FOREIGN TRADE. 



2J1 



occupy an extremely important position in a commercial sense. Already during the last decade 

 a considerable increase has been observed in the annual arrivals of shipping, while the 

 ({uantity of freights has grown by 200 per cent. Simultaneously with the construction of the 

 line a commercial port will be built there, with whose completion there will be a brisker 

 movement in the shipping. 



The trade of Xikolaevsk bears a somewhat different character: from this point for 

 fully 3,000 versts there is a magnificent water way into the interior of the country, thanks 

 to which Xikolaevsk has greater reason to be considered a point of transit than Vladivostok. 

 Of the total imports of Xikolaevsk 35 per cent consist of tea, 11 per cent sugar, 10^ 2 per 

 cent various machinery and locomotives, 9 per cent manufactured goods and 8 groceries. 

 The population of Xikolaevsk being inconsiderable, the whole mass of goods is not consumed 

 on the spot but forwarded thence up the Amour. 



In supplement to the data on the importation of goods into Xikolaevsk and Vladivos- 

 tok, may be quoted further the returns on the number of ships that visited these two ports 

 of the Eastern Ocean. 



V 1 a d i V s t k. 



Steam. Sailin.u: Total. 



Xikolaevsk. 

 Steam. Sailiui 



Total. 



The data on the arrival and departure of vessels in the said ports in 1891 appear in 

 the foUowin.ff table. 



Thus, from the data quoted it appears that the number of ships arriving at the two 

 chief ports of the Siberian shore of the Eastern Ocean is increasing every year, and there 

 can be no doubt but that with the improvement of the navigation on the Amour and the 

 opening of the Ussuri branch of the Great Siberian Line this growth will go still fastei'. 



