The importance of this trade will appear from the following table.
Table of exportation and importation.
Table of exportation and importation at Kiachta, in the year 1777.
| Rbles. | Cop. | |
| Custom-house duties, | 481,460. | 59-1/2. |
| Importation of Chinese goods, to the value of | 1,466,497. | 3-3/4. |
| Of gold and silver | 11,215. | |
| Total of Importation | 1,484,712. | 3-3/4. |
| Exportation of Russian commodities | 1,313,621. | 35. |
| From this table it appears, that the total sum of export and import amounts to | 2,868,333. |
In this calculation however the contraband trade is not included, which is very large; and as the year 1777 was not so favourable to this traffic as the preceding ones[116], we may venture to estimate the gross amount of the average trade to China at near 4,000,000 Roubles.
CHAP. V.
Description of Zuruchaitu—and its trade—Transport of the merchandise through Siberia.
The general account of the Russian commerce to China has been given in the preceding chapter, because almost the whole traffic is confined to Kiachta. The description of Zuruchaitu, which was also fixed by the treaty of Kiachta for the purpose of carrying on the same trade, will be comprised of course in a narrow compass.
Description of Zuruchaitu.