AN AWAKENED RUSSIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13488, 19 May 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN AWAKENED RUSSIA.

A nation owning one-seventh of tht earth s land surface, suddenly cut on from its usual .sources of supply by a great war., finds itself confronted with the problem ot new markets. it has tound them, and its purchases are gigantic: but it is anxious 10 prevent the recurrence of such a condition ano is accordingly beginning to prepare tor the development of its own natural reSO rl' lhe resu,t is > as reported by u.L.j. in "Machinery" (.New lork'i that Russia has awakened from her loner industrial lethargy. In the future slit is likely to be a great commercial a.* well as agricultural nation. Her immense mineral deposits will be mined, great industrial plantsV will be builtj railways will be multiplied. Fuel is relatively scarce, so that water-power will have to be developed and used. Sav6 the writer:

"In natural resources Russia is perhaps one of the richest countries in the world. The Ural Mountains are saia to contain about every known metal; while the Altai and Caucasian mountains, as well as other parts of the Empire, are veritable storehouses ot minerals. Though the metallurgical industry has been carried on with .such indifference that at the beginning of the present century many blast-furnaces and lactones were torn down to avoid payment, of the zemstvo taxes so "reat w the mineral wealth of the country that in 1911 Russia ranked first in the production of platinum; second in the production of petrol, asbestos, and manganese ores; fifth in the production ol gold; seventh in the production of copper and asphalt; and eighth in the production of iron. It produced nearly ail ot the world's supply of platinum' and approximately one-fifth of the supply of petroleum. The iron ores from South Russia are said to be the finest in Europe, some of the ore analysing 70 per cent iron. The gold ores found in the Irals also supply much of the wolframite, osmium, tantalum, and iridium used in the manufacture of electric lamps.

"Several reasoas have been given f or the poor development of the nation's resources. Among the 'first are the sparsely settled condition of the country and the poor transportation svstems. Owing to the marshy character o a large part of eastern "Russia and the lack of road-building materials good roads are almost unknown; hi tact, much of the marketing is done when the ground is frozen and sleds can be used. Yet so extensive a water ways system was developed early in the last century that by means of canalised rivers and the 1,225 miles of artificial canals, the Baltic and Black" Seas and the Caspian, Baltic, and White' Seas were connected. The Ob-Yenisei Haterway system, in Siberia, i s nearlv 3650 miles long In proportion to its" population and area they were built slowlv and were located so as to augment the transportation systems in existence and not as competing lines, with the result that they were not placed in manv cases where they aided in the develop meat of the country. About two-thirds oi the lines, and those of the most important ones, are owned bv the Government.

Because most of the people follow agricultural pursuits, and also because of the inadequate systems of transportation, the buying an d selling have been done at long intervals. This has caused the holding ot fairs at which the people gathered in immense numbers It hn>, been estimated thai 16.000 ot these lairs are held annually, and that their sales exceed £100,000,000. Of ccur«cmany of theso are small and oulv o* local interest, but some are of national importance and are known throughout the world. '

The greatest factor in this tardy growth, the writer goes on to tell us is now said to be German influence! which has dominated the Russian Government since Peter the Great. The Germans have secured the greater part oi Russian trade largely through their willingness to adapt their methods to Kussian conditions. In 1913 not onlv did Germany sell nearly £3,000,0(X> worth ot machinery to Russia against the Inited States' £40,000, but the disproportion runs through all her trade, and German firms even sold to Russia two and oue-half times as much American machinery and tool* as was imported from us direct. We read further:

The true reason for the slow growth ot Russia seems to have been a lack oi fuel and capital. While the eountrv nas many large deposits, some of it is of an interior quality and much that i<. of good quality has been inaccessible. Railroads are being built to those deposits so that it is thought the fuel sup. ' ply will be sufficient for a long time to come. Plans are being made for the conservation of this supply bv making as wide a use as possible* of the water* power, of which there is an abundant supply.

"The Russian markets are increasing in size and importance and are demandding better articles than two vears ago. During the war several ports have Veen developed and new ones have b?en built, necessitating the construction ot new railroads, some through territory that heretofore has been inaccessible. Existing roads have also been extended and in some eases rebuilt, and with the increase in the manufacturing plants of all kinds the people have more ready money than ever before. Wages have been increased in some ca.ses nearly 103 per cent., and in consequence the people are adopting a higher plane of living, factories of ma»y kinds are being planned and built, some under the direct supervision of American, English, Swedish, and other engineers. The choice of these men, who will largely determine the equipment that will be adopted, is often dependent on the source of the capital furnished for the factory.

"One mistake that is being made in the published descriptions of the Russian conditions is to speak of the changes thajt are taking* olace as ' rapid.' Nothing with which the peoole of (Russia have to do is raDid—quite the reverse. The introduction of modern methods of manufacture, the use of la-bor-saving machinery, the adootion of comforts such as we have in America, and a voice in their own Government will all he matters of education, and they will be slow; but thev are all coming." •