366 



A. D. 1795. 



Of the British vessels there were 



for London 144 for Leitli 28 for Dublin 13 for Jersey 1 



Hull 101 Dundee 17 ' 6 other ports \ for several ports on "J 



Liverpool.... 38 Grangemouth. . 14 in Ireland .,/ . the continent of > 6 



Portsmouth.. 21 1 2 other ports 1 „^ Europe J 



Newcastle ... 15 in Scotland J ' 



Woolwich ... IS 



Chatham 14 



Plymouth * . . 10 

 21 otherports ■> ,_ 

 in England J _ ^ 



408 SO 28 "7 



Of the vessels belonging to the United states of America there were 



for Boston 15 for Philadelphia 6 for ports in Europe. ... 4 



3 other ports in New 1 , New York ~j 



England J Baltimore >3 



Charleston J 



The Ruffians have long carried on a very confiderable over-land trade 

 with China, of which it is proper to give a brief retrofpect, together with 

 an account of its modern ftate. 



In the beginning of the leventeenth century the Ruffians obtained 

 fome Chinefe goods by the agency of the Calmucs. In the year 1689 

 a free trade between Ruffia and China was eftabliffied by a treaty. By 

 a fubfequent treaty in 1692 it was agreed that the trade, hitherto con- 

 duced by individuals, fliould be carried on by caravans, a caravanferai 

 in Pekin being allotted for their refidence, and their expenfes, while 

 there, being defrayed by the emperor. The regular trade, thus con- 

 ducted, was monopolized by the Ruffian emperor. Private Ruffian 

 merchants, however, flill continued to travel to Pekin ; and Ruffian 

 and Chinefe merchants alfo met at an annual fair held on the confines 

 of Siberia and the Mongol territories, where they exchanged their com- 

 modities. In the year 1 727 the private traders were prohibited from 

 going beyond the frontiers; and thenceforth the caravans, not exceed- 

 ing two hundred perfons, were permitted to refort to Pekin only once 

 in three years f . For the accommodation of the individual merchants 

 of both nations, a ilation of intercourfe was appointed on the banks of 

 a fmall brook, called the Kiakta, on the frontiers of the two empires, 

 being 3,676 miles from Mofcow, and i ,025 from Pekin. On each fide 

 of the brook a fmall fortified town was erected. The Ruffian one took 

 the name of the brook ; and the Chinefe called theirs Maimatfchin 

 (fortrefs of commerce). At each pofl a governor prefides, and has a 

 fmall body of foldiers under his command. Maimatfchin contains 200 

 houfes and about 1,200 men. Every merchant is a partner of a houfe 

 in fome of the principal northern cities of China, and generally refides 



* All the vessels for Woolu-ich were (.ntirely been infcnfibk of any advantage derived to them 



loaded with hemp : thofe for Chatham carried from forcgn trade ; and accordingly, inftead of 



hemp, mafts, and other timber : and thofe for inviting it, as otlicr nations do, they merely toler- 



Portlmouth and Plymouth, iron, hemp, timber, &c. ate, with fome degree of reluctance, a very rigor- 



f In almoft all ages the Chinefe appear to have oully reftrifled rtfort of foreigners to their country. 



