The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-14
MISCELLANEOUS
From the Boston Times,



The extent of the Russian empire is lmmense-cover.
ing territory OF 100000 square miles IN Asa, and
2o25 900 in Europe-n ALL over 7,oo0OO square miles;
The population of Russia Europe 1900 oO0 and Of
Asiaiic Russia in Siberia - 900 0O0 making the entire
population 500 600 Russia is the most Jewel country
IN the world average level above the but $50
feet Spain the highest country in Europe and the
average level OF Europe is $50 feet above the sea
Many things in Russia remind the American traveller
OF his own country. The western part appears newly
settled like our western States the middle part of the
empire well cultivated and the wooden fences peculiar
TO Russia, Norway and Sweden have quite American
air The villages, too are built of wood-mosy OF
round ogs-and there some very handsome log col
tages The OF this material building is the cause
of the many destructive fires which frequent IN
Russian villages The horribly bad roads IN Russia also
remind the American OF the western settlements whefe
corduroy roads are only known and IN the spring anu
suIsmn they almost impossible:
The winters in Russia, although intensely cold, are not
subject such frequent storms as IN other countries In
November and December there is usually fall OF three
or four feet of snow which remains without drifting Tor
four five monhs Alter these months storms are rare,
and the winter remains UNIFORM
Russia is eminently hospilable country. The noble
and rch landed popreiors are very fond OF strangers
Everything throughout Russia is peculiarly Asatic.
The houses all built In oriental style, with no front
door. You enter at the side through the enclosure,
The roof projects three or four feet, and the house
surrounded by porch. The streets are built ntoeraby
wide through fear Of fires The dress OF the common
people is also Asiac in appearance; The mobiles, how
ever have their French ailors and dress like gentlemen
of France England The merchants of the FIRST class
or guild as there termed also dress in European style
The merchants of the second third guilds the clergy
and serfs, are strictly Asiatc in their dress No men
shave their boards, except rich merchants and mobiles
Peter the Great much opposed to boards, and made
law that one should appear in court with beard
and old noble who venlured to transgress the edic
unceremoniousy seized and slain the presence OF
the Emperor Nine out OF ten men in Russia now wear
boards. The serfs the country overcoats OF
sheep skins made with the wool inside, and the sers
the cities usually dress in blue surous 10 their heels
and grde around their waists The dress OF the Rus
ole A,,ut
worn turbans, and the dresses are usually loose
Modern appliances for altering the female form find little
favor in Russia.
The religion of the Russian is that of the Greek Church
The almost entirely lturgca, consisting of
responses, obeisances and prosations Out OF 10000
10000 clegymen few preach sermons, The services
on Sunday commence 1T II o'clock, and last hour
and half Neither musical instruments stoves are to
be found in Russia, Norway, Sweden, or Denmark. In
Russia the people stand throughout the service, and
the elevation of the host they commence bowling with
great vehemence AS the hair is long, and flies in
all directions during the obesances the effect is like the
waving of small forest. The Rus. sian mode o. man
aging horses is also oriental -Four horses usually
driven abreast, and none but mobiles, ambassadors,
members of the royal family, are allowed TO drive four
horses, two abreast, do here in America The
mail couries drive with great rapdity; and distance of
1900 miles is accomplished in five days In Poland,
where the roads better. the courier will gaop his
horse $50 miles in 80 hours. The traveller who may
chance TO accompany the courier will find this rapid
travelling night and day very failguing The grand
secret TO walk continually during the changing Of
horses, which is done every Is or 30 miles
The manners OF the people, particularly of the lower
classes, are quite oriental you give the servant at
your hotel few cents, he will take your hand and kiss
1T, lay his cheek upon 1t, and then with his cheek
rub your arm for some minutes The fine rivers in Rus
sla though frozen up six months IN the year are navga
led in the summer with steamboats, which increasing
every year, and the number now plying during the
mer is immense
Wheat buck wheat, rye, barley and OATS are produced
10 great abundance; and in the south of Russia fine a
pies, peaches, and pears. Buckwheat is extensively
used IN Odessa. The people boil it do rice, and
when so prepared forms delicious dish, after being
hulled and seasoned.
The manufactures of Russia are making great progress
under the present Emperor and those Of cotton WOOL and
iron are IN very fourshng condition. England has
opposed this policy of the Emperor, and has by brides
eadeavored TO induce him TO renqush it, but without
success and the government now large cotton and
iron factories, and seek IN every way TO encourage nd-
Viual enterprise
Iron very abundant in Russia, and in some localities
platna and diamonds found Gold and silver mines
are frequently found The Asiatc side of the Ura noun
talns another California, and immense quantities of
gold are found there The mines owned and worked
by the government and for five years past from fifteen to
twenty millions of dollars worth of gold has been gath
cred. The gold resembles in appearance that brought
from California It's found in the sand which the rains
wash down from the Ural mountains Siberia is rich in
mines, andplauna is found there IN great abundance
The commerce of Russia has greatly increased within
thirty years Peter the Great found Russia with
msrce OF any consequence and with but port Arch
angel whittier the English had sent trading ships during
the reign OF Elizabeth Peter extended his posses
SONS to the and built ST. Petersburg which he deter
"
the commerce OF Archange and ST. Petersburg has since
been the chief mart OF the Russian empire Russia,
however. can never become great commercial nation,
for although she has the Black Sea in the SOUTH the Cas-
plan in the southeast, the Gulf of Finland in the north
west and the Arctic the NORTH she too far from the
great oceans, which the highways OF commerce.
permit her rival those whose position is more fortunate
About four thousand vessels annually enter her
ports, OF which six hundred go TO Archange The
valuable cargocs are those from the United States
The nobility OF Russia proper about 500 900 in num-
Der, exclusive of those in Poland or Finland
There are great many erroneous opinions abroad
spesng the statistics of Russia arising from confoundng
Rnssla proper with the whole Russian empire In the
whole OF Russia there 100000 mobiles, divided into
hiteen orders, such Princes Barons OF them
hereditary and others fictitious They addressed as
Your hghness your brightness, your excellence &C.
cordng 70 their respective ranks, and, like the old Span
Ish nobility. are as poor they proud. Manga scion
OF nobility receiving but five hundred dollars wear in
the army navy, looks down with upon the mer
chant, worth his hundred thousand. They will accept of
CIVIL employment only, and consider any mercantile bu
siness as derogatory TO their rank
The Enperors policy is evidently to multiply the no.
pies by raising deserving to that rank. and thereby
weaken their influence. The ancient nobility, although
inPeri0us IN their manners extremely well bred
Inc French language IS more spoken among them
than even their own language, and many speak French
WIN greater purity than they can Russian
Mex IN rank come the merchants, who are divided
INTO Three guilds or corporations by the government To
the hrst guild Belong all those whose property according
10 he own statement, amounts In $40 900 OF our money
lnese pay a tax based upon the amount of properly