[8]. The import of Ceylon tea into Russia is already large, and is increasing rapidly.—H. N.
[9]. All that part of Siberia situated east of Baikalia forms a sort of neutral ground free of the Custom-house. Only spirits, tobacco, sugar, mineral oils, lucifer matches, and in general all articles of the same character which are subject to excise duty in Siberia proper, pay Custom-house duties when they are sent for sale to the Siberian ports on the Pacific. All other goods have only to pay ‘customs’ if they are forwarded to parts of the Empire west of Baikalia, and these are paid at Irkutsk, through which everything is obliged to pass. Tea going from Kiakhta pays duty at Irkutsk.
[10]. By means of an ice-breaking steamer vessels are now able to leave or enter Vladivostok harbour at any time.
[11]. The Tsar appointed a Commission to inquire into the whole question of transportation to Siberia, with a view to its cessation. The Commission is now understood to have reported in this sense.—H. N.
[12]. The author is misinformed here. The Baikal, the great ice-breaking, train-carrying steamer, and the Angara, a smaller passenger-boat, have both been designed, constructed, and set up on Lake Baikal by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., of Newcastle-on-Tyne.—H. N.
[13]. The official estimate of the total cost of the railway is over £80,000,000, of which over £50,000,000 were spent by the end of 1899.—H. N.
[14]. This train has been running for a year as far as Irkutsk.—H. N.
[15]. A koku equals 4·95 bushels.
[16]. In 1899 (to December 25) 423,646,605 yen or £42,364,660.—H. N.
[17]. The Japanese took care to stipulate that the indemnity should be paid in gold at the exchange of the tael in 1895, which allowed them to know exactly on what amount of money they could count, which was of extreme importance to them, Japan having adopted the gold standard, and the greater part of the indemnity being destined to be spent in purchases in Europe and the United States.