Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 9/The Russian stations on the Sea of Japan
THE RUSSIAN STATIONS ON THE SEA OF JAPAN.
An autocratic government may plant stations on a desolate coast without being under any necessity of producing financial reasons to justify such a step. If the project seems to the central power as of sufficient political importance, the question “will it pay?” is of very secondary moment. Thus, remote harbours and barren territories often bEcome known to us long before they can be of any real service to mankind.
It may be remembered that when, in 1859, the last treaty with the feeble court of Pekin was obtained by England and France, Russia also put in her claim. The plenipotentiary of that Power succeeded in gaining the concession of the whole extent of Mantchouria, and also some points on the island of Saghalien. Indeed so long since as 1854 Russia had occupied certain positions on the northern portion of the Sea of Japan. There are now eight ports and stations of the Russian power on that sea; and there is, besides, the very important consular and semi-naval port at Hakodadi in the island of Yesso; but this is held by Russia in conjunction with the other commercial powers. These eight stations or ports are: Nikolaïefsk, which is seventy miles north Of the Amoor; Castries Bay, some forty miles to the south of that river; Passiat Bay; Emperor Bay; Olga Bay (Anglicè, Port Seymour); and Vladovistock; then on the Isle of Saghalien are Douaï and Koussonaï.[1] Of all these the first, viz., Nikolaïefsk, is the only place which has any pretension to the name of a commercial town, and the only one which stands on old Russian territory. It is, however, so far north that the harbour is closed with ice during six months of the twelve.
Whether these stations be intended to subserve commercial or political purposes, the harbour of Vladovistock is the most important. Its position is about 132° east longitude, and 43° north latitude; the harbour is thus far enough south to be open throughout the year. The entrance to the port is only half-a-mile in breadth, and is guarded on each side by huge masses of volcanic rocks. The harbour widens on the inside to three-quarters of a mile in breadth, and is three miles long; it is sheltered from all winds by hills averaging 300 feet in height. The commercial value of the port must be estimated chiefly by the possibility which it offers of a communication with the Amoor. The small river Sinfui flows into the harbour; from that stream a canal might be formed to join the lake Hankaï on the north, which lake is already joined to the Amoor by the rivers Sin-gatchi and Oussouri.
During the greater part of the year the aspect of the country around Vladovistock is cheerless enough. The only signs of population are the nine wooden huts of the little garrison and an earth-built thatched house, which is the residence of the young governor and his lieutenant. This port was visited in November, 186l, by a French gentleman, M. Lindau; and he describes how politely he was welcomed by these exiled officials, who during four months had not heard any news from Europe. The “saloon” of the governor was a long, low room, the sides of which were whitewashed. It was heated with an enormous stove, and all the crevices of the windows were carefully patched over. The furniture was scanty and rough. On a sofa, which bore marks of long usage, the visitor was installed as on the seat of honour. On a set of swing bookshelves was a small library containing meteorological and other scientific works, flanked by a few French romances. Other portions of the whitened walls were ornamented with portraits of the Imperial family, and with photographs of the governor’s friends in Western Russia, from whom he had so long been separated. This young officer’s features gave evidence of much intelligence, but an air of dulness seemed spread over them, which was probably induced by the isolation of his position. He was delighted with the present of some French and English journals given to him by his visitor, whom he could scarcely thank sufficiently for them. The younger officer was of a more sprightly turn. He spoke of the hunting they often enjoyed, as there are plenty of partridges, wild ducks, pheasants, and snipes, besides hares, foxes, and ermines. Sometimes a little nobler sport presents itself, when they can bring to bay a bear or a tiger. The latter animal we always associate with our ideas of a tropical country, and it appears the tiger found in Mantchouria is of the same species as that which infests the jungles of Bengal. This fact has been verified by the Russian naturalist, Maximovitch, who has explored these regions with considerable industry.
The land around Vladovistock is not quite barren. During the short summer the grass grows freely, and some of the hills around are clothed with oak trees and pines. Gold ores have also been found in the neighbourhood of the port. There, then, are the natural elements of wealth, but there is no direct communication with the commercial world, nor can any regular supply of labour be obtained. No indigenous inhabitants have been seen in the neighbourhood, but there is a scattered population of runaway and banished Chinese convicts. These wretched men are both morally and physically degraded; many of them are deformed, and others disfigured, in consequence of their vices. Yet even in these circumstances, and in this desolate region, they display the industrial and commercial habitudes of their race. They trap the wild animals, and sell the furs to the Russian soldiers, and they also gather and sell quantities of the root gin-seng. A few, to whom the governor gives food and shelter as payment for certain services, are regarded by the rest as privileged individuals. All of them would work if employment could be provided; and the Russian governor was of opinion, that if wives could be found, an industrious community might be formed. Certainly, there is little likelihood that any free settlers would ever dispute with these outcasts for the possession of so ungenial a region.
Coasting 190 miles to the north-east from Vladovistock brings us to Olga Bay,—a la Russe,—but Port Seymour on our Admiralty charts. This harbour is situated about 135° 20′ longitude, and 45° of north latitude. For the whole distance on the coast between these two ports there is not the least sign of population of any kind. A range of hills, about 500 feet in altitude, rises gradually from the shore, and behind it is a higher range, many of whose peaks are capped with snow.
The harbour at Olga Bay is two miles long and one-and-a-half broad; it is sheltered from all winds except the south-west, being defended by many rocky peaks; and the granite island of Brydone, before the entrance, forms some additional protection. The river Gilbert, which flows into the bay at its north-east extremity, has fourteen feet of water on the bar, and is navigable for two leagues. On the banks of this river the Russian post is established, consisting of two officers and forty-five soldiers. There are a few aborigines in this neighbourhood, but they are so wretchedly poor, and so thinly scattered, that the Russians have not cared to open any communications with them.
The land in the immediate neighbourhood of Olga Bay gives evidence of latent fertility, and there are extensive forests, which abound with game. But the station is separated from the Amoor and Siberia by wide tracts of sterile deserts. There can be, neither by land nor sea, any ready means of communication with the commercial world, and labour cannot be obtained. It is said that the Russian Government have intended to plant some colonists at this distant post. This would, however, show a noble disregard of economic considerations, and the lot of such settlers would be cheerless in the extreme. The Russian mail steamer calls here on her way from Nikolaïefsk to Shanghai, leaving “news” from Western Europe which is six months old. This steamer makes the round of all these outposts of the Russian empire, touching at the five ports on the coast of Mantchouria, the two on the isle of Saghalien, and at Hakodadi in Yesso.
Hakodadi, in the straits of Tsou-gar, on the island of Yesso, is the second of the ports of the Japanese empire which has been opened by treaty to the commercial nations. It is of the greatest importance to the Russians, as being their most southern station on the Sea of Japan. Although the other European and the American officials dislike the comparative seclusion and ungenial climate of Yesso, the Russian functionaries, having been promoted from forlorn stations such as we have described, learn by contrast to esteem Hakodadi as a luxurious residence. The Russian Government have taken up a large space outside the city of Hakodadi, and evidently intend to make the most of their position in Yesso. They have a numerous and very complete staff, including a consul-general, a “pope,” and a physician; and they have established a hospital on the river Kamida, at the northern extremity of the bay. There are also frequently at Hakodadi Russian officers of marines, who have no definite connection with the station.
The roadstead of Hakodadi is the largest and safest of any in the Eastern seas—some say, in the world. Its principal protection is from a peninsula, which stretches out on the south-east of the bay. This is formed of massy irregular rocks capped by a peak of 1131 feet, which, during half the year, is covered with snow. The whole bay is five miles long and four broad, and is sheltered by a mountain range which is highest on the north, where the “Saddle-back” mountain,—so called from its bifurcated summit,—rises to the height of 3170 feet. Far beyond, to the north-east, may be seen from the bay the vapours which rise from the cone of an active volcano.
Allusion has been made above, to the importance with which the Russians regard their station at Hakodadi. They evidently consider it as the vanguard of their semi-maritime progress towards China and Japan. That they are quietly on the watch for any opportunity to bear down in that direction, may be readily understood from a little circumstance which happened about two years ago. Our commander, Admiral James Hope, found at the island of Tsou-sima three Russian steamers. This island, it will be noticed, is at the southern extremity of the Sea of Japan, some hundred miles nearer to China than the port of Hakodadi. Besides the steamers in the harbour, the Admiral found a small post of Russians established on the island. As no treaty with Japan had given any foreigners a right to settle on the island, Admiral Hope thought it his duty to make inquiry, both of the Russians and of the Japanese. The latter were somewhat more dissatisfied with the circumstance than even the Admiral himself, and could offer no explanation; but the Russians excused themselves on the ground of being there only for a temporary refitment. They shortly after removed, but not until the attempt had excited much attention at Shanghai and in Japan. The Russians returned the kind attentions of the British Admiral by circulating a report that the English had wished to form a settlement at Tsou-sima, but had been frustrated by the vigilance of the Russians.
Such is the substance of our most recent information respecting the extreme outposts of the Russian Empire in the East.
- ↑ These two places have no shelter for vessels, but are merely military stations: at Douai coal has been found.