THE GREAT SIBERIAN RAILWAY. 261 



dinsk steppes which have always been reuowjicd lor their fertility, aud serve as a granary 

 tor Siberia. Figures have been already quoted showing that even the opening of the Ural 

 Hue would be sufficieut to cause an increased activity in these steppes and to forward con- 

 siderable ([Uantities of grain to the west, partly to the Baltic seaports. If . the influem^e of 

 the Ural line was so great, connected with these lauds only by water cominunicatiou, then 

 an uninterrupted Hue of rails connecting them with the general network of lines in the Russian 

 Empire ought to elicit a far greater increase of agricultural development. Under favourable 

 conditions of soil and climate the productive power of the earth will draw an increase of 

 population and have an indirect influence upon the regular colonization of the country. 



Of late years in many parts of European Russia the increase of population from nat- 

 ural causes has brought about an excess of the labouring contingent, and the systematic 

 increase of the number of peasants insufficiently provided with land, due to this fact, has 

 already for some time past attracted the attention of the Government. Being desirous as far 

 as possible to regulate the distribution of farms among the peasants and to provide the suf- 

 ferers with the requisite amount of land, the Government has found it advisable to adopt 

 certain measures tending on the one hand, to people the unpopulated fertile districts, and on 

 the other hand, to give a regular outlet to the energies of the peasants insufficiently proviiied 

 with land who are at present a burden on the State, and demand increased solicitude. 



For these reasons free Government lands in the above mentioned localities are granted 

 to settlers, and for their benefit a cheap rate has been fixed for conveying them by rail; 

 in some cases they receive loans of money from the Government and certain other privileges 

 are granted to ihem in order to assist them in the difficulty of emigrating, and of acquiring new 

 household goods. Thanks to the immediate connection by rail between the «Granary of Si- 

 beria» and those governments of the Russian Empire where a lack of land is apparent, the 

 enterprise about to be realized should become an excellent emigration regulator in the 

 interests of the State in general. Taking into consideration the extent already given of suit- 

 able colonizing land in Siberia, it may be expected that in spite of the tendency of late 

 years for emigration to Siberia, this country will for a long time be able to receive freely 

 those who are desirous of availing themselves of its productive power, so great is its size 

 and so vast the amount of suitable land for agricultural purposes. 



When once the newly populated regions show signs of activity, the force of intellect 

 will gravitate thither from European Russia and capital will find more advantageous use in 

 the wider enterprises of industry. This might be encouraged by granting certain privileges 

 in acquiring Crown lands to Russian nobles and other individuals in the Government service, 

 who, as a more educated and cultured element, would be able to bring a civilizing influence 

 with them. Thus the Great Siberian Railway, animating the uninhabited fertile lands ruled 

 by the Governor-General of the steppes and opening up an extensive market for the sale of 

 all products of the earth, would at the same time assist the successful solution of one of the 

 most difficult problems of the State, namely, the definite organization of the economical con- 

 dition of the peasants badly provided with land in the internal governments of European Russia_ 



The review of the mineral wealth and mining industry of Siberia has shown how 

 enormous are the riches in the bowels of the country, and what little use has been 



