The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-11
MINING N SIBERIA.
The American Consul General Con-
tFndIets Report.

The American Consul General Con-
trndIcts a Report.
United STATES Consul General Holloway
at ST. Petersburg. writes the State De-
partment as follows,
This consulate is in receipt Of a mum
Der Of letters by each American mail. from
all parts o. the United States. enclosing
newspaper articles which say that a Rus
sian engineer has recently made a report
20 his Government, stating that the same
gold belt which has proved so rich al Cape
Nome. Alaska. extends across the Behriug
Sea into Siberia. and that there are euOr-
m0usly rich quartz lUdes in gold mines all
over Russia which are easy to work at a
great profit. are owned by the Govern
meqt and viii be sold TO the highest bid
der II is also stated that the Emperor
has issued an Ikase permitting Americans
TO prospect for gold on the west coast OF
Siberia. and that preference is given TO
American Miners and capital to explore
the mineral wealth.
These letters eno'.ire as to the truth
of these statements fcr copies Of Russian
mining laws. and permits TO prospect for
gold in Russia. as numerous parties are
organizing to take Immediate advantage OF
this opportunity
Il called on y. a Denissod. the director
OF the mining department. yesterday. stat
cd the substance OF the articles, and ne re-
piled that. although the Government was
taking steps 10 ascertain the conditions on
the west coast OF Siberia. the Emperor lad
not issued an ukase on that subject. nor
was il probable that he would do So He
said than petitions might be made TO the
Emperor for permission TO prospect for
minerals in any part of Russia. which
should be accompanied by recommended
tious as to the character Of the apDlica-
cant. his experience as a mining engineer
capital 10 BE- employed. etc. and il would
be considered. but the best-informcd Feo-
pie here do not believe permits could be
obtained to prospect for gold on the west
coast Of Siberia until after the Russian
Government has fully investigated its con-
ditiOns. Were il ready to consider such
applications the probabilities are that it
would require from two to three years be-
fore the same would be finally decided
Russian officials place no value on time
and IL requires from two to twelve weeks
90 receive an answer 20 an official commu-
nicatiOn from the various departments. ac-
cording to the work involved in the reply.
The value of Russian gold mines has
beeL greatly exaggerated. Several expe-
rienced American mining engineers. who
are admitted to be the best in the world
have visited Siberia in the interests of
English as well as American capitalists
during the past three years and made ex-
tensive examinations Of the conditions. and
/ have not heard Of single company being
organized as a result of their reports
The mining is almost all placer there be-
ing but two small quartz mines in the Ural
Mountains. which are owned by French
capitalists and are said to be losing money.
There is very little foreign capital in
Siberia. No advantages are offered to or
determinations made in favor of Americans
engaging in any kind of business in Rus
STA