The evening times., 1900-03-20
RUSSIA'S TRADE Ships
The Merchant Marine of a Great
European Power
X e uIations That Have Been Adopt
ed by the Government to Promote
It-Laws Relating TO the Service.
Wages Paid to Workmen-Part
Played by Chambers of Commerce.

W. r. Holloway, Consul General to st.
Petersburg, has written to the State De-
partment in regard to the merchant ma
rine OF the Russia, as follows:
The merchant marine of Russia on
January /, 1898, consisted OF e04 steam
and 2.294 sailing vessels. OF the total
tonnage of the merchant marine, in the
respective seas, the tonnage of the sailing
vessels on the White Sea is SIS per cent;
on the Baltic, sos per cent; on the Cas-
plan, 66.4 per cent, and on the Black
and Azof Seas, only 27.7 per cent. The
tonnage Of the sailing vessels on the ex-
teriors seas forms 4s.3 per cent of the to-
tai tonnage of all the vessels and includ-
ing the Caspian Sea. 56.S per cent In the
tonnage of the merchant marine the Cas-
plan Sea occupies the first place, the sail
ing feet exceeding in tonnage that of all
the exterior seas; the steam tonnage on
the Caspian Sea comes next TO the Black
and Azof seas, and is largely in excess of
that of the White and Baltic seas
The total value of steamers on January
1, 1888 amounted TO $il ,612, 600, against
s39 191, 900 in the preceding year. In point
Of value the feet ranks in the following
order: Black and Azof. Caspian Baltic,
and White. During the year 1897 ~ new
steamers were added to the merchant ma
rine Of Russia. of which 2S were built
abroad and II in Russia.
The machinery for one of the steamers
built for the Baltic Sea and one for the
Caspian Sea was imported. The steamers
of the Russian merchant marine are prin-
cipally screw steamers with one engine.
but few are of larger dimensions. with
two engines chiefly on the Caspian and
Black During 1897, y sailing vessels
were withdrawn from service. some being
too old for service, while others were sold
abroad. SiXty-one per cent OF the entire
feet has a tonnage less than 100 tons 16
per cent has from 100 TO 200 tons, and only
13l vessels have tonnage exceeding 500
TONS chiefly on the Caspian Sea.
The value of the sailing feet increased
in 1897 through the addition Of new ves-
sells. 1891, ,79S. During the same year ves-
sells were destroyed and sold to the amount
of s192, $50. The feet OF the Caspian Sea,
which has several large vessels for trans
porting naphtha, is the most valuable; then
follows that of the Baltic, Black, and Azof
in their order. Most of the sailing vessels
of the Russian merchant marine are built
in Russia.
The following regulations have been
adopted by the Russian Government to pro-
mote its merchant marine: The law of May
% 1897, requiring vessels carrying the
Russian flag TO have the privilege of sail
ing between Russian ports lying in the
different seas; the law of April q. 1898,
imposing a duty on vessels built abroad;
the law of June . 1899. extending the
privilege of receiving the duty paid by
Russian vessels in passing the Suez Canal,
and the purchase of foreign vessels with
payment in instalments.
From two to four battleships are con-
stantly in course of construction at the
Russian shipyards: this has no effect what
ever upon the cost of building vessels for
the merchant marine.
''The merchant marine is controlled by
two departments, belonging TO the Min
istry of Finances. namely, council of the
affairs of the merchant marine and the
department of commercial navigation.
whose officers study merchant marine
service of the leading nations and advise
with associations and persons interested in
the Russian merchant-marine service.
The chambers of commerce and like as.
sociations are represented in the council
of the affairs of the merchant marine by
delegates selected for that purpose.
THE shipbuilding industry in Russia,
with the exception of the Government
works for battleshipS, is of little conse-
quence; river steamers, tugs, ETC., are
built In small shpyards with Russian ma
terial and workmen. The material could
be purchased abroad at less price, but the
labor is cheaper in Russia; common work
men receive from 81 to 64 cents per day
and skilled workmen from II cents to ST.