INTRODUCTION. 



manufactories a general account of Eussian customs should occupy the first place. 

 Attention will first be directed to the fact that the ratios per cent of the total 

 revenue of the State to its customs revenue, and of the value of all tlie foreign goods 

 imported into Russia to the duties levied, have been continually growing during the 

 last twenty years, although a constant increase is observable in the amount of all 

 sources of revenue and an evident diminution in the quantity of foreign goods im- 

 ported has already begun, corresponding to the awakening of home production. 



Table 1. 



In order that the preceding figures may obtain, the comparative value of the cor- 

 responding figures for the period between 1887 and 1889 for different countries sliould 

 be contrasted: 



T A B L E 2. 



887- 



887- 

 888. 

 887- 



-1888. Argentine Republic, dollars. 

 -1889. Brazil, milreis 



Great Britain, pounds sterling 

 -1889. German Empire, marks . . 



France, franks 



-1888. Italy, lires 



China, taels 



-1888. Russia, paper roubles . . . 

 -1889. United States, dollars . . . 



Millions. 



Ratio. 



A 



54 



139 



90 



865 



3011 



1644 



72 



770 



377 



B 

 39 



84 



20 



254 



347 



281 



21 



124 



217 



C 



117 



209 



387 



3189 



4053 



1601 



102 



392 



724 



B:A B:C 



72 per cent 33 per cent 



60 

 22 

 29 



12 

 17 

 29 

 16 



58 



40 



5 



8 



9 



18 



21 



32 



30 



* Under revenue, are counted only ordinary revenue of all kinds without reckoning 

 redemption operations. 



** The value of imported goods is determined by the declarations of importers, ver- 

 ified and corrected by the Customs Department. As ad valorem duties have long since dis- 

 appeared in Russia, there is no reason to doubt the closeness of the declarations to the 

 truth. The amount of contraband undoubtedly forms but a small part of the imports, and 

 is decreasing every year, 



*** Scott Kelti6s, «The Statesman's Year Book for 1889. 



