New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-31
ge'r @rtea,ss &epnblita,s.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF the UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS


OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
RUSSIAN EMANCIPATION.
From the statistical record of the con
dition of the serfs before and after thei
emancipation, it would appear tina
Russia is reaping great advantages from
that wise measure of the Emperor Alex
ander II. Before the issue of the eman
cipation ukase February 10, 1861 ther,
were. 103, 1853 land owners in European
Russia, who employed 9,797, l63 serfs OF
their estates, beside 90O,971 household
servants, who, beside the other serfs, were
compelled to work for their masters, and
formed part Of their property. The tota
number of serfs. including women,
was upward of 22,OO0,O 900. The 1O3, 15s
land owners possessed 105, 200, los
diesiatins (about 6O,OOO,OOO acres) Of
land, of which about q third was occu.
pied by the serfs for their cottages, etc.
Under the emancipation decree, the land
thus occupied by the serfs was to become
their property after the payment by in
stallments of certain amount Of COM
pensation; and now, ten years after the
issue Of the decree giving them their free
dom, ,474,613peasants have become pro-
prietors of 22,59S, IA diesiatins of land,
or nearly one-fffth of the whole owned by
their former masters. 1t is calculated
that another period of ten years will
elapse before the process of emancipation
is completed. Thus it is shown that the
fear OF ruin to the mobiles and the enrich
ing Of the peasants were groundless and
unfounded.
The mobiles still possess by far the
greater portion Of the land. Each noble
retains, on an average, six hundred and
seventy-three diesiatins, while the peas
ant only gets four. Though in many
parts of Russia the land lies fallow and
uncultivated, this is not the fault of the
peasant, but of the mobiles, who, before
the emancipation, used to send the more
intelligent of their serfs to the towns to
obtain share Of the often very consider
able earnings of their retainers as artisans,
traders, etc., thus depriving their estates
of the labor Of these people. One of the
consequences of this great work of eman-
cipation to Russia has been the projec-
ton and prosecution of many industrial
undertakings, which must result in the
general prosperity of the country. One
of these, which has found much favor in
government circles, is the plan Of canal
uniting the Black and Caspian seas. The
idea of such a canal, which, if carried out,
would secure very important commercial
and strategical advantages to Russia, has
long been the subject Of discussion among
Russian engineers, but it has been hither-
to considered impracticable. By report
of Captain Blum, of the Typographical
department, it is proposed to cut such a
canal through the valley ,of the Manitch,
which is supposed by biologists to have
formerly united these two seas. The
length of the canal would be four hun
dred and fifty miles. 1t would pass
through several lakes, and for fifty miles |
run alongside the river Don, and would |
occupy six years for its completion.
Another enterprise is the attempt to |
establish new communication with Nova
Zembla and the Polar seas by means of
the rivers Oh and Yenisei One of the |
proprietors of the Siberian graphite
mines, NJ. Sidoroff, has repeatedly urged
that the general belief as to the mouths
Of the Oh and Yenisei being closed to
navigation by ice is unfounded, and that
the opening of line of communication
On those rivers would be of the greatest
value to Russian trade, as it would unite
Siberia, not only with the islands of the
Polar seas, but with all Europe. 1t is
affirmed that the Oh is navigable for
more than 5000 miles, and its waters are
'welled by the Irtysh, Kat and other i'm
oortant rivers which fall into it. At the
points Of junction with these rivers it is
nearly a mile wide, and when it falls into
ne icy sea its width is seventy miles.
The Yenisei is nearly 5000 miles, and,
fter passing through the whole of Sibe-
10, it falls into the Arctic ocean by a
road gulfseventy miles in length. Meas
Tres have been taken by the government
nd private parties to prove the statments
# NJ. Sideroff, and thus far the investica-
ions have verified them. Upon these
'ubllc works the former serfs are proving
aluable auxiliaries in the develop
nent of the resources of the ccun-
ry. Their industry and the interest
7hich they manifest in everything per- 6
aiming to the advancement of themselves !,
nd their children is being rewarded by i
n increase in knowledge and wealth. The
chools of the country, and especially @
mong the late serfs, are increasing so t
apldly that the want of teachers is felt to :,
hat degree that special schools have been S
for the education of teachers.
light of these institutions are now in
peration and more are needed. More c
IAN 500 pupils belonging to the peasant ',
late serf class are being prepared for Fl
le work Of instruction. Il
Thus has Russia been blessed By the y
It of wise and Just ruler. 4
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