208 SIUEKIA, 



illuiijiiiadn;,' oils, paralliri liibricaliiig oil, sjdril and oil jiolislies and mutcli. -. iw .i.e articles 

 named, wiien impoiied into the ports of the Littoral territory, tlie actual customs tariff on 

 tlie European Irontier is extended. Tobacco goods of foreign origin imported by sea into 

 Vladivostok and Nikolaevsk, as well as Russian, not bearing the legal banderoles, are made 

 to pay duty on the basis of tin; general tarill at the Jiuropean frontier. 'Ihe collection of the 

 duties upon goods inii)f)rted iiiio the ports of th^; I-ittoral territory, on account of the absence 

 there of customs institutions, is imposed upon the ollicials of the local excise control. On the 

 jiuhlicatioH (d' the law (pioted, imposing import duties on certain goods, the question arose as 

 to whether duties sh<mld he taken from the foreign goods enumerated above when imported 

 into the Commander Islands, and into Petropavlovsk, and other northern ports of the Littoral 

 territory, for which no special exceptions arc established. Taking into consideration the pov- 

 erty of the population of the northeni zone of the said territory and of the islands of the 

 Pacific Ocean and also the total absence there of excise officials, it was thought advisable in 

 1^89 to limit the exaction of customs duties from certain foreign goods imported into the 

 ports of the territory of the Littoral to the ports of Vladivostok and Nikolaevsk, with the- 

 condition that the exaction of such duties should be effected on the same general basis from 

 the goods also that may be imported into the said ports from other ports of the Littoral 

 territory. 



Thus up to the present time the immense territory of Eastern Siberia continues ta 

 remain in tlie position of a free port for the mass of foreign goods, which however does not 

 offer any danger for the importation of duty free merchandise through Eastern into Western 

 Siberia and further into the interior of the Empire. 



Notwithstanding the natural wealth of Siberia and the favourable climatic conditions- 

 existing in many localities, its productivity in consequence of its scant population and absence- 

 of communications is extremely insignificant, and it is in need of the importation from without 

 of many such essential articles, as under other circumstances might be successfully produced 

 upon the spot. Siberia is mainly furnished with the necessary productions by importation 

 from the following countries. 



From European Russia it receives cheap cottons and woollens, tobacco, spirit, sugaiv 

 illuminants, articles of leather and iron, writing paper and a small quantity of haberdashery 

 and articles of fashion. From Great Britain, Siberia receives chiefly cotton and woollen yam 

 and fabrics, iron, tin-plate et cetera. From Belgium, glass and yarn, are imported: from 

 France, articles of fashion, preserves, wine et cetera. 



The United States of America carry on a pretty brisk trade with Siberia through. 

 San Francisco, furnishing that country with flour and other articles of food, machinery and 

 agricultural implements, leather goods and guns. 



Germany, thanks to the activity of many German lirms in Nikolaevsk and Vladivostok,, 

 has a predominating influence in the import trade of Siberia. It furnishes the most various 

 goods, although of a very inferior quality, such as furniture, sugar, wine, kitchen utensils,, 

 cottons and woollens. 



Korea sends to Siberia the produce of its agriculture and cattle rearing, grain, 

 vegetables and cattle. Japan imports mainly wheat, rice, salt, fruits, and to a very limited 



