212 



SIBEKIA 



Passing to the rf'Vif:w of tlie Ibroign trado of Siberia across the land frontier wiih 

 China, Mongolia and Mantchuria, it must be observed that the trade in this direction, although 

 it has boon carried on from the earliest times but in consequence of the absence of roads alike 

 within the limits of Siberia and in the conterminous states, has for a long time kept within 

 the same boumls, and with the increase of trade in the navigations of the Amour basin 

 and in the (ireat Ocean the land trade is aj»parently iliniinisliint.'. The most important route 

 in this direction is the natural road connecting the industrial centres of the Celestial Empire 

 through LTrga and Maimachin with Kiakhta and Irkutsk, and consetjuently with the great 

 Siberian tract. Other less important roads, two in number, connect Western China with the 

 territory of Semipalatinsk. Along these principal ways the export of goods from Siberia 

 does not exceed two to three million roubles a year. The import, on the other hand, reaches 

 fourteen to fifteen millions. But if from the latter figure be excluded the value of the tea 

 imported through Kiakhta into European Kussia, as this article to a considerable extent is 

 merely in transit as far as Siberia is concerned, the total value of the imported goods will 

 be found to correspond to that of the exports. The chief subject of export is the produce of 

 cattle rearing, and that of import, is tea. 



The table below' gives the total values of imports and exports, while it must be borne 

 in mind that the Semipalatinsk Customs district does not exactly con'espond with the 

 boundaries of the territory of the same name, including as it does part of the Turkestan 

 country. In conse(|uence of this the corresponding figures will diUer somewhat from the faci. 



1. Including 676,421 roubles worth of goods, not accounted for in detail. 2. Including 

 64,123 roubles worth of goods not accounted for in detail. 3. Per Vladivostok and Xikolaevsk, 

 in the import only dutiable goods being shown. 4. Included tea. 



