Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-13
IMPORTANCE OF RIGA
Third Seaport Of the Empire Also Store
house for Wheat.


Not even the greatest optimist can
fail to realize the seriousness Of the blow
to Russian arms in the fall Of the Baltic
seaport of Riga" says bulletin issued
by the National Geographic society from
it's Washington headquarters. with an
import and export trade totaling $780,
10000 two years before the outbreak OF
the world war. Riga became the third
seaport of the Russian empire. and the
second seaport of the Baltic, being sur
passed in volume Of business by Petro-
grad.
1.-THE city Is divided into several Sec
tions. The old town has narrow. wind
ing streets. while the Petrograd and Mos
COW suburbs are well-built. modern sec
tons. All three Of these divisions Of the
city are situated on the right or east bank
of the River Dvina, while the Mitau
suburb is on the left bank. Tho two
banks are connected by long floating
bridge which is removed during the four
months in the year when the river Is
frozen over.
Riga Is situated 10 miles above tho
mouth Of the Dvina, and is 1863 miles by
rail southwest Of Petrograd. Vessels OF
light draft reach the city proper by means
Of canal, but the chief harbor Is on
the shores of the Baltic.
is due in very large measure to the fact
| that by means Of the Dvina and numer-
GUS canals it is connected by water with
| the basins Of the Volga. which flows into
| the Caspian, and the Dnieper. which en-
ters the Black sea. Thus. practically the
whole of southern. central and western
| European Russia can find an outlet into
the Baltic through this port. In addition
to the cheap water transportation.
railroad runs across Russia from Riga
to Smolensk and Tsaritsyn, almost BIZ
secting the empire.
Riga is a great store house for Rus
sian wheat, oats and hemp. three items
which constitute a large portion of the
city's exports. 1t is also the chief port
for the vast timber products OF the
provice of Volhynia. Flaxseed, eggs,
hides. and skins are shipped from here in
great quantities. The chief articles OF
import are machinery. cotton goods. coal
! and groceries.
THE shipping industry did not consti-
tute Riga's sole activity before the war
however. Its manufactured products in
cluded machinery. leather. railway cars.
candles. tiles. and glass. amounting IN
value to $50, 100000 annually.
1.-THE growth of Riga during the last
I IS years has been phenomenal In 1881
| its population was 10000: to-day, 1t has
more than half million. OF this num-
Der Al per cent. are Germans, % per cent.
are Let's. and only % per cent. are Rus
slams. 1t is not hard to imagine. there
fore. how difficult has been the problem
| Of the citizens loyal to the new republic
during the last few months. 1t is also
worthy Of note that the Germans OF Riga
are on the whole of the most prosperous
merchant class together with consid-
cradle number of the Prussian aristoc-
racy. The Let's are an Indo- European
people. about 1900 900 in number, dwelling
In the western provinces OF Russia and
northeastern Poland and Prussia. Little
is known of their origin nor Is it known
: when they migrated to their present
home.
AT the time of it's fall Riga was the
capital Of the province of Livonia and the
seat Of the governor general OF the latter
provinces.