The fair trade consists chiefly in the exchange of
manufactured articles, and the handiwork of the settlers
for the beasts and animal products of the nom,ads. In
1881 the nomads brought animals and their products
to the value of ¿153,392 (¿32,088 less than in 1880),
for which they took away goods to the value of
¿87,898 (¿8,148 more than in 1880), the remaining
¿65,494 being received from the settled population in
money. An increase of purchases by the nomads, as
compared with the previous year, was observed in
grocery and colonial goods, metallic wares, corn, and
Central Asian textures and fruits, and a decrease in
dressed hides and peasant productions. O f local products,
there was an increased demand for oil and
tallow, felt, camlet, sheep’s wool, horse-hair, and corn-
chaff, but a decrease in undressed hides. The herds
sold were considerably smaller (except camels) than in
1880, the decrease being due to the fact that the
Pavlodar dealers bought a large number of flocks,
chiefly sheep, direct from the nomads, so that the
price of sheep was considerably raised at the fairs, and
fetched on an average 6s. 5d. each, as against 5$. in
1880. For horned cattle the average selling price was
36*. 6d., and for horses 48*. 9d. each, being is. and
3s. 2d. respectively less than in 1880. It should be
borne in mind, however, that the trade at fairs embraces
only a small portion of the commerce with the
Kirghese, but it deserves attention because it furnishes
the population with the means of effecting trade
exchanges independently of the powerful “ middle
man.”
With regard to export trade, the year 1881 not only
saw the apprehension of war removed between Russia
and China, but also the conclusion of a treaty advantageous
to Russian commerce. Notwithstanding this,
the returns of the Semipolatinsk merchants did not
show much increase, in all probability because tranquillity
was not completely restored in those parts of
the Chinese Empire bordering on Russian territory,
where, moreover, the Manchu officials showed themselves
by no means favourably disposed to the increase
of Russian sales.*
The population of the province of Semipolatinsk in
1881 consisted of 290,312 males and 248,073 females,
<s The majority of Semipolatinsk merchants trading with Chuguchak
take out their passports in Semirechia, so that their returns do not
appear in the statistics of their proper province. Apart from these,
however, 32 passports were granted (41 in 1880), and a like number
of caravans set out— 3 for Chuguchak, 3 for Guchen, 3 for Kobdo,
1 for Shikho, 1 for Urkashar, and 21 for the valley of the Black
Irtish. The value of the goods exported was ¿25,519, which,
notwithstanding the unsettled state of afEairs and fewer caravans, was
¿434 more than the exports of 1880. The goods crossing the Chinese
frontiers and their values respectively were :—
E x p o r t s ,
Im p o r t s . £
B Manufactures . ■ . . 20,549 Tea . . , . . ■ 264
Groceries. 104 9,600 yards of felt 59°
Tea and Sugar 479 16 cwt. of hair . . 86
Trunks and small wares 798 14 cwt. of goa t’ s hair.
5 tons of sheep’ s wool
36
Dressed hides . 2,426 65
Ir6n and copper goods • * 456 465 pieces of hair rope 27
Central Asian products 505 205 Bags . 4
Stags’ horns ; 200 25 Raw hides 5
2,050 Sheepskins
25,398 Skins
23,934 Beasts
101
• 7H
. 9,949
¿ 25.517
00 |
1
On the other hand, the value of the imports was less than the exports by
¿13,673. This sum, together with £ 10,208 profit (reckoning at 40 per
cent.), or a total of 7(23,881, should have been received in silver currency,
but the merchants showed only a total receipt in silver of 7(3,226.
According, however, to private information, 14J tons of Chinese silver
currency were sent to Semipolatinsk, representing 7(106,650 (credit), of
which about 11 tons were sent to Kiakhta, and the remainder to the
fairs of Irbit and Krestovsk.