A. D. 1795. 



Z^7 



only about a year at a time, his place being fupplied by another partner^ 

 who brings a frefh alTortraent of goods. There is not one woman in 

 the place, the Chinefe policy not permitting the fex to be expofed to 

 any intercourfe with foreigners. Since the year 1755 no caravans have 

 traveled to Pekin. The emprefs Catherine having in the beginning of 

 her reign renounced the monopoly, the trade has ever fince been free 

 to all Ruffian fubjeds : and from that time, except a fufpenfion between 

 the years 1785 and 1792, owing to ibme mifunderftandings, it has con- 

 tinued to be carried on with very confiderable advantage to all con- 

 cerned, the following being the principal articles of it. 



Russian merchandize. 



Furs, and skins, of sea otters, beavers, 

 foxes, wolves, benrs, Bucharian lambs, 

 Astracan sheep, martens, sables, er- 

 inines, grey squirrels, &c. from Sibe- 

 ria and the islands near America, and 

 also a considerable quantitv from Hud- 

 son's bay and Canada, imported from 

 Great Britain. The goods of this class 

 constitute the most important part of 

 the trade. 



Cloth of Russia, England, Prussia, and 

 France: camlets, calimancoes, drug- 

 gets, and flannels, of Russian and for- 

 eign manufacture. 



Velvets, and rioli stuffs. 



Russia linens, Russia leather, tanned 

 leather, looking-glasses, glass ware, 

 hardware, tin, Russian talc, &c. 



Camels, horses, horned cattle, dogs of 

 various species. 



Meal and other provisions. 



Chinese merchandize. 

 Raw silk in large quantities *. 

 Silk stuffs of all kinds. 

 Cotton in large quantities, and cotton 



yarn. 

 Cotton stuffs, particularly that called by 



us nankeen, of red, brown, green, and 



black colours. 

 Teas, esteemed superior in flavour to 



those brought to Europe by sea. 

 Porcelain, some of it adorned with figures 



from European designs. 

 Japanned cabinets, tables, chairs, boxes, 



and other ornamental furniture. 

 Canes, fans, artificial flowers, and other 



toys. 

 Skins of tigers and panthers. 

 White lead, vermilion, and other colours. 

 Tobacco. — Rice. — Sugar-candy. 

 Preserved ginger, and other sweet-meats. 

 Rhubarb, musk, nitre,sal-ammoniac, &c. 

 Rubies, and other pretious stones. 



The goods openly fold by the Ruffians at Kiakta, and paying the im- 

 perial cuftoms, amount to about a million and a half of rubles annual- 

 ly, and thofe bought from the Chinefe to near as much, the balance be- 

 ing paid in gold and filver bullion : and the clandefline trade is eftimat- 

 ed equal to a fifth of the legitimate. Perhaps no weftern nation be- 

 fides Ruffia ever received a balance of the pretious metals from China. 



At Zurukaitu, another frontier flation, there is alfo fome trade, and 

 at a few other places ; but all on a trifling fcale. 



The goods are carried from Ruffia to Tobolfk by land, and thence 

 are forwarded partly by navigable rivers : but, owing to frofts, rapids, 

 and other obftrudlions, the merchants often prefer the conveyance by 

 fledges in the winter, and arrive at Kiakta about February. In their 



* Mr. Coxe fays, the exportation of raw (ilk is prohibited under pain of death. It is certain th.i' 

 -aw filk is taken in at Canton by our Eaft-India company's (hips, and, I piefume, not clandeftinely. 



