80 JMANUFACTUKES OF EUSSIA. 



CHAPTER YI. 

 Leather Goods. 



TANNING- is one of the oldest brandies of Eussian industry and originated in 

 the East, spreading- thence throughout the Empire. Eussian curriers are already 

 mentioned in the ancient chronicles of Nestor. Later on the tanning trade devel- 

 oped to such an extent that a tax was levied upon those who practised it during 

 the reigns of Dimitri Donskoi, Basil Dimitrievich and Basil the Dark. Kazan has, 

 from time immemorial, been the centre of this industry in eastern Eussia. 



When Kazan passed into the hands of the Tartars this trade still further 

 developed on account of the great demand for morocco and other leathern goods. 

 When the town was conquered by Ivan the Terrible the tanning trade was for a 

 time held in check, but soon afterwards became brisker and quickly recovered 

 itself and with greater energy than ever, established itself in the governments of 

 Nizhni-Novgorod, Kostroma, Yaroslav, Novgorod and Pskov. The most well known 

 product was Eussia leather which has for ages been exported and sold in bales 

 of one to one and one-half poods. During the latter half of the seventeenth 

 century about 75,000 bales were exported from Kholmogora and Archangel. In the 

 towns of Totma and Vologda during the winter the leather goods were stored in 

 large warehouses ready for shipment abroad in spring. The Grovernment took mea- 

 sures for fostering and developing the industry and in the reign of Peter the Great 

 a number of decrees were issued tending to improve the manufacturing processes; 

 carriers were engaged in foreign countries and brought over to teach the various 

 kinds of leather di^essing; numerous regulations were prescribed, and in 1716 a large 

 Government order of 100,000 pouds of Eussia leather at 4 roubles per poud was 

 given to private firms to be delivered in Archangel, where the hides were sold 

 by the state without profit. Up to the accession of Catherine II there were 25 tan- 

 neries and 10 leather dressing works in Eussia and at the end of her reign the 

 number of tanneries had increased to 84. 



The export of hides was considerable and the amount at the end of the last 

 century was as follows:- 



