Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-12
81. PkTsRS8U2a.
A Hevsisfisu In Commerce Expected frssn
sae Csmpistses % she New PORT.
...AA nx Lane

fArmy and Navy Journai.f
Thr idea Of Peter the Great 70 make a
port at his new capital has been at last real-
lied. II will be remembered that In order
to enabls the merchant vessels 10 reach ST.
Petersburg the great ruler tried 10 rnt a
esnai at the mouth OF the Heya.
Nearly two centuries have pissed
since then. ard the Cars capital has
bad no Fort until now. All the mer-
,hant steamers, ships. and banks stopped
at Kronstadt. thirty miles from the capital.
kroustadt being q naval port. could not
well stsord accommodation tor over a thou
sand meSchant-vessels per annum; and b.
sides the transportation of goods from
kronsiaGt TO st. Petersburg. the doablc
unloading and other difficulties, ertsiled
expenses amounting To from seven to ten
million rlubies per anuun. Being con-
neoted with the Volgs by three systems Of
canal. 1t. Petersburg was the natural cn-
trepoi for the Russian foreign trade and
badly needed poIt.
In 1872 Mr.. PutiIod, wealthy owner OF
iron-works. selected site for the port aud
connected Il by railroad with the princi-
pal railroad depot Of II. Petersburg, but
ship-caDal was Il necessity. for at the month
OF the Ncya the water was only about
eight feet deep. In 1877 the Russitn
Government commenceu the canal which
has on y been recently finished. Il passes
through the four islands, whose shape Is
greatly changed. These are the Canuoucr's
Island. the Volny. the Kerosene. and the
Guiuevsky. The swamDs along the canal
| were filled, and the place is rrep,red for
the warehouses. The bed OF the canal is
designated by red and blue bucys.
The ceremony Of the opening 9i The ma
rne canal j. postponed till the next spring,
when the CZarina, in the presrnce OF the
{ Ear and the highest authorities. will cut
II e ribbon stretched across the canal. On
thai occasion the Czarina will he presented
golden porte bouquet In the shape OF a
drcdgcr OF the dredging-machine. and the
dieutaries OF The state will be given the
golden jctoDs IN the shape 81 star with
steamer in its centre. BIT the actual
opening in fact In. already taken
place IN advance Of the official core
mony. On october I'd four men-of-wM
passed through the canal from KrOnsta1t
to the very mouth Of the Neya. These
steamers were the imperial yacht Deriaya,
Commander LaZarctl: the cruiser Africa,
Commander DubasoG; the steam frigate
Olaf, Commander taysroh. and the impe-
rial yacht Czaritza, Commander Xarin.
They stopped at the new wharf. having
made their trip in an hour. When the
acting Minister Of tie Navy, Alm-
raj 1chlIalcheh; the Minister Oi the
Ways OF Communication, General PuS.iet,
with the other officers Of different de-
rartmeuis. came to the port, It was decided
to run three Of the steamers up the Neyl %
the very Bridge oi Nicholas. The Africa
went first, amid loud cheers. but she took
the wrong course and grounded after going
about 800 feet. Next the Olaf was ordered
TO 20 ahead. and it safely ran by the Africa
aud came frs, to the bridge. reaching IL
exactly at noon. The CzRitza camc
second. and the Africa last at O'Clock.
Meanwhile the whole OF the capital was
astir. The people hurried to the bridge to
see the unusual sight. and many OF the -.
Petersburgcrs. for the first time In their
life, saw man.oi war. The NOUOe yrem0
said on this occasion "To-day great
event took place in our capital. For the
first time since the foundation OF the cIty,
there appeared IN our beautiful river. al.
most in the centre OF the capital. the huge
marine steamers. The shade OF Peter the
Great should triumph to-day. Hence all
the marine and naval vessels NAV be guests
OF our capital"
The public were allowed to visit the
mcn-of-war, and thousands OF the st.
PetcrsburgeIs ayailed themselves OF the
opportunity. The Africa is 80 feet long
and it, draft is II feet. This steamer was
bought in the United States in 1877. and
was known here ~ the Saratoga. TIE Olaf
II 1870 feet long, and It's draft il II feet
The officers OF this steamer show with
pride slip OF paper. on which the present
Czarita then the Czarevna, wrote after 4
pleasant tip: "GO0d-bye, dear Olaf. July
II. 1871. MARIA"
The port Of st. Petersburg will revolu-
tionize both the home and foreign trade OF
Russia. The ship canal connecting il with
the sea is seventeen and two thirds miles
long: it, width varies from 2l9 feet at the
81. Petersburg end to $50 at The Kronstadt
entrance. The depth is the same through
out IFS lcneth-viz., twenty-five feet.
The amount OF earth removed on
the bed Of the canal was i0,g70,000 cubic
feet, and the canal cost l3,0O0,O0
rOubles, not counting 100000 roubles
spent on the port proper. Mr.. Salof wal
the chief engineer. assisted by the engineers
NessIs. Fufacysky and Jirukhin. The con-
tractors were Nessrs. Boreisha aud Maxi.
movitch, aud Mr.. EdelDeim, the chief ST.
porintepdpnf