254 Russia. 



years, 1903 to 1908, from 4 to G million tons and from 

 35 to 62 million dollars. A vast territory of untouched 

 woods is still at her command, representing roughly 

 two-thirds of the forest area of Europe. 



The vast empire, second only to the British empire 

 in extent, gradually acquired since the 15th century, 

 occupies in Europe (including Finland) somewhat 

 over 2 million square miles with over 120 million in- 

 habitants, and in Asia somewhat over 6.5 million 

 square miles, with only 30 to 40 million people. 



Until 1906, when as a result of a revolution, a kind 

 of representative government was secured, the he- 

 reditary Czar was ostensibly and by title an autocrat, 

 governing with the assistance of four great councils 

 and 12 ministers, but in reality the government was 

 in the hands of a bureaucracy and court cabal, to a 

 large extent corrupt, and hence the many good laws 

 and institutions of which we read, may not always 

 be found executed in practice as intended. 



The European section of the country is divided 

 into 98 governments or provinces, each under a 

 governor, who is, however, largely dependent on the 

 central power. The large territory of Siberia is 

 divided into three governor-generalships, much of it, 

 as well as of the other Asiatic provinces, is still un- 

 organized, undeveloped and unexplored, or at least 

 little known. Originally used mainly as a penal colony 

 for criminal and political exiles, since the completion 

 of the great Trans-Siberian railway, the country has 

 been peopled by Russian farmers. 



Both European Russia and Siberia are in the main 



