Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/313

 1899*.] Russia. — Trade with England. [305

Even as regards the supply of oats, in which Russia not so very long ago held the first and almost exclusive position, the United States now receives from England on this account nearly 18,000,000 roubles (1,914,893*.), while Russia receives only 13,600,000 roubles (1,446,808*.).

Again, in the English meat market Russia plays a very modest part. She sends only several hundred roubles' worth of meat, while the following other countries furnish it to the following extent : —

Roubles. £

United States 50,324,000 = 5,868,617

Denmark 25,798,000 = 2,744,468

Canada, nearly 5,000,000 = 531,914

The same is the case with supplies of salt pork, hams and beef, which are brought almost entirely from the United States and Canada ; also fresh pork, in which we fall behind Holland and Belgium ; and fresh mutton, imported for 45,382,000 roubles, of which 45,192,000 roubles' worth (4,808,723Z.) is from Holland, Australia, and Argentine.

And yet, said M. de Witte, England, as already explained, is the only market in which Eussia can find relief for her present agricultural depression. England is not less important as a market for placing Bussian funds. This was the case before the Afghan frontier troubles, which compelled Bussia to transfer her funds to Berlin, and subsequently, under pressure of political complications, to France. But in this matter it is not possible to entertain any great hope for the future. France having invested her money in Bussian bonds, finds it superfluous to go any farther. On the contrary, while striving to export her goods to Bussia she closely shuts the doors of the French markets by means of prohibitive duties against the products of Bussian agriculture, whereas serious commercial and industrial relations can only be established on the basis of reciprocity.

These considerations had induced the Minister of Finance to give special attention to the conditions of the English market, which is at the same time a much larger one than that of France. With this end in view, certain measures had been taken to establish commercial relations ; but the Minister ob- served that the possibility of strengthening such relations depends in England almost entirely upon public opinion, " which is guided much more by political than by economical reasons ; so that when Englishmen feel a sympathy with any particular country they are quite willing to purchase the pro- ducts of that country, and to place their money in its funds. As soon, however, as their political views change, they sell out the stock, and put every possible obstacle in the way of imports, even though in so doing they may be obliged to pay dearer for goods from other countries. The influence of publie opinion in England is so strong that even the Government cannot cope with it According to the statements of her own

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