(id 



i\iANriAC'rriiKs hf i.ts^ia. 



T HE m 1' (» K T AND EXPORT I) F SILK GOOD S. 



Although Bussia does not come last auioug the countries of Europe in the 

 aaiiual production of cocoons, the process of unwinding them for obtaning the raw 

 material and the preparation of the latter bj^ twisting and reeling, are but little de- 

 \eloped. The Russian silk indusUy, according to the last revision of the taritf, uses 

 considerabh'^ more foreign than native material, the principal kinds being Milan, 

 Turin. Chinese, Central Asiatic or Margellan, Kokhand and Kashgar, Circassian and 

 Persian silk. In general the Russian material is by no means equal to the foreign 

 both as regards purity and uniforniit3'; and in addition to tliis, Russian silk 

 is not to be had lower than 50 deniers and the principal kinds required for silk 

 weaving are organzine and tram of 22 to 28 deniers, the number of silk thread 

 being determined bj' the weight of a skein expressed in deniers, the old French sj^stem 

 being 1 skein — 476 meters, and 1 denier =.05318 grms. This being the conditiou 

 of the native silk culture, it is evident that recourse must be had to foreign 

 markets. 



The following table shows the large amount of foreign material imported 

 through the European frontier. 



The value of the goods in the first column during the last five 3^ears aver- 

 aged 1,782,837 roubles per annum, and if tlie import through the Asiatic frontier 

 which, for tlie period between 1887 and 1890, averaged 12,676 pouds worth 

 ;U7,873 roubles, the total import would reach 2, 131,000 roubles; the value of the goods 

 in the second column during the same period averaged 7,644,525 roubles per annum. 

 The figures show that the import of foreign twisted silk, both organzine and tram, 

 sewing silk and combed spun silk, was very considerable. The import increased 

 during the specified periods although the duty was considerably raised. 



The import of silk goods was more moderate and is shown by the following 

 r;ible wiiich gives the amount passed through the European frontier. 



