000 70,000 Sheep 400,000 200,000 a total of 1,750,000 poods, or about 30,000 tons, not counting the fish, game, dairy products which are consumed mostly by the rural population. By providing the population with the essentials or food from its own resources, and the development of industries, the purchasing capacity of the population and, with it, the capacity 103 of the market, would increase considerably, and, consequently the imports and exports would also increase. The imports will especially increase in regard to manufactured products, ma- chinery, automobiles, tractors, etc. The increase of produc- tion of course will require an increase in population, but this problem will undoubtedly be solved by special colonization of of the country by peasants and other classes of population from Russia. The productivity of the agricultural population in the Russian Far East according to the statistics gathered prior to the war, are estimated to be 400,000,000 rubles. The value of property of that population is over 700,000,000 rubles. The ap- proximate value of the land utilized in agriculture (calculations made on the basis of net profits) is over 200,000,000 rubles; the value of the property of the cities, including the commercial and industrial enterprises roughly speaking according to the valuations of the Zemstvos are 500,000,000 rubles. The value of the Government property, according to approximate figures including the Government factories, shops, barracks, etc., are over 1,000,000,000 rubles. Prior to the war the expenditure of the centralized and uneconomic administration of the Russian Far East which now comprises the Far Eastern Republic, were up to 40,000,000 rub- les. These expenses on the part of the Czar's Government were almost never covered, although some years the deficit was not so great. The deficit is explained by the fact that at that time there was no income tax and no land tax. These taxes were introduced later, and undoubtedly when things become fully normal, and the whole territory will be under the authority of the Far Eastern Republic, the Government revenue will cover all the expenses, especially so when the heavy burden of keeping a big army will be disposed of, with the evacuation of the Ja- panese troops. Thus these few facts and considerations are sufficient to show that a healthy foundation and bright prospects are con- fronting the Far Eastern Republic. 104 CHAPTER XII. THE COOPERATIVES OF THE FAR EASTERN REPUBLIC. While the cooperatives of various sorts have already played an important part in the economic life of Russia and Siberia, those of the Par East began to develop only a few years ago. For instance, in the Maritime Province, the first credit cooper- ative organization was organized in 1908, and the first con- summers cooperative was organized in 1912. The World War and economic disorganization connected with it, the great in- flation of prices and other causes compelled the population, rural as well as urban, to seek a solution in uniting their efforts and in collective organization of supply and credits The largest of the unions of consumers cooperatives in the Maritime and Priamur Provinces — "The Union of Priamur Co- operatives" — began to function with a stock capital of 1800 rubles, and a loan of 300 rubles. The turn-over of the union during 1916 was 1,705,000 rubles, and its profits were 22,000 rubles. During 1917, in spite of the railroad disorganization, and a shortage of goods in the market, the union sold goods to the value of 10,193,321 rubles, of which the local market con- sumed merchandise to the value of 5,450,632 rubles, and to Eu- ropean Russia it shipped for other cooperatives merchandise to the value of 4,743,281 rubles up to January 1st, 1918. In spite of the fact that the first credit cooperative was organized in the Maritime Province only in 1908, by the middle of 1913 there were 23 organizations with 6,449 members, and a capital of open credits of 553,724 rubles. On January 1st, 1915, there were already 67 credit unions serving a large district or rural population which contained 44,000 peasant holdings. The loans made during 1913 amounted to 241,000 rubles; dur- ing 1914, to 1,191,000 rubles. Deposits on January 1st, 1914, 105 were 199,000 rubles; January 1st, 1915—582,000 rubles. On January 1st, 1917, part of the cooperative associations joined the Priamur Credit Union which in 1919 already had united 53 societies, i. e., the greater part of the credit societies in the Maritime and Priamtir Provinces. The same thing happened also in the Amur Province as well as the Zabaikal and Pribaikal Provinces, the difference being that in the two latter provinces the cooperative organizations developed earlier than in the other. Up to 1921 there were the following number of coopera- tives of the first stage, i. e., the local organizations (not com- binations of cooperative organizations) : Cooperatives of the First Stage Province Consumers Credits Producers Selling Mixed. Amur 349 53 17 8 2 Maritime and Priamur 163 64 10 3 Zabaikal 320 80 .. 11 Pribaikal 238 50 Former Sakhalin Province (now included in the Priamur Province) 15 5 38 .. 20 Total 1,085 252 65 22 22 Thus up to 1921 there were already on the territory of the Far Eastern Republic 1,446 cooperatives of the first stage, which, in turn, united into various large units. In 1922, at a convention of cooperatives, there was considered the question of uniting the entire cooperative movement, but the gradual realization of this will require some time in view of the exper- iences of the recent years in which there was so much destruc- tion of the economic life. As is evident from the above table, the predominant type of cooperative organization in the Russian Far East is the con- sumers cooperative (75%). Then comes the credit coopera- tives (17%), followed, respectively, by the producers, sellers, and mixed cooperatives, which are now only in an infant stage (their total perecentage is 8). In the Amur Province, for instance, there are three small producers (agricultural) artels*. There are being organized •Artel=:»mall producers cooperative. 106 artels for hunting, and gold mining. In the lower part of the Amur there existed prior to the Japanese intervention in Ni- kolaevsk, up to 140 fishermen's and other working artels, of which at the present time there remain very few. In the Amur Province there are seven cooperative flour milling societies, of which only one is of more or less considerable size. There are 18 butter making artels in the Maritime Province and 11 in the Zabaikal Province. The production by Cooperatives in the Far Eastern Republic is very little devedoped. A large organiza- tion, such as the "Union of Priamur Cooperatives," the "Amur Cooperative Union," and the "Zabaikal Union," and others, have their own soap making plants, tanneries, flour mills, but all of them are of a small size. In view of the great fall in the value of the exchange of paper rubles in 1918 and 1919 (prior to the organization of the Far Eastern Republic, the coopera- tives were compelled, in order to avoid complete loss of mediums of exchange, to receive in exchange for merchandise raw mater- ials, which could be used as a miedium of exchange for purchases abroad. The turnover of millions and the principle and busi- ness capital of the cooperatives in the Far East were consider- ably decreased in connection with intervention in general, and Japanese aggression in particular. Only after the organization of the Far Eastern Republic and the gradual improvement of the economic situation did the conditions of the cooperatives be- gin to improve. The introducing of gold as a medium of ex- change and the refusal of the Government to print paper money has also considerably improved the conditions of the coopera- tives. The most important work in the cooperative movement is being done by the "Centrosoyuz," which unites all the Rus- sian consumers cooperatives, and the "Sincredsoyuz," the union of credit cooperatives. Both of these large organizations are performing mixed functions. They make purchases abroad, and sell, there, peasant products of Siberia. Simultaneously they are helping the local cooperatives in their efforts to de- velop the local industries, and have plans for participation in the development of the natural resources of the Far Eastern Republic. According to the figures of the cooperative organizations they have altogether in the Far East 350,000 members; con- 107 sidering on the average three persons per family, the cooper- atives on the average represent over 1,000,000, i. e., about 50% of the entire population. During the first half of 1922, when the Government of the Far Eastern Republic organized the "Bank of the Par Eastern Republic," which is supposed to aid in the development of the commercial and industrial life of the country, the cooperatives, together with private commercial and industrial capital, as represented by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, took part in the organization of that bank, subscribing to a consider- able part of the stock of the bank, and sending its reprseen- tatives to the Board of Directors of the Bank. Summarizing, the brief and general information about the cooperative movement in the Far Eastern Republic, it may be stated that the cooperative movement is playing a considerable part in the economic life or the country, and it may be pro- fesied with certainty that the part of the cooperative movement as a factor in the econo(mic progress of the Far Eastern Re- public, will increase from year to year. 108 1 J 1 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY Return to desk from which borrowed. This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 3 Apr'S2Ar MAY 071994 LD 21-95m-ll,'50(2877slC)476 IC 81659 U.C BERKELEY LIBRARIES CDMSfl35=10S UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY