198 MANUFACTUEES OF RUSSIA. 



roubles, which makes, according to the rate of exchange, 112 to 130 francs per 

 square metre. 



The transport of glass goods to the interior of Russia is as far as possible by 

 water; thus, the goods from the group of the Maltsev factories go to the south by 

 the Desna and the Dnieper, and to the east, as far as Nizhni-Novgorod, by the Oka. 

 which passes thi'ough Oriol, and rises near the government of Kursk. The other 

 central group of Maltsev factories is still closer connected with the market of Nizhni- 

 Novgorod. Part of the goods transported thence go into Asia, either by the Volga 

 towards the south, or towards Viatka. For that purpose special kinds of goods are 

 prepared, called Asiatic, which consist of many kinds of coloured glass. From the above 

 centres, glass is also transported by rail. The Maltsev factories, of the Oriol group, 

 have their own small railroads, the length of which, including all the branches to the 

 different works of Maltsev, is about 200 versts. Some factories of the western Polish 

 provinces, situated near the principal railways, also have their own private lines. 



Goods from the north-central group, the trade centres of which are Moscow 

 and St. Petersburg, and those from the western group parallel to the trade roads 

 which move foreign goods imported over the Eusso-Austrian frontier, are carried all 

 the year round by rail. Thus, the principal quantity of glass goods is transported 

 even dui-ing summer by railway. 



The yearly export of Russian glass by the Asiatic frontier has averaged in 

 late years, from 100 to 200 thousand roubles annually. Some articles are also exported 

 into Western Europe, especially to Germany, and according to official data such export 

 ranges from 200 to 250 thousand roubles a year. 



The import of glass goods is very considerable, and has been estimated during 

 recent years, from one-tenth to one-eighth of the total value of the Russian production. 

 The exporting countries are Austria, France, Germany, Belgium and England. The 

 principal and most valuable articles imported are leaden crystal, Bohemian service 

 glass, window glass of large dimensions, and looking-glass. 



The following figures show the value of the articles imported over the European 

 frontier : 



Years. Paper roubles . 



1886 2,390,000 



1887 1,720,000 



1888 ........ 1,300,000 



1889 1,740,000 



1890 1,590,000 



1891 1,520.000 



1892 0,900,000 



Estimated according to their trade importance In the capitals, the first place 

 fimong the objects of import is occupied by plain service glass, not faceted, and by 

 moulded service glass, verve moule, produced by French factories, especially by Bac- 

 carat. In St. Petersburg simple service glass costs 12 to 13 roubles gold per poud. 

 containing from 30 to 200 pieces; and moulded, 8 to 12 roubles gold per poud, con- 

 taining 20 to 120 pieces. This price does not include the customs duties, which are for 



