Russian Development of Manchuria 121 



Three breweries are now in course of 

 construction in Harbin, to cost 200,000 

 rubles ($103,000). The Russians are 

 great beer-drinkers and produce in Rus- 

 sia very good beer, but it is not of the 

 quality that bears shipping long dis- 

 tances; hence very little Russian beer 

 is to be seen on the Pacific coast or 

 anywhere in Manchuria. At the pres- 

 ent time American beer has the best of 

 the Manchurian market, as 150,000 

 dozen bottles are imported through one 

 firm at Port Arthur every year. A 

 fine quality of barley is produced in the 

 Suugari Valley, and these breweries 

 will be able to buy it at about half the 

 cost in the United States. There is 

 little doubt but that the Russians will 

 soon be producing all of the beer con- 

 sumed in Manchuria. Our Pacific Coast 

 hop men ought to be able to sell them 

 their hops, however. 



There are several companies engaged 

 in this business, with plants costing 

 altogether 250,000 rubles ($128,750). 

 They cure hams, bacon, and all varie- 

 ties of smoked meats and produce ex- 

 cellent articles. The hogs and cattle 

 in this part of the country are grain-fed 

 and make splendid meats, and the Rus- 

 sians are experts in preparing it for 

 markets. So far these concerns have 

 not been able to supply the Manchurian 

 markets, but the cheap labor of the 

 country, in combination with the cheap 

 grain and the familiarity of the Chinese 

 with hog-raising, makes a good foun- 

 dation for the growth of the industry, 

 and I can see no reason why it should 

 not continue to grow sufficiently to 

 produce all that may be required for 

 the oriental markets. 



There is a plant costing 25,000 rubles 

 ($12,875) for the preparation of bean 

 oil for use in painting. 



Russians are especially fond of candies 

 and sweets, and few people know how 

 to produce a quality equal to the Rus- 

 sian product. There is a manufactory 

 in this line in the old town costing 

 10,000 rubles ($5,150). 



There is on the river a small sawmill 

 that cost 15,000 rubles ($7,750) and 

 two on the railway line between Harbin 

 and Vladivostock that cost 150,000 

 rubles ($77,500). 



AGRICULTURAL RICHES 



There are many other industries in 

 embryo, and, as the place is located in 

 the center of an extremely rich agri- 

 cultural country, has splendid transpor- 

 tation facilities, and is doing so well in 

 the establishment of manufacturing, 

 there is little doubt that it will increase 

 at a very rapid rate as a manufacturing 

 and commercial center. 



The country is productive in wheat, 

 cattle, sheep, hogs, millet, barley, oats, 

 corn, beans, furs, hides, wool, bristles^ 

 bean oil, bean cake, hemp, tobacco, and 

 timber, and has various undeveloped 

 mineral resources ; in fact, it has all the 

 natural elements for the foundation of 

 a great city. 



RUSSIAN INVESTMENT IN MANCHURIA 



The chief engineer who was in charge 

 of the construction of the Russian rail- 

 ways in Manchuria informed me that 

 Russia had expended in railways in 

 Manchuria 270,000,000 rubles ($139,- 

 050,000). Add to this her investments 

 in fortifications and in the constructions 

 of the cities of Port Arthur, Dalny, 

 Harbin, and other places, and it is a 

 very moderate estimate to place her in- 

 vestments in permanent properties in 

 Manchuria at a total of 500,000,000 

 rubles ($257,500,000). 



AMERICAN VS. RUSSIAN TRADE IN 

 MANCHURIA 



What is the meaning to the United 

 States of all this progress of Russia on 

 the Pacific — the building of such cities 

 as Harbin and the political domination 

 of the country ? It has been recently 

 asserted by prominent people that it sig- 

 nified an enlargement of the market 

 for our goods, and that of the present 

 imports into Manchuria 75 per cent 



