New-York tribune., 1906-07-27
THE RUSSIAN STEAMSHIP LINE.

The arrival of the Russian steamship SmO-
lensk at this port, although effected without
any great blowing of trumpets or other demon
stratiOn, is an incident of decided interest which
may perhaps, without exaggeraton be said to
mark the beginning of Il new era in at least
the commercial relations between Russia and
America. 1t is. at any rate the beginning of
direct steamship communication between the
two countries Hitherto practically all Russo
American commerce and travel have been con
Quoted by way of German, Scandinavian or
British-chiefy German-pOrts, and that cir
cumstance has obviously not been to the advan-
tage of either Russian or American trade. The
idea of a direct line of steamships was brought
forward long ago. but has never been put into
effect until now. Americans shTank from the
scheme, of course, as from most shipping enter
prises On the high seas. Russians, however
were more enteFprisng. Besides-and this is
perhaps, more to the purpOse-they were able
to get a degree of government encoura cement
which Americans could not have got
The first plan was to transfer some of the
vessels of the Volunteer Fleet from VIadl-
vOstOk, where they were making no money. to
the route between Odessa and New York Later
it was decided to make LibaU the Russian port.
because it is 1,645 miles nearer to New York
| than Odessa is, and, although the Baltic har-
bOrs are frozen in winter, it has been found
quite practicable to keep that of Libau open
by means of ice breaking vessels Libau is
the westernmOst port Of Russia and is directly
connected with the whole railroad system of
the empire. being not far from Koshedari. on
the trunk line from st. Petersburg to Western
Europe. 1t can therefore easily he deveIoped
into a great collecting and distributing port for
both goods and passengers. and il has the ad-
vantage of being near those very regions of
Russia in which the greatest industries are
seated and from which The greatest numbers of
emigrants set out for America
The essential condition of profitable shipping
is that vessels shall have full cargoes in both
directions On their westward trips these ships
will bring many passengers, the multitudes of
Russian emigrants who now go by way of Ham
burg and Bremen; for the passage rates from
Libau will be as low as from Hamburg thus
| saving the cost Of railroad travel across Ger
| many. They will also bring leather fax and
| flaxseed, rubber refuse and other goods which
America imports from Russia. From America
the ships will carry eastward cotton of which
$5O00O00 worth now goes by way of German
ports each year, and agricultural and other ma
chinery, Of which Russia buys large quantities
The present volume of commerce and travel
/ between the two countries if it could all be
won away from the German and other ports,
would be in itself sufficient to make this line
profitable But there can be no doubt that in
this as in other cases increased facilities will
cause increase of traffic, and that there will
be a great growth of intercourse between the
two countries.
The Smolensk will be followed by the st.
Petersburg, and the st. Petersburg by the Sara
toff, and two other vessels. the Grodno and the
KovnO, will soon be added to the service, the
last two belonging to the East Asiatic Steam
shin Company, while the SmOlensk and the st.
Petersburg are really auxiliary cruisers OF the
Volunteer Fleet of the imperial navy. II may be
a cause of some chagrin, not to say humiliation,
70 Americans 20 see Russia thus take the initia-
tive In this important enterprise But at least,
Americans will not fail 20 offer generous con-
gratulatlons to Russia upon her ability to do II
in spite of the late disastrous war and the ex-
listing domestic troubles which vex that country