214 



-^IHEKIA. 



The imports to Rus-mh lioiu ( inini liuongh ilie Irkutsk Custombouso, corresponding to 

 Kiakhta, consist to tlie extent almost of 9m per cent of tea. The following gives a general 

 vi('\v (tf the iiiipoits across this I'lontii'r for the same years. 



I III |) <i Its: 



I'lOVisjdli- . . 

 Raw and liall'-iiiaiui- 

 factuied materials 

 Manulactured L'-onds 



L'!i,948,230 30,034,486 , 17,761,209 i 16,693,746 14,213,274 



6,941 



18,838 ! 46,646 



54,364 



41.3.' 



f)S^.176 52.816 93.757 1 ] 13.20'; 2r,n.;;2: 



11,817,896 



169,97.5 



591.461 



Total 



30,053,347 , .lO.lOG.llO 17,901,612 16,-61,37^ 14,520,93(U2,.5>i2,335 



On examining the totals of this table for the last six years, a diminution of the imports 

 from thirty millions to twelve million roubles will be noticed, which is caused not only by the 

 diversion of lea cargoes to the sea route, as will be explained later in detail, but mainly by 

 a change in the system of valuation of tea adopted recently, namely instead of the value of 

 tea in retail trade, 60 roubles a poud, the price of tea at the frontier is taken before the 

 payment of duty, about 20 roubles per poud. In fact this diminution is still more considerable 

 as the sum shown includes goods not only received by land through Maimachin-Kiakhta but also 

 by the Amour. It is true that by the latter route comparatively little Is received, but in the 

 gross these imports prove to be an appreciable quantity. Thus for example, the value of 

 foodstuffs passing through the Irkutsk Customs in 1891 is composed as follows. 



Of the quantity of tea shown, there were brought by the Amour 234 pouds of Bohea 

 tea or less than ^'lo per cent; 21,516 pouds of brick tea, or about 4 per cent. Thus through 

 Irkutsk besides tea there passes about one million roubles worth of other foodstuffs. 



Speaking of the foreign trade of Siberia it is impossible not to refer to one more 

 article, namely timber, which in the near future must become an important item of Russian 

 export. As a matter of fact, with the vastness of the forest plantations of the Far East, and the 

 absence of any attempt at using Ihem for industrial purposes, these resources till now are 

 lost, bringing the country no advantage. And yet the immense country at the very doors 



* or which to the value of 5,553 roubles were received by post. 



