Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-15
WANT FREE PORT FOR SHIPS.
People of Far East Petition Finance
Minister Witte.

Minister w lILG.
st Petersburg, Monday, Nov 3.-De-
tails of Finance Minister Whites jour-
ney to the far east are beginning to
arrive here by post. A letter dated
October II describes his stay at Vladi-
vostock. The principal matter laid be-
fore him there were petitions for a
free port for ships at Vladiyostock, for
exemption of all Chinese goods from
customs duties, for commercial and
naval schools at Vladivostock, for free
dom of commerce in transit from GUS
toms inspection at VladiyostOck, and
for various minor reforms in the GUS
toms inspection in the interest of pas
senger traffic. 1t is generally realized
here that the abolition of the free port
at Vladivostock has dealt a most se-
we're blow at that city's prosperity. Nor
are voices wanting in criticism of the
pet scheme of the minister Of finance,
the modern and costly new city of
Dalny. The Dalny Vostok of Port Ar
thur not only throws doubt upon the
necessity for fountains and parks in a
city which so far has no inhabitants,
but pronounce the choice of the site
for the new city most unfortunate.
Da1ny has no natural harbor, lying on
the open sea where the water is shall
low. The artificial harbor had to be
connected with the sea by a canal, two
miles long, which it is dangerous to
approach in even moderately windy
weather on account Of rocks and sand
on both sides. Up to February &c.
100000 had been spent at Dalny of
which only one-half was for the har-
\ hof. Work on the harbOr had to be
| stopped half way because the appropri-
alton had been exceeded, large sums
having been expended for the beautifi-
cation of the site The splendid look
| ing brick and stone houses. however,
are declared to be exceedingly incon-
yenient and cold. the architects having,
as usual with Russian architects, SUBJ
ordinated the interior arrangements
for comfort and convenience wholly to
sUnnosed exterior beauty.
The Dalny Vostok declares that
Inkou on the river I4iao should have
been selected as the principal shipping
| nort of Manchuria. the Chinese transit
trade having taken this route for ages.
! Ice-breakers can easily keep this har-
Dor ice free. Dalny is no longer an ica-
| free port since the mo1es of the arti-
fetal harbor cause an accumulation Of
ice foes that formerly were swept
away by the wind. It is feared official
/ favor will never be able to make Dalny
a genuine competitor Of Inkou, which
is over. 80 miles nearer the Man
cbHrian market.
The report of the minister of the in
terror on the famine relief of 1901 is
considered an important document. M.
VonPlehwe admits that the central
government did not distinguish itself
in this work. which it withdrew from
the hands of the Zemstvos in 1900,
many local officials taking action only
after the need was very great The
minister recommends a partial return
TO the old system. declaring that no
form of relief is comDarab1e to public
works and that only the Zemstvos can
undertake such works
NJ Won Plehwe admits that "the
| famine. of 1901 not only had extremely
unfayorable results for the afflicted dis
triets hut testified to the general de-
terioration of the condition of the
peasants