The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
A SU N Err J0URNE Y.
rRoM NEW FORK TO WARSAW.
ny way or ODESSA. Tini-. Observation-Disclosures
Moscow. aud Nuni-yovGorod.
v
Mini, tho New City.

long time, with tho SLOW railways OF ltussiH'
The distance Is ovcr q thousand miles. and nat
ural!y everybody breaks the journey by
stopping in Moscow. Moscow Is certainly
one OF tho most engaging towns In tho world;
and no intelligent foreigner can 20 there as often
as no would wish. or stay there as long. The
latest guido book puts down its population as
$4,000 In 1885, and, to judge by tho new build
iDGs erected since. It must now exceed a million.
But our first purpose was with Nijni.Novgorod,
because the annual scmt.oricnt0l fair was about
to bcTin there. Besides, n vast exhibition Of Rus
elan industry md art had been organized undor
tho patronage OF the Government and was al.
ready In full operation. Accordingly, without
any unnecessary delay, we found ourselves Mt
Mini. quartcrcd in ono of tho extensive hotels
upon the high land which, for living purposes,
forms the official and more desirable. as well as
tho moro picturesque. part of tho city.
In Its physical outlines N!jni-Novgorod is not
dissimilar to Kicf. There Is a long and broad
elevation on tho right bank OF the two rivers.
curving toward tho south. Att the foot of this elc-
walton and following its curvature Is the great
river, the united Okla and Volga at Mini, and the
Dn!cpcr at Kicf. Beyond the river on its left
bank extends an immense plain, the deeper and
o"S Poib Va AZ '" ''>e' NS
geologists assure us, once spread over the
creator portion OF Russia: and on this plain
immense forests stretch away and finally lose
themselves on tho northern and eastern hori-
zon. Tho Volga, however, is q much larger
stream than the Dnieper. and In Its volume
and its swiftness 1t reminds tho spectator
OF tho Mississippi or the Missouri, eX
cept that its waters are clearer. Indeed.
when we were at Mini there seemed to be no
mud ut all mixed with them. On both of these
rivers steamboats, are numerous, but the navi-
cation of the Volga is much the more important
Of the two. AT Mini you will find boats nearly
equal to tho largest on Long Island Sound, or
TO those giants that thirty years ago abounded
on the Mississippi; and. II you wish to go to As
trakhan and to take passage down the Caspian,
one Of these boats Is to be preferred to the rail
way. They are spacious, clean, comfortable.
and tho passenger is well fed and transported
much more speedily than when he undertakes
to ascend the stream by the same conveyance.
The famous annual fair was only commencing
when we got there; and although we spent a
great deal Of time wandering about in the pas
ssges and corridors of its buildings, 1t certainly
did not come up to the descriptions which we
had been in the habit of reading. However, in
the few days we remained 1t improved %continu-
ally by arrivals from Central Asia and Persia.
$500 Wv 'NAt Nv" oAN ~ tA"b ~ 'oNAN
still prove worthy of its ancient rcnown. But
the exposition of Russian industries, on the
other hand. far surpassed any idea we had
formed about 1t. A vast array of adequate and
suitable buildings had been erected for 1t. all on
low lands on the left bank of tho river, and it
seemed to have attained. as II by magic, an
astonishing magnitude and variety of develop
ment. The exhibition Of silks. for instance.
was amazing. and By silks I mean dress
goods for ladies. brocades for house
furnishing. in fact, every kind of silken fabric
that modern luxury requires and modern art
produces. If the looms and the SIX i'll of France
were oxerted to the utmost, I am sure they could
not furnish a richer or more varied show than
was displayed here at Mini. 1t was really sur.
prising. not merely for the multiplicity and
fertility of tho artistic genius 1t displayed. but
also for the quantities of goods exhibited, and
tho same establishment was produced by the eS-
animation Of many other parts OF the show.
Woollen cloths OF every description and Of
the most elegant finish were there in album.
dance and variety, and all from Russian
looms: so also were ordinary carpetings
Articles Of metal, arms, cutlery, samovars,
the whole round OF goods manufactured
from platinum, iron. steel. and brass at
Tula. were hore in full force. So were laces.
ribbons, shoes, millinery. jewelry. enamelled
o~N' ''f' go 'Ntt 80 NOW u boNo w tho
decoration OF modern society seems to be pro-
duced in Russia in just rs many styles and just
as admirable as in any of the older and
moro practised countries; and when you turn to
the ruder arts. such as the making Of cordage or
tho tanning of leather. or the weaving of
sail cloth. 1t was all the same. Perhaps
Russia cannot produce all these things quite
as cheaply as Franco or Germany or Eng
land; but she produces them of just rs high
quality, with taste as refined and subtle, and in
quantities sufficient to supply all her own needs,
II not the needs OF all her neighbors. In respect
OF what may BIO called art manufactures especial
ly. 1t was an amazing. almost a bewildering ex-
hibition. and we felt that Germany. France. Aus.
tria, Italy. and England will presently have to
face a new and formidable competitor In the
worlds manufacturing contest. .
Two or three special buildings were devoted to
the productions of Siberia. A great deal Of
space was given to an exhibition of the minerals
peculiar to that country. and the collection was
marked as belonging to the Gar. OF articles
made by the natives, such as weapons, fishing
apparatus, snowshoes, houses, rude household
furniture and so forth, there was an ample and
most interesting display.
One of the most important departments was
occupied by an immense nssemblagc OF oil paint
ings by Russian artists. i do not remember
precisely how many canvases there were, but I
should say not less than five hundred. Very
few of them were by our old acquaintance, the
Vercstschagins. the Makaroffs, and tho other
artists who have gained places for themselves in
the galleries OF the world. Not having made any
notes on the spot. ! cannot now remember the
names OF the individual painters, or attempt to
describe their pictures; but many of them were
such rs would be admitted In any interna-
tonal exhibition. The simple truth is that
the Russian school of painting is Just as well
established, and just as original and individual,
as the German or the French; and It must be
considered henceforth In any survey of the prog
ress and achievements of the art.
The department of machinery did not seem TO
be as complete or rs various as / should have
expected to find It in any other Of tho great
countries. But it was most interesting; and,
regarded MS an industrial product only par
TALLY developed, It seemed most encouraging,
though | am not an export, and cannot under.
take to pronounce a decided Judgment. An.
other building, whose contents / studied with