206 SIBERIA 



proved, re-consigned to England. There have 

 been suggestions that Russian butter so landed 

 in Denmark is forwarded thence to ourselves as 

 Danish ; but the laws of the country are severe 

 against any such deception, and the Danish pro- 

 ducers have voluntarily agreed upon a brand 

 with which all their home-made butter is marked 

 when exported. Large supplies of Siberian pro- 

 duce were also sent, prior to the war, to points 

 on the Pacific coast, and to China and Japan. 



What the future development of the industry 

 may be is an interesting problem both for Siberia 

 herself and for those other countries, including 

 British Colonies, likely to be affected directly or 

 indirectly by her entrance as a formidable com- 

 petitor on the world's food markets. Of the 

 Trans-Siberian Railway it has well been said by 

 the British Commercial Agent in Russia, Mr. 

 Henry Cooke, in a report on the " Trade of 

 Siberia," that it has "already served as a spur 

 to the colonization and civilization of this huge 

 inert expanse of territory, whose very name 

 hitherto stood but as a symbol of isolation " ; 

 while as regards the rural industries which have 

 followed the railway, I have the assurance of a 

 trader intimately acquainted with recent develop- 

 ments in Siberia that they have been " a perfect 

 God-send " for the peasants. "The people," writes 



