appointed on the confines of Siberia: one called ,Ki-
■ atchta, from a rivulet of that name near which it
Hands; and the other Zuruchaitu: at thefe places a
free trade was reciprocally indulged to the fubjects of
the two nations. " ■ :
A permiflion was at the fame time obtained for
building a Ruffian church within the precin&s of their
caravanfary ; and for the celebration of divine fervice,
four priefts were allowed to refide at Pekin f>, The
■ fame favour was alfo extended to fome Ruffian Scholars t,
* The firft Ruffian church at Pekin was built for the accommodation,
of the Ruffians taken' prifoners at Albafin. Thefe perfons were /carried
to Pekin, and the place appointed for their habitation in that city was
called the Ruffian Street, a name it ftill retains. They were fo well received
by the Chinefe, that, upon the conclufion of the treaty of Ner-
Ihinlk, they refufcd to return to; their native country. And as they
intermarried with the Chinefe' women, S their defendants are. quite naturalized;
and have for the molt part adopted not. only the language,
but even the. religion of the Chinefe. . Hence, the above-mentioned
church, though it ftill exifts, is no longer applied to the puipofe of
divine worftiip : .its prieft was transferred to the church, which was built
within the walls of the caravanfary.
The good effefts of this inftitution have already been perceived.
A Ruffian, whole name is Leontieff, after having refided . ten years at
Pekin, is returned to Peterfburg. He has given feveral tranflations. and
extrafts of fome interefting Chinefe publications, viz. Part of the Hiftory
of China; the Code of the Chinefe Laws; Account of the Towns and
Revenues, &c. of the Chinefe Empire, ex-wafted from a Treatife of
Geography, lately printed at Pekin. A Ihort account of this Extract is
•given An the Journal of St. Peterfburg for April,' 1779.
7 for
'for the purpofe of learning the Chinefe tongue; in order
to qualify themfelves for interpreters between the
two nations.
This treaty, called the treaty of Kiachta, was, on the
fourteenth of June, 1728, concluded and ratified by the
count Ragufinfki and three Chinefe plenipotentaries upon
the fpot, where Kiachta was afterwards built: it is the
bafis of all tranfadlions fince carried on between Ruffia
and China*. ,
One innovation in the mode of carrying on the trade
to China, which has been introduced fince the acceffion
of the prefent emprefs Catherine II. deferves to be mentioned
in this place. Since the year 1755 no caravans
have been fent to Pekin. Their firft difcontinuance W a S Caravans discontinued.
owing to a mifunderftanding between the two courts of
Peterfburg and Pekin in 1759. Their difufe after
the reconciliation had taken place, arofe from the following.
circumftances. The exportation and importation
of many principal commodities, particularly the moft
valuable furs, were formerly prohibited to individuals,
and folely appropriated to caravans belonging to the
crown. By thefe reftrictions the Ruffian trade to China
was greatly fhackled and circumfcribed. The prefent
: * S.R.G. VIII. p. 513.
E e emprefs