The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-17
SIBERIAN TIMBER SUPPLY
Companies Secure Cutting Rights
IN Forest Areas.
Worlds building Material viii Re-
ceive Substantial Additions
from Eastern Forests.

A Report on the Lumber Industry ir
the Russian Far East" by a British con
sular officer. has been issued as a parlia.
mentary White Paper which the London
Times summarizes
The account OF the forests OF the ANU
region and The prospects OF their CONNER.
cal development Il Of substantial inter.
est as the world IS row beginning to real
lie the threatened inadequacy OF its tim
Der supply. and 20 take careful stock OF
the chief productive areas remaining.
Comparatively little attention has s.
far been paid 10 the utilization Of tbs
forests in the Russian far East. though
concessions have been sporadicaIly
worked. and an Australian and a British
company have lately been included anone
those which have acquired concession,
from the Russian government Accord
Ing 70 the estimate Of the forest depart.
ment the Amur and maritime provinces
contain 5190oo. coo acres Of forest land. II
e by no means so dersely timbered. how
ever, as the forests Of North America
Both hard and soft woods are found in
considerable variety; the latter include
white cedar pine, larch- fir. and spruce
and the former walnut. ash. and oak.
The right 20 cut timber on q large scale
may be obtained either by way Of con
cession for a term OF years or by con-
tract Recent concessions have beer
granted for four years only (this being
the maximum that the governOr-zeneral
can accord. with an extra year for taking
away the timber felied. Though this
period can be extended on application
yet Il is generally recognized that II is
too short. and efforts. which appear T{keIy
20 prove successful. are now being made
20 have the regulations on the subject
altered and a longer term allowed.
Areas which the government desires &c
sell are from time TO time put I'D at auc-
ton either al VladivOstOk or at Khabs-
rovsk. the terms. and conditions being
published beforehand They are adiudged
70 the highest bidder. who is required 10
pay down an equivalent OF the royalty
for one year on the number OF trees put
up 10 auction. a certain portion OF the for
est being allotted for each year Of the
currency Of the agreement. Moreover. IN
the case Of telling rights obtained by auc-
ton as well as those obtained in the form
OF a concession, some money deposit will
generally be insisted upon Telling tick
cts may also be obtained from the local
forest officials. giving the right to cut
small quantities Of timber on payment
Of the government royalty.
At present the Russian authorities in
sert q clause in all contracts stipulating
that Russian labor alone be employed.
As they are actively encouraging immI-
grafton, however. the resultant hindrance
70 industry may be expected to diminish.
The report includes full schedules Of the
royalty levied on timber of different
classes and in the different areas. 1t
also describes the existing facilities for
transport and shipping. which are still
in a predOminantly undeveloped state.
Other. miscellaneous information includes
the terms Of the forest regulations and
the scale Of export duty. There is also
an outline map.