Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1859-02-19
The siberian Trade.

We find it stated in an English paper of re-
cent date that American traders have, during the
last year. landed considerable cargOes of sugar at
the port of Nicolaioysk, at the mouth of the
AmoOr-that these cargOes have been conveyed at
once up into the very heart of Tartary, and the
interior of the MuscOvite empire-that these un-
expected supplies have had an astonishing effect at
the late fair of Novogorod, to which emporium the
central Asiatics resort for the purchase of that
merchandise, the value of which had fallen 80 per
cent, owing to the new sources of sugar importa-
ton and that every other commodity will shortly
be similarly affected by what must be a perfect
revolution on the border of China, Mongolistan
and southern Siberia. We also find 1T stated in a
letter from our new Minister to st. Petersburg
published in the Charleston Mercury that the Pa
cifc trade of the Russian -Asiatic possessions al
ready amounts to over twenty millions Of dollars
annually, and that his information on that subject
wac derived from the reports OF the American
Consuls and commercial agents stationed in va
rious parts of the Russian empire. That these
statements are somewhat exaggerated, we have no
doubt 1t is true that several cargoes of various
kinds of merchandise have been shipped from this
port to the Amoer riyer-that several houses In
Boston have been, for some time past, engaged in
this trade-that cargoes of sugar might have been
TRANSPORTED from Canton and other Chinese ports
to Nicolaiovsk and conveyed from thence up the
Amoor to the centre of the Russian empire, but
still it is hardly probable that commercial revo-
luton to the extent of reducing the price of sugar
80 per cent, at the late fair at NOvOgorod can
have taken place already, or that tre1e, which
two years ago had no existence as far as we know,
could have all at once assumed such gigantic pro-
portions as our Minister to Russia assigns to it.
1t is also stated in the English paper, from which
we quote that the 50 Russians have not yet organ
lied any efficient line of customs, and that their
organs admit that smuggling must be, for years,
positive necessity" in these regions. This must
be q mistake. About year ago company was
organized at st. Petersburg under the sanction of
the Imperial Government, and by the terms of Its
charter was authorized to open trade with the COM
mercial marts of the Pacific. We are not, to be
sure, advised as to whether this company has, as
vet, commenced operations, but it is hardly possi-
bic that it could have remained 80 long quiescent
after its organization.
From the lights now before US, it is pretty evil
dent that at no distant day San Francisco will
monopolize the greater portion of the trade of
Eastern Siberia, Mongolia and Mantchouria. The
population of these regions cannot be far short OF
ten or twelve millions. They are IN want of al
most every thing, except breadstuffs. They now
derive their supplies of liquors, tobacco, cotton,
clothing cutlery crockery, sugar, etc, from Novo-
gorod, a distance of several thousand versts.
These commodities conveyed, for the most part,