Page:The Russian Review Volume 1.djvu/334

300 Car Foundry of Riga, and I. P. Ponsyrev's Foundry. This second foundry was in existence for three years, but during this whole period succeeded in building only a few automobiles, and in 1913 began to produce automobile parts exclusively. The Russian Baltic Foundry began to build automobiles in 1909 and gradually acquired a fairly good equipment for this kind of work. Its annual capacity was about 200 cars. This production was largely limited to two models, one with a four cylinder engine of 24 horse power, the dimensions of the cylinder being 105 x 130, while the other model had a 12 horse-power engine with dimensions of the cylinder 80 x 110. Both of these models were quite popular in Russia. These cars were used in many successful races, the most famous of which was the race from Petrograd to Monaco, made in 1912 by two of the best Russian sportsmen, A. P. Nagel and V. A. Michailov.

Attempts also were made to construct automobiles in a factory producing harvesting machinery in Rostov-on-Don, owned by the Aksay Corporation, but these attempts were not successful.

There seems to be no doubt that there will be great progress in this industry after the War, for now Russia realizes her present need of motor cars. Many enterprising manufacturers are coming now to America with the object of studying the automobile industry here, while many others are attempting to interest American capitalists in investing in automobile factories in Russia, but no matter how successful are these attempts to build up the automobile industry within the country, there is no doubt that this development will not be rapid enough to supply the needs of the Russian market, and for a considerable time to come Russia will still be in need of importing a large number of the cars that she requires.