1801.1 City of St. Peterſburgh, and the Ruſſian Trade. 229

extent, is appropriated to almoſt every houſe. Within the ex- tent of the town are comprehended the buildings diſperſed over ſeveral iſlets in the Neva.

The inhabitants of this city are of diferent nations: Fens and Ingrians, and Livonians, Germans, Dutchmen, Engliſh and Scots, Armenians and Ruffians. Of all the ſtrangers in Peterſburgh the Germans are the moſt numerous, Lt is remarkable, that St. Peterſburgh is ſupplied with, its working gardeners from Scotland. By an enumeration of the whole in- habitants in the year 1789, it appears, that there are, inthe vaſt extent of this capital, ſcarce 220,000 ſouls,&c.

T'he whole number of the merchant ſhips arriving every year in the port of St. Peterſburgh is, I underſtand, about 10005 and of theſe very neatly one half come from Britain.

The merchants enjoy conſiderable privileges here. They are divided into three claſſes; Ruflian merchants, of Peterſburgh; Ruffian merchants, belonging to other parts of the empire z and foreign merchants. Among the foreign merchants we from Britain are particularly diſtinguiſhed by the privileges of a factory, and other rights.

In the tranſaction of buſineſs between Ruſſian and foreign merchants, the’ following circumſtances take place. The Ruſ- ſian merchants from all parts of the, empire come hither with ſamples of the produce or manufactures which they have for ſale.“ Theſe they preſent to the Engliſh and other foreign merchants. Bargains are ſtruck, and recorded by contras be- fore a notary-public. The ſamples are, ſealed with the ſeals of the buyer and ſeller, and carefully preſerved. The half or the whole of the price is then advanced by the buyer. Next ſpring the goods contracted for are brought on barks down the great rivers. Juries of merchants examine whether theſe goods, thus offered for delivery, be equal in quality to the ſamples by which they were ſold. Upon the approbation of thoſe juries, the goods are received, packed, and ſhipped for exportation. It is chiefly by the Volga, and the ſmaller rivers communicating with it, that theſe goods are brought down from the interior country.

Foreign merchandiſe imported into Peterſburgh firſt pays the uſual duties; it is then depoſited ät the Cuſtom-houlſe till it be either ſold or removed to the warehouſes of the importer, or his agent. Foreign goods are never ſold onleſs than a year's credit, Of courſe, berween their previous payments on the goods they buy, and the credit they give on thoſe they ſell, foreign mer- chants are uſually two years in advance to thoſe of Rufli2. Many ofthe Engliſh and other foreign merchants here reſident find it eligible to acquire for life, or for the term of ten Years, the privileges-of burgeſſes of St. Peterſburgh. They enjoy by éhis means the advantage of trading with all the privileges of