The San Francisco call., 1899-09-20
RUSSIA'S CLOSED PORTS.

the Baltic and Black TO any but Russian SHIPS
to take effect the Middle Europe canal ana
trans Siberian railway are completed, in 1901 lh's
fixes Russian commercial policy as far the open
door is concerned Nothing is said OF its appilca-
ton to the ports which Russia will control in China
but its application to those the Russianized coast
OF Manchura is probably the reason for its issue
Those ports will be gateways to Chinese COM
merce, and Russian occupation is ostensibly IN that
interest
Since Napoleon's Berlin decree no public act has
been OF such interest to the commercial world as TINS
decree by Nicholas. 1t brushes all Russian CONNER
cia treaties aside. and is act OF universal abroga-
ton OF every such convention entered into between
the empire and the nations.
To the United States it is of peculiar significance.
Our treaty with Russia, negotiated by James Bu-
chanan December e, 1882 provides that: There
shall be between the territories OF the high contract
ing parties a reciprocal liberty OF commerce and
navigation The inhabitants Of their respective states
SHALL mutually have liberty enter the ports places,
rivers and territory of each party wherever foreign
commerce is permitted Russian vessels arriving,
either laden or in ballast in all ports of the United
States and recprocally vessels of the United States
arriving either laden in ballast in the ports OF the
empire OF Russia shall be treated their entrance,
during their stay and at their departure upon the
same footing national vessels coming from the
place with respect to the duties OF tonnage All
kinds of articles OF commerce and merchandise which
may be lawfully imported into the ports OF the empire
OF Russia in Russian vessels may also be imported in
vessels of the United States, without paying other
or higher duties charges, OF whatever KIND or de-
nomination. levied in the or to the profit OF the
Government local authorities or private establish
ments whatsoever than if the said merchandise or
articles OF commerce had been imported in Russian
oil ind of111
and articles of commerce may enter the ports OF the
United States in Russian vessels upon the same
terms in each case whether the vessels clear from
ports of the country to which they belong, or from
the ports OF any other foreign country All articles
of commerce and merchandise which may lawfully
be exported from either country in its own vessels
may be exported thererom in the vessels OF either
country on equal terms
1t will be seen that the ukase is practically de-
cree OF abrogation OF every line OF this treaty. We
are not aware OF the of Russian treaties OF COM
merce and navigation with other nations than ours,
but OF course they exist and abrogated the
as ours.
No explanation is made public of the reasons OF
policy which have dictated this extraordinary action
A large commerce has sprung up between San
Francisco and Vladivostok and Russian Pacific ports.
Indeed. our total commerce with Russia has in
AOi
fiscal year ending June 3o was $8,3I7573. OF this
SCISSORS was with the Russian ports in Asia, and
$252 426 OF it went from San Francisco
Our Russian trade for seven months preceding
June 3o 1900, was $8,Io323o, of which $7o5oo6 was
with her Asiatc ports. This commerce is not segre-
gated into United States customs districts, that
San Francsco's share is included in the total The
foreign commerce of this port for the same seven
months was in exports, $40 628oo26, and in imports
S24,5Iooo6 a total of $4o7ooo32. 1t is fair to as
sumo therefore, that got Our share OF the increase
with Russian Asia,
In some OF its aspects the ukase seems to be
decree OF noncommercial intercourse with the world
II the other treaty nations retaate by closing their
ports to Russian ships it is difficult to, understand
how Russia could have any foreign commerce at all
and her position would be exactly like that Of China
and Japan before they were forciby opened to for
egn trade We have at hand the statistics which
reveal the volume OF Russian foreign trade In ia
vorabe seasons her export of wheat is large mainly
from Black Sea ports If the ports OF Europe are
closed to her ships, in retaliation her wheat export
must cease and what the United States loses in her
direct trade will be more than made good by the re-
moval of so formidable competitor in the bread
stuff market 1t may be the ukase is promulgat in
pique at the failure of the Cars peace conference
which the nations exhibited but little sympathy with
his disarmament proposition, and the effort was
fasco II this is so he has made practically, decla
ration of commercial war, and decree that Russia
shall stew in her own juice and go her own way in
disregard OF the OF the world Among the inter
national sensations of the year this takes first rank
from q commercial point of view.
To return to San Francisco's interest in it Our
direct trade with Russian Asia is largely in American
bottoms Since September, 1903 there have cleared
from this port for Vladivostok the American ships
Lucee, 1907 tons; Bonanza 1900 tons; Welna, 1868
tons and Columbia 1927 tons. For Ncolaefski the
American ships Volunteer, 542 tons Nokomis 462
tons and the Vine, For Petropaulofski the
Russian ship Behring, 377 tons, and for Chemainus
the Russian steamer Dolney Vostok 2265 tons. This
makes total of 66I7 American and 2642 Russian
tonnage cleared from San Francisco or o25o total
tonnage. The employment OF seven American
sells to those ports from this is not large but is
encouraging item in Our foreign trade, and should
move our shipping interests to make Government in