The official Moscow journals continue to paint a very gloomy picture of the state of Russian communications under Soviet management. The official budget for all communications for 1922 and 1923, for instance, has just been published. Ustimated expenses are gold Ris. 639,536,190. Estimated receipts are gold Rls. 332,781,840. The estimated deficit is gold Ris. 306,754,350. What this would be in Soviet roubles the reader can figure out for "himself.
Un the Petrograd-Moscow line, supplies, materials, labour and money are all such uncertain quantities that the budget has to be revised and republished monthly. The February Moscow papers give a few details of the condition of this line' in November. The receipts were Soviet Rls. 786,000,0000. The expenses were Soviet Rls. 862,000,000, In 1913 the operating capital of this line was gold Rls. 11,000,600. In 1922 the nominal capital was gold Rls. 1,800,000, or about: Soviet Ris. 540,000,000. Since this sum, which should be provided by the State, was not actually available, the Soviet Government undertook to raise it and after a time made a grant on paper of Soviet Ris. 258,000,000, Actually 30 millions only were paid over. The debts of this railway were on September 1, 1922, Soviet Rls. 618,000,000. By December 1 they amounted to Soviet Ris. 1,167,000,000. Uf this total, Soviet Rls. 362,000,000 were owing to officials and workmen on the line for back salaries. 1f the unfortunate comrades to whom all this paper wealth is due were anywhere but in the new Elysium one might anticipate a strike. firm~ that is willing and able to supply the peasants with machinery and instruction in methods of agriculture, and that will take upon itself the exporting of all raw farm products and of furs and One of the main objects of this is old from the farming districts.
to kill the present system of smuggling furs and gold out of the country.
Most of the export trade from Vladivostok is being done through the following firms at the present time:—Eastern Asiatic Ca. (a Danish concern), Soskin (a Harbia firm), Siberian Ca. (Japanese), Anglo-Chinese Eastern Ca., Suzuki Ca., Mitsui & Ca., Mitzu & Ca. (representing ten other Japanese firms).
The quantity of jute bags in the Maritime is far too small for ré- quirements and all old stocks have been cleared out.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.