Near the river there are several large buildings, formerly belonging to the Amoor Company, an institution that closed its affairs in the summer of 1866.  After the opening of the Amoor this company was formed in St. Petersburg with a paid up or guaranteed capital of nearly half a million pounds sterling.  Its object was the control of trade on the Amoor and its tributaries, and the general development of commerce in Northern Asia.  It began operations in 1858, but was unfortunate from the beginning.  In 1859 it sent out three ships, two of which were lost between De Castries and Nicolayevsk.  Each of them had valuable cargoes, and the iron and machinery for two river steamers.  The third ship arrived safely, and a steamer which she brought was put together during the winter.  It struck a rock and sunk on its first voyage up the river.  The misfortunes of the company in following years did not come quite as thick, but their number was ample.

The company’s dividends were invariably Hibernian.  It lost money from the beginning, and after spending two and a half million dollars, closed its affairs and went up in a balloon.

The Russian government has been disappointed in the result of opening the Amoor.  Ten years ago it was thought a great commerce would spring up, but the result has been otherwise.  There can be no traffic where there are no people to trade with, and when the Amoor was opened the country was little better than a wilderness.  The natives were not a mercantile community.  There was only one Manjour city on the bank of the Amoor, and for some time its people were not allowed to trade with Russians.  Even when it was opened it had no important commerce, as it was far removed from the silk, tea, or porcelain districts of China.  Plainly the dependence must be upon colonization.

The Amoor was peopled under government patronage, many settlers coming from the Trans-Baikal province, and others from European Russia.  Nearly all were poor and brought very little money to their new homes.  Many were Cossacks and soldiers, and not reconciled to hard labor.  During the first two years of their residence the Amoor colonists were supplied with flour at government expense, but after that it was expected they could support themselves.  Most of the colonies were half military in their character, being composed of Cossacks, with their families.  On the lower part of the Amoor, outside the military posts, the settlers were peasants.  Flour was carried from St. Petersburg to the Amoor to supply the garrison and the newly arrived settlers.  The production is not yet sufficient for the population, and when I was at Nicolayevsk I saw flour just landed from Cronstadt.  The settlers had generally reached the self-sustaining point, but they did not produce enough to feed the military and naval force.  Until they do this the Amoor will be unprofitable.

On the upper Amoor flour was formerly brought from the Trans-Baikal province to supply the settlements down to Habarofka.  In 1866 there was a short crop in that province and a good one on the upper Amoor.  A large quantity of wheat and rye,—­I was told fifty thousand bushels,—­was taken to the Trans-Baikal and sold there.  On the whole the Amoor country is very good for agriculture, and will sustain itself in time.