XLVI INTRODUCTION. 



The average value of a poiul of g-oods exported from Russia is less thau a 

 rouble, because the export of grain predomiuates, whose value closely approaches 

 that sum. The goods imported into Russia, on the other hand, present a value per 

 pond of more than two roubles, although coal exceeds half the imports by weight. 

 Deducting this, there remain imports, about 96,000,000 pouds, to the amount of 

 about 403,000,000 paper roubles. The average value, therefore, of a poud of im- 

 ported goods exceeds 4 roubles which depends upon the predominance among the 

 imports of such dear goods as tea, fruits, cotton, machines and yarn. The preponder- 

 ance in weight of Russian exports over imports leads to the consequence that sea- 

 going ships must often come into Russian ports in ballast. 



Among the exports preponderate vegetable and animal raw materials, and to a 

 certain extent the products of distilleries and refineries, such as spirit, sugar, and 

 kerosene; in the imports, the two extremes of mineral raw material and manufac- 

 tured goods. The former have been long in the enjoyment of a powerful customs pro- 

 tection, while upon their production within the country were levied considerable excise 

 dues. The state of the imports proves that for the development of the economical 

 life of Russia the most pressing needs at the present time are increased mining in- 

 dustries, works, manufactories and trades. It is of course not possible to have such 

 complete information upon the home trade as upon the foreign. Judgments upon 

 the former can only be formed upon the basis of two kinds of statistical informa- 

 tion, the number of trade documents and the business done by commercial under- 

 takings subject to income tax and assessment dues. Table 9, based upon data of 

 the first kind, tables 6 and 11, upon data of the second kind, make it possible to 

 form an opinion of the extent and distribution of the various forms of local industry. 

 Further particulars referring to the home trade of Russia are set forth in the article 

 upon the markets of Russia, inserted in this volume, and in a special publication of 

 the ilinistry of Ways of Communication, composed for the World's Columbian Expo- 

 sition, in which are considered both the ways of communication themselves and the 

 traffic over them. 



It is most important to direct attention to the fact that with the develop- 

 ment of the protective system the foreign trade of Russia, speaking in general 

 terms, has not changed, has rather increased than diminished, while the home trade 

 has unmistakenly increased. In 1871 the foreign trade consisted of 369,000,000 rou- 

 bles export, and of 380,000,000 roubles import, that is, the whole trade formed 

 749,000,000 roubles. In 1880 it was equal to 499,000,000 export and 604,000,000 

 import, total 1,103,000,000 roubles, at a time when the protective system had only 

 begun to act, and that feebly. In 1890 it was equal to 704,000,000 exports and 

 416,000,000 imports, or total 1,120,000,000. In 1891, when in consequence of the 

 lack of grain its export was forbidden for part of the year, thus diminishing the 

 export trade, the latter was 722,000,000 roubles, the import 379.000,000 roubles, 

 that is, in all 1,101,000,000 roubles or equal to the trade of 1880, with the sole 

 difference that in 1880 the imports exceeded the exports, while in 1891, as latterly 

 ill general, the exports on the contrary have exceeded the imports. This preponder- 

 ance of exports over imports may be judged by the data inserted in Table 7. 



An idea of the increase during the last few years of the total trade, both 

 home and foreign, may be gathered from the fact that the number of trade licenses, 



