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894 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA,
coal; while the reft, who live at fome diftarice from the ‘mines, cultivate a certa’n por.
tion of ground, and bring in winter the produce to the magazines of the foundries.
‘Lhe annual expences may generally be rated at 14,800.
5. Some mines yielding filver have been lately difcovered in the diftri€t of Krafnoy-
arfk near the Lena, between the rivers Yins and Yeniféi.
The gold of Catharinenburgh is obtained at the rate of 40 guineas per pound; and
as when coined it produces 681. ¢s. the profit is not very confiderable. The filver and
gold from Kolyvan is procured without any expence, as I have before mentioned. A
pound of filver from Nerfhinfkis faid to colt between 4 and 5 roubles; and asthe fame
quantity of this metal, when coined, is equal to 22 roubles 754 copecs, the gold ex-
tracted from this filver is obtained for 111. 8s. per pound.
6. The crown poffeffes at prefent but very few copper and iron works.
‘The iron worksin the north part of the diftri& of Olonetz produce annually between
eight and ten thoufand poods of caft iron for gins, bombs, and balls, and fifteen thou-
fand of indifferent iron in bars and plates. ‘Thole of the Uralian mountains employ
above one thoufand feven hundred workmen, and twenty-fix thoufand eight hundred
peafants ; and yielded, in 1772, four hundred and twenty-three thoufand nine hundred
and eighty-feven poods of iron in bars and plates, which were chiefly ufed for the army
and navy, that of Kamenfk gave in the fame year ninety-three thoufand poods of iron, -
which were forged into guns, and eight thoufand one hundred and feventy-two into
bars.
Four copper foundries on the weft fide of the Uralian mountains, in the government
of Orenburgh, and three in Permia, produced, in 1°72, only thirteen thoufand eight
hundred and fixty-eight poods. At Catharinenburgh the crown has eftablifhed a mint
for coining the copper procured from the imperial and private foundries, into that fpe-
cies of money which is current throughout: Ruffia, and is tranfported by water to Mof-
cow, Peterfburgh, and other parts.
The greater part of the private mines and foundries, that fupply fuch an immenfe
quantity of iron and copper, are moftly fituated in the Uralian mountains, and the hills
{tretching from them ; a few in the government of Mofcow excepted, the produce of
which is but fmall.
The Uralian mountains contain one hundred and five foundries, fifty-fix for iron,
thirty-feven for copper, and the remainder for both metals. ‘The peafants, part of
whom belong to the proprietors, and part to the crown, employed in the mines and
foundries, amount to ninety-five thoufand. In 1772 * thefe works yielded one hun-
dred and thirty thoufand one hundred and fixty-nine poods of copper, and four million
five hundred and fifty-eight thoufand:feven hundred and eighteen of caft iron. The
duty paid to the crown from the private proprietors is 4 copecs, or nearly 2d. for every
pood of caft iron, hefide 5 copecs upon every pood for exportation. With refpeé to
the copper, the proprietors are obliged to fell three quarters of the whole produce of
the mines to the crown at Catharinenburgh, at the low rate of 11. 2s. per poodt. The
remainder they either fell to the crown at the fame place, at 1]. 14s. per pood; at
Mofcow, for 21. 28.3; or at Peterfburgh, for al. 4s. 3
* We mutt take this year as the average ftandard, as being previous to the rebellion of Pugatchef, who
deitroyed feveral of the foundries; but moft of them have been fince re-eltablifhed. ;
+ By an edict of the Emprefs, dated July 1, 1780, the proprietors, inftead of felling three quarters of
the copper to the crown at 11. zs. per pood, are now only obliged to difpofe of half at that price: this
new regulation muft have fomewhat reduced the profits of the copper coimage. See Journ, St. Pet. for
1780, Ps 53. "
14 At
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