206 SIBERIA. 



CHAPTER XJII 

 The Foreign trade of Siberia. 



The Far East in reference to customs; the import and export of Russian ami foreign goods; 



Vladivostock and Nikolaevsk; trade with China across the land frontier; ports of the Arctic 



Ocean; the Commandtn- Islands; tea trade over the European and Asiatic frontiers; Bohea 



and brick teas; freights; tea traffic by rail; western China and Turkestan. 



THE vast territory of Siberia is washed on the north along an immense extent by the 

 Arctic Ocean, and therefore on this side during the greater part of the year it is closed 

 for navigation, and even during the season of navigation nature in the polar zone offers so 

 many inconveniences to the establishment of regular navigation that up to the present time 

 the appearance of steamers on the northern coast of Siberia is more or less accidental, not 

 yet possessing any industrial importance. 



The eastern zone, bathed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and possessing for the greater 

 part a more moderate climate, has many advantages over the northern. Here indeed, during 

 the brief period since the establishment of the Russian dominion, an increased movement in 

 the shipping has been observed, accompanied by a more lively traile. On the south, Siberia is 

 conterminous with Manchuria, Mongolia and China. Here there are several laud routes, by 

 which the exchange of goods takes place between Russia and the countries named. The de- 

 velopment of trade relations with the Chinese Empire always formed the subject of special 

 anxiety to the Russian Government, striving to negotiate various privileges for this trade and 

 to open to it new markets within the limits of the Chinese dominions. In the middle of the 

 present century, besides the commercial relations taking place on the basis of the Treaty of 

 Kiakhta (1727) through Kiakhta and Urga, trade was opened by the Kuldzha Convention 

 (1851) on the side of Ilya aud Tarbagatai. Subsequently the Aikhun Treaty (1858) authorized 

 mutual trade to the subjects of both countries, living along the rivers Amour, Ussuri, and 

 Sunguri, while that of Thian-Tzin (1858) granted Russia the right to carry on trade not only 

 by land but also by sea in the ports opened to foreigners. Finally by the treaty of St. Petersburg 

 (1881) the districts lying on both slopes of the Thian-Shan, as well as Su-Chow, were opened 

 to Russia. Both in these districts and in Mongolia, Russian subjects may trade duty free. 

 Upon goods forwarded to the provinces of the interior and exported therefrom, the Chinese 

 authorities impose import and export customs dues. 



