462 RESOURCES, &C. OP RUSSIA. 



A very considerable part of Russian commerce is conducted by 

 land. The principal part is with Prussia, Germany, Austria, Turkey, 

 Persia, and China, through Siberia. Kiakta, a town on the Chinese 

 frontier, is the place where the Chinese and Russian merchants meet 

 for purposes of commerce. This town is 4900 miles from Moscow, 

 and 1500 from Pekin. The one half of it may be said to be Chi- 

 nese and the other Russian. It is well fortified, and garrisoned by a 

 detachment of Cossacks. The Russians supply the Chinese with oil, 

 tallow, fur, tapestry, paper, knives, &c. &c., for which they receive 

 in exchange silks, porcelain, tea, musk, tigers' skins, &c. All the tea 

 consumed in Russia is obtained direct from Canton through Siberia. 

 The commerce carried on between these two nations is supposed to 

 be to the extent of 1,500,000/. annually. 



Inland commerce is also conducted in Siberia to a great extent 

 with various roaming tribes. The principal seat of this commerce is 

 Tobolski. This town is frequented for commercial purposes by 

 Tartars, Hindoos, Calmucks, &c. The entire annual exportations of 

 Russia by land are, speaking in round numbers, to the extent of 

 40,000,000 rubles ; her importations 20,000,000 rubles. 



But by far the greater part of Russian commerce is carried on by 

 sea. In 1815 it was four times as extensive as that conducted by 

 land ; and it is at the same time decidedly the more profitable. The 

 channels through which this commerce is carried on are the Baltic 

 Sea, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azof. The chief exports from 

 the ports of the Baltic are of leather, tallow, iron, grain, timber, lin- 

 seed, pitch, ashes, &c. The only ports at which foreign articles are 

 allowed to enter Russia are St. Petersburg, Archangel, Riga, 

 Revel, and Lieban, in the White Sea and the Baltic ; Odessa and 

 Thedosia, in the Black Sea; and Zoganrog in the Sea of Azof. The 

 leading imports are of silks, woollens, cottons, colonial produce, &c. 



The currency of Russia is mostly paper. Its value is very much 

 deteriorated, what passes for a sum equivalent to 135/. being only 

 actually worth 100/. The texture of this paper-money is very thin, 

 and consequently liable to be soon worn or torn ; but so long as its 

 denomination is legible no one dare refuse it. The lowest real coin is 

 the denaska; it is equivalent to two holuscas, which last is an ima- 

 ginary piece of money equal in value to ^-Q^^ths of our penny. Two 

 denaskas are equivalent to one griwna, and ten griwnas to one 

 ruble. The ruble, in silver, is worth four shillings and sixpence of 

 our money. The lowest gold coin is called tzaroowich, and is equi- 

 valent to two rubles and a half. The other gold coin in general cir- 

 culation is called an imperial, and is equal to five rubles. There are 

 also double imperials, but they are seldom to be seen. 



It is impossible to get at a perfectly accurate knowledge of the re- 

 venue and finances of Russia'; no document or statement — thanks to 

 a despotic government — being published on the subject. A tax 

 called the capitation tax, and a property tax of rather less than two 

 percent, on the capital of traders, are the principal taxes whence the 

 government derives its revenue. Its other only source of revenue is 

 from its monopoly of corn and spirits, and the appropriation to itself 

 of all the profits on coinage, stamps, postages, &c. The revenue has 



