The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-18
E GREAT FAIR OF NUM- NoveORop

1HE GREAT FAIR OF NUM- NOvGOROD.
|0a8tdted from the German Illustrated Gazette.
In an immense, almost entirely fiat country,
ke Russia, the traffic by land must be OF i'm
4ense importance Almost all the internal
ade is carried on by land besides which the
lssian Empire entertains a very active COM
lunication with Asia by means of caravans,
hich bring the products OF China and the East
lies. The inland tradel in the South is
le1y effected by means of wagons, which,
+tawn by oxen, are seen slowly moving across
steppes throughout summer and winter.
he difficulties OF the river navigation are the
Il ason that products and merchandise are
ostly brought in this manner to Odessa,
tthough the land route, on account of the heavy
bow storms in winter, is not without danger.
3Generally, intercourse in Russia takes place
hiring the winter season by means Of sleighs.
Is soon as the winter has spread hard,
nooth surface of snow over the plains, the
Helghs rush with whlrling rapidltY over lakes,
vels, and mOIasses, always in direct lines,
ithout the least regard to the regular roads.
.hus in Archangel during the winter are seen
Rousands Of slelghs from all portions of the
mpire, bringing to that CITY eider.dOwns,
hrs, tallow, wax, and hides, which are placed
lere in large storehouses, in order to be eX-
bIted by sea during the summer season; by
|le same conveyance the Government in st.
etersburg receives the costly products OF the
oAines of the Ural Mountains. OF great import
.1ce to the inland trade are the rivers, most of
hicb are navlgabe at least during a part of
be year. The Volga in particular is covered
"ith all kinds of craft. The long interruption
"a river navigation during the winter is, how
Ver, a very great drawback; besides which
De outlets of many of the rivers, like those of
lie Dnieper and Doe, are obstructed by sand
like that OF the Bug, Duna, and Memel, rem
IL RlNAnr lam hyV
Nbcks In connection with the rivers the canals
Bust be mentioned. There is perhaps no
ther country where so many canals have been
Constructed as in Russia.
4 Three canals connect the rivers of Neya and
olga, of which one is the gigantic work of
$eter the Great. The obstacles, caused here
.and there by the insufficient supply of water,
Have been removed with admirable Industry.
s soon as a fleet OF merchant ships approaches
he administration of the canals gives notice by
beans of the telegraph, and within an incredl-
= ly short time the basins are filed to their ut
host capacity by means of food.gates. In a
country where the internal trade IS OF such
Prominent importance, fairs must of necessity
3lay great part. The different fairs which
axe place in Russia are lar more important,
Ind have an entirely different origin from those
Fhich still exist in other countries. The latter,
or the most part, date from medieval times, and
IRE based on what are called fair privileges,
Which were granted to certain localities, and
for fixed periods, IN order TO giveto purchasers
home protection against the encroachments Of
he home merchants, and to enliven commerce
by competition.
In the interior of Russia, where the restric
ions and other impediments to free trade
4aused by the privileges ofgullds, never existed,
and where whoever is once settled in the
Empire has the right to carry on whatever
business or trade he may judge proper, such
&sylums OF commerce, like the regular fairs in
#5he cities of the continent, were not necessary,
And the large assemblies OF merchants were
..IGII lu lQTOn n hnVnrs
|Noilgrimages, on certain holidays, to celebrated
bombs or images of saints quite naturally
brought together pilgrims and merchants. The
opportunity which offered for etfecting
bales encouraged trades people to repair to such
places. Thus, beside the original pilgrims,
.fhere soon congregated a large number of other
4 peoyle led by the desire to improve the oppOr-
4unity offered, and if the political and geogra-
DhiCal conditions we're favorable, often an i'm
portant fair was thus established, which made
people entirely forget the original religious pur
bose which had originally led to their assem-
8bling. This was the origin of the great fairs
sof Romni, Makariew, Kursis, Charkow and
Hsome others.
n The celebrated fairs of Europe, such as those
of Leipsic and Frankfort, in Germany, Nov
land Ciylti VecChia, in Italy, Lyons and st
EtieDne, in France and several others which
were founded on medieval wants, have become
In our times-When most of the restrictions OF
commercial intercourse, and particularly the
privileges and immunites of cities and towns,
|.haVe been aOOuSQeU-OI greatly less import
ance and in all probability, from the genera
adoption of the principles of free trade by thu
principal States of Europe, they will gradual,
entirely disappear, because on account of the eX
Dense and the distance which both sellers anC
buyers are obliged to make to reach them, the,
are no longer the most natural and cheapes
mode of exchanging products and commodities
But in Russia, where customs and habits ar
entirely different, commission business IS as ye
very little developed, and consequently buyer
and sellers are Obliged to meet each other pei
Isonally, especially as a certain nomadic ele
ment still pervades the commercial relations @
the country, many of the merchants having n
settled establishments but move with thei
d stock of merchandise from one place to another
In Russia there is no possibility OF genera
n correspondence between the numerous popull
tions of various origin which occupy its el
4 tensiVe territory. Consequently, many affair
which in other countries are treated by CORE
pOndense, must be managed there orally b
" the personal meeting of this parties, so thf
the fairs are not only in a highly hourishin
condition, but with the increasing deVelopmeI
of commerce they are likely to become ever
year more important and more extensive.
Among the various large fairs OF Russia. u
Oldest and most celebrated IS that oil MI
NoYgorod or of Makarien, rs II is stlll called
the Russian merchants, after its former sea
IL ls, without any doubt, the largest ialr
Europe, and probably in the world-at lea
4 in regard TO the amount OF merchandise an
the number OF people who cOngregate there FRO
& all parts OF Eastern Europe and Western Asi
Dnrlng the months of July and August at lea