Vladivostock has a very pi ne appearance from the bay, as the settlement extends along the side of a hill for about two miles, private houses of all descriptions being dotted about the slopes, and the best ing Government buildings, the Cathedral positions being taken up by imposing look with its six domes standing prominently in central position. On the right and left extremes of the town, and facing it on the opposite peninsula and islands, are extensive ranges of barracks, well and solidly built of brick and stone, while forts can be traced on the summits of the hills. A naval yard and machine shop stand on the shore of the land-locked bay below the town, and close to the large dock which the edge, Government is constructing. Two float docks lie off the naval yard, and vessels of various descriptions, from the ship to tiny torpedo boats, lie in the well sheltered harbour. On. the west of the harbour, can be seen the embankment of the now Siberian railway, and the station now building, the whole of the shore in that part being piled up with railway material of all descriptions. Broad roads stretch over the hills in all directions, and all of this looks charming from a distance, but a nearer acquaintance dissipates all romance in a few moments. On landing, the visitor finds that the fine broad roads are an: abominstion, having apparently been cut out of the hill without any attempt at grading, draining or metalling, and following the natural shape of the hill one side of the road is several feet higher than the other; the rain has cut deep channels in all directions, and stones—or masses of rock—are plentifily spread about. Some of the buildings are undoubtedly ornamental and will bear close inspection, but too many are tawdry and gimcrack, rough and badly built, a great many being flimsy wooden shanty of probably the earliest settlement houses with here and there a veritable log
period. There is a fire look-out on the top of a bluff behind the settlement, but as there is a great scarcity of water at Viadivostock it 1s certain that when a fire occurs the only thing to be thought of is the protection of contiguous buildings, as there can be no means of saving that in which the fire breaks out. A visitor quickly finds out that Viadivostock is chiefly remarkable for dust. Strong winds prevail mostly throughout the year, and they whip up the clouds and carry it everywhere. Everything fine red of the oe nee roads in wale is sufficient to make the pedestrian ly permeated with dust, and fialeandour's grimy and uncomfortable if he is a visitor, though the residents are accustomed to this infliction and endure it with philosophic indifference; but it stamps the town with Bitants make no attempt to free themselves, eneral uncleanliness from which the inha-
apparently, as if doing so would be a sheer waste of time; 80 consequently a visitor rapidly comes to the conclusion that Viadivostock is chiefly remarkable for dust, dirtiness, and discomfort. Numerous dross hies. ply for hire, the drivers being clothed in the orthodox Russian Jehu costume, and there is no doubt about their furious driving. The vehicles themselves are wretched four-wheeled shandrydans, somewhat of the victoria pattern, with one horse. between the shafts and another hitched on by a trace to the near side axle. The harness vehicle, the springs of which scarcely exist, is rough and uncared for, as is also the
The horses look as if they were never The. driver, unsparingly laid op; they med, but when urged by the whip of
along the rough roads, over ruts and stones,
who is taking his first drive, pounding ina way that posttayely alarms a visitor his flesh to a jelly and making every bene in -his body ache.- The drivers take fiendish delight in. driving at full who oe tale have to hold on iba speed down a steep hill, when those
it might to: prevent Ives bei sent flying out. A long drive in a Vladivostock: droskie is a thing to be long remem-dered with sorrow and pain. During our stay in Vladivostock the weather was fine, so that we had only to put up with the dust so freely raised by wind and droskies, but I was informed that in wet weather the mud was terrible, and added one more discomfort to droskie driving, which I could easily understand would be the case. There is a wooden pavement laid along one side of the principal roads, which must be a great benefit to pedestrians in muddy weather. The Admiral of the station has house on shore, to which is attached a large garden shaded by many trees and sloping down the side of the hill to the water's and this garden is thrown open to the ublic, but is not kept with any care.
etunias, nasturtiums, balsams, asters, minor convolvulus, cockscombs, dahlias, roses, mignonette, zinnias, etc., were growing freely, but were massed together in one bed without any attempt at arrangement, and the turf was overgrown with clover and generally allowed to run wild, so that the whole place bore the appearance of untidiness and neglect. Tobacco was grown as an ornamental plant, reaching the height of five feet or plore, and maples aber inthe garden. The hills around Viadivostock were covered with forest trees of lange growth some years ago, but for some reason they were ruthlessly' cut down by the authorities; but now the scrub is allowed to grow, and all the hills are densely covered with'it, many of the young trees being da from ten to twelve feet in height. The Goverment dock which is now being con-fructed will be the largest in the East, as it Will measure 500 feet onthe blocks, 80 feet in width and 33 feet on the sills. "The excavations have very nearly been completed, the debris being utilised to level gullies in the neighbourhood, and for this work Go; many Chinese and Japanese are employed. The coffer dam was most securely built, as there has been no leakage whatever from first to Inst. Melenite has been used for blasting, and that so successfully that only two trifling accidents have occurred since operations commenced. When the excave. tion is shortly completed the dock will be lined with concrete and faced with stone, but the completion of the caisson, ete., remains with the Government, and for aught that any one knows may be delayed for years.
The Government buildings now completed or in course of construction show that Viadivostock is already " most important place asa naval and military. station, and should the Government so desire, the opening of the Siberian railway will make it a great commercial port, but this, unfortuna-
the whims of those in supreme authority. rely for the place, depends entirely upon The embankment of the railway has already been completed for about 200 miles, but its opening to trafic has been delayed because thebridgeshave not been erected. This work is now to be commenced, as the engineers for bridge construction and the material that next year the lino will bs opened ta wwe arrived, so there is eve
Nicolsk, about 100 miles from Vladivostock, and very shortly afterwards will be com-leted to the Ussuri River. This will open a country which all travellers pronounce to be very rich in agricultural produce, which will find a much needed outlet at Viadivostock. One of the oldest and most respected residents of that port told me that he hoped to be in a position to ship dash [and that the value-of this export. will away grait next year toa very large extent, necessarily increase vastly year by year. It is therefore quite possible that in a few years' time Viadivostock may not only be an important naval and military. station but a great emporium of trade, if the Rus-, sian Government does not step in to prevent, this. The extent of country that will be opened by the Siberian railway is enormous, and when once the natives realise how much the line will benefit them, there is no end to the quantity of products which will find their way to Vladivostock, and the prosperity thus brought by this trade to the port should enable it to become the most flourishing city in the East. But alas, it is Russian, and there is no saying how commercial aspirations and advancement may be suppressed, Itis needless to say that uniforms abound in Viadivostock, naval, military, or civilian, There are many thousand troops stationed in the place, but during the summer they are camped out in the hills round about, but still there are many about the town who are occupied in various Government undertakings, whether on the railway or are dressed in white blouses, than. which elsewhere. At this time of the year the;
nothing can look more unsoldierly, and all wear big boots which are apparently never cleaned. Indeed the Russian soldiers are very uncleanly, but they are hardy and no doubt capable of great endurance, and I was informed by @ competent authority that they are excellently drilled. There are many Russian women about the place, the wives of soldiers and others, rough and led dresses of brig! clumsy in appearance and delighting in colours, in which crimson, scarlet and orange are frequently com: bined. Bonnets or hats are not used by them, but if the head is covered at all-it is by a' gaudy kerchief. Some few of the lndivostock Indies are well dressed, but the majority affect fashions of a bygone yy and look very dowdy. The ubiquitous Chinaman is in great force, keeping stores or supplying the market, and acting as sampan-men, stevedores, lumpers, washermen, carters, etc., and numbers of Chinese are employed on the Government works, carpenters, masons, etc., in which work they are also. supplemented by Japanese.
roans do the rough coolie work of the place. "There isa large trade done in shipping fruit from Chefoo to Vladivostock, and from enquiry I ascertained that the Chinese make 100 to 160 per cent. profit on the wretched Chinese pears and apples they sell, there being no fruit at all grown about Vladivostock.
Since the disturbance last year convicts have been sent out of Vladivostock, but are employed on the railway about ten or twelve miles from the place, but at Vladivostock itself all work on the line and the railway buildings is done by soldiers, Chinese and Japanese.
The day after our arrival, Sunday, the 11th instant (August the 30th, according tothe Russian calendar), was the name day of the Emperor, and was observed asa fete day. A full service was held at the Cathé- at 9.30 a.m. which large numbers of il and military officials and residents attended. The singing was extremely good and was unaccompanied by any instrument but all the members of the choir possessed excellent voices and sang beautifully in tune. The service was over shortly before 11 o'clock, when there was a parade of five companies of troops, and at a given signal the official buildings and men-of-war in port were dressed with flags, and a royal salute was fired from the. ind batteries, When the salute was finished the military band struck up the national anthem, and during the whole time it was being played the troops. on parade shouted "hurrah" to order and in regular time. During the.0on official calls were interchanged, and at night a grand ball was given at the Naval Club.
There are very few places of amusement at Vladivostock. and those for the most part of the nature of a music hall, where singing and dancing in costume takes place, The hotel accommodation is wretched in the, extreme,"and if the, plice increases when the railway is opened there will be a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.