150 FORESTS OF SIBERIA AND TURKESTAN 



return the same year and had to winter there. The 

 steamer on which the famous traveller, Fritiof Nansen, 

 arrived in Siberia in 1913 also succeeded in entering 

 the Enessey river. Thus it has been proved that it 

 is possible for ships from the west to enter the Enessey 

 river. But this is not sufficient. The timber markets 

 of Western Europe would require the organisation of 

 a regular service of timber steamers plying during the 

 open season. Only with such a service would it be 

 possible to undertake fellings on a large scale and the 

 conversion of the material in saw-mills ready for 

 transport to the western markets. As sawn or other- 

 wise prepared timber cannot be kept lying up in- 

 definitely without risk of spoiling, in the absence of 

 guaranteed export facilities merchants have not in 

 the past been ready to risk their capital in this business. 

 The war has considerably altered the position, how- 

 ever, and there is little doubt that these rich Siberian 

 forests will be able to furnish very considerable sup- 

 plies of the timbers which, at the close of the war, will 

 be so largely in demand. 



Owing to the absence of waterways and railways, 

 the timber export trade from the forests of Turkestan 

 is as yet wholly undeveloped. Until cdmparatively 

 recently, walnut, on account of the beautiful patterned 

 veneer the burrs yielded, was exported in considerable 

 amounts from Turkestan to Western Europe. The 

 demand for the veneer has, however, fallen off of late 

 years, and the considerable profits of yore have 

 dwindled. Vast and valuable forests are to be found 

 in the Irkutsk Government and the Transbaikal and 

 Yakutsk districts, but owing to the absence of con- 



