This may now be pronounced the great mercantile fair of the world. It probably bears a greater resemblance (but on a larger scale) to that of Sturbridge in its best days, than any other of past or present times. It is almost the last remaining type (in Europe) of the mediæval form of commerce. The origin and early history of this fair are somewhat obscure. Authentic records attest that mercantile gatherings were held at Nijni so early as 1366; and tradition points to a still earlier origin. Before Kasan was conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552, Russian merchants were prohibited from attending fairs in that province. A considerable fair then held was the precursor of the present.
The Russians held a fair at another place on the Volga. In 1641 the monks of the monastery of St. Macarius, by virtue of their charter, founded a fair at Makariev, seventy-one miles below Nijni. Of this fair I have already given some account. “The monks of the monastery (says Michell) very cleverly made Nijni a place of religious as well as commercial resort, and levied taxes on the trade which they fostered.” Up to 1751 the tolls had still been collected by these monks; but in that year the fair became the property of the State. In 1824 it definitely fixed at Nijni-Novgorod. It was probably removed here temporarily in 1816, when the town of Makariev was destroyed by fire.
The situation of the town opposite the confluence of the Volga (having a course of 2,320 miles) and Oka (with 900 miles of navigation) rivers, is pre-eminently suitable for the purpose of commerce, of which these rivers indeed, prior to the introduction of railways, constituted the great arteries. The town of Lower Novgorod was founded as early as 1222, and was in 1237 occupied by the Tartars. When it was taken from them, they declared perpetual warfare against it, and sacked it more than once. By means of the two large rivers named—which extend, with their contributory streams and canal communication with the Baltic, over a considerable portion of northern, eastern and southern Russia—an easy communication is maintained with the richest agricultural and manufacturing provinces. The Kamma, a tributary of the Volga, also affords water communication with the remote provinces of Ural and parts of Siberia. The productions of China are carried during the month of September over the Baikal Lake, and in spring reach the Volga along with the Siberian caravans. The productions of Astrakhan, Persia and Bokhara ascend that river, while those of Petersburg, Germany, England, and France descend it: so that the merchandise of the east and the west meet as in a common centre here. And this line of commerce dates back into far distant ages, promoted and shared in by those trading monks who took so leading a part in founding the great Hanseatic League.
It is an interesting historical fact that the first vessel of war ever built in Russia was launched at Nijni by a company of merchants from Holstein, who obtained permission in the seventeenth century to open a trade with Persia and India by way of the Caspian sea. The vessel was called the Friedrich. The travels of Olearius were in connection with this undertaking, of which there is a great history, to be recounted on some other occasion.
The town has many fine modern buildings. In the ordinary way, the best view to be had of it and the surrounding country is from the “Otkos” or terrace built by order of the Emperor Nicholas.[11] It is said to be one of the best views in Europe. As far as the eye can reach extends the vast alluvial plain, rich with culture, and occasionally dotted with forests; whilst the Volga, flowing down from Tver, looks like a broad blue ribbon stretched over the country from one extremity of the horizon to the other. Much of the plain below is inundated in spring by the overflowing of the river, leaving a fertile deposit which considerably enhances the value of the land. The stationary population of the town does not exceed 30,000 or 40,000, but during the fair the inhabitants swell up to considerably over 200,000; and this quite irrespective of prodigious numbers of casual visitors. The ancient Kremlin, with its low arched gates, whitewashed towers, and crenellated walls, is one of the sights of the place. The thick green foliage of the gardens and the gay residences of the inhabitants all blend into a very picturesque whole.
Site of the Fair.—We must next take a glance at the site of the fair, which is outside the town, and can hardly be seen from the gates. Turn then from the Volga, or Asiatic direction, and there, across the Oka (here about a quarter of a mile broad), is a low, almost inundated flat, of triangular shape, between the two rivers. This was regarded as the most convenient site. Great difficulties were presented by the swampy nature of the soil. Deep sewers vaulted over were constructed through the morass; these being connected by canals with the rivers. The buildings for the bazaars were raised on piles, and the whole boggy surface of the plain was covered to the depth of some feet with gravel and clean sand. Through this the ordinary surface water and the inundated flow percolates, and leaves clean passages or roads. In the midst of the plain is the great bazaar—an immense rectangular market-place—divided by lanes or passages, intersecting at right angles into sixty-four square groups of warehouses, or blocks of stone-built buildings, two storeys high, with projecting verandahs, so as to shelter goods and passengers from the sun or rain; containing, besides some public offices in the centre, 2,522 large stores for merchandise, to each of which is a small chamber for the merchant.
The connecting streets are some thirty or forty yards wide; and the centre avenue is yet much wider, and planted with trees. These streets much resemble those of Cairo, Smyrna, and other oriental towns. In the centre of that block of permanent buildings is located the official residence of the governor during the fair, as also all the business offices for the administration. It was in this official residence that the Duke of Edinburgh stayed during his visit to the fair a few years since. It is equivalent to the royal pavilion of some of the early English fairs. The principal avenues of the fair are connected with some ten miles of wharves or river frontage; and during the fair bridges are erected so as to give easy access from the town to the fair. The cost of preparing the site and the principal buildings was forty millions of roubles—£1,670,000 sterling. The fair, however, has long outgrown the original limits, and miles of temporary structures spring into existence for the occasion. It extends over some seven or eight square miles!
Unloading.—As the period of the fair approaches, the ordinary desolation of the location passes rapidly away. The rivers, busy indeed at all times when navigation is possible, now become almost blocked by traffic. A perfect forest of masts is visible. All distinct trace of the ordinary bridge of boats seems lost. The 400 or 500 steamers, built mainly in England and Belgium, which in the ordinary way are trading on the 1,600 miles from this to the Caspian sea, all seem concentrated here. They dart about like straws on these mighty rivers. But more striking-looking are the quaint mediæval-looking barges, coming as they do from the most distant parts of the empire, piloted through canals and rivers in order to find their appointed place here. These are all being rapidly discharged of their cargoes by an army of ragged Tartar labourers. Here will be found merchandise from every quarter of the globe; merchandise which has in some cases been several years on its way hither; merchandise which comes from localities so remote as not to be brought into voluntary association with this fair. Centuries ago, we are told by the historian of Genoa, the Genoese merchants built larger ships than were required for their regular trading operations, ships calculated to withstand the terrors of the Bay of Biscay, and the storms of the German Ocean, in order to make voyages to the Hanseatic towns, to Wisburg and Gotland, as also to the coast of Russia in order to participate in this great fair (Bent’s “Genoa,” 1881, p. 107).
The Fair.—And now we arrive at the fair itself. Round the public offices in the centre are ranged the European wares, the French millinery, and English broadcloth. Next follow the Armenians, a numerous and distinguished class in every commercial assemblage throughout the East. Near these the Bokharians usually range themselves, and they are easily distinguishable from other Asiatics by their squat corpulent figures and dark complexions. Nearly a whole side of the bazaar is occupied by the Chinese market, in which the shops are all laid out in Chinese fashion. Tea is the chief article of the Chinese trade; and on this portion of the fair I shall speak later. Beyond the stone buildings of the bazaar commence the rows of wooden booths in which the motley Siberian and Tartar tribes establish themselves with their furs and peltry; the most remarkable to a European eye, though not the least common of their wares, being the dark mouse-coloured hide of the wild horse, with black mane and streak along the back, much prized by the Bashkirs and other tribes for its warmth as well as beauty.
The wine trade has never constituted a great feature of the fair, although wine skins from the Caucasus may be seen; and many of the brands of southern Russia may be found on application.
Most of the streets of the fair have elegant light arcades on each side, supported in front by cast-iron columns, where purchasers can walk about, well sheltered in all kinds of weather. The stalls are generally very handsome, and in some instances extend from street to street, so as to leave two fronts. They present nothing of the confusion of an ordinary fair; the goods of every kind are as neatly ranged as in the shops of a city. To facilitate business there is a separate quarter set apart for each different and important class of goods. One quarter contains groceries, of which the value sold is very great. In another, dried fish and caviar are exposed in most fragrant variety, of which great quantities are sold, amounting to about £60,000 in value. I may here remark that the annual value of the sturgeon alone taken in the Volga is estimated at two and half millions of roubles; and above 30,000 barrels of caviar have been dispatched from Astrakhan in a single year. A third quarter contains leather articles of every kind, which may be bought exceedingly cheap; boots and shoes are disposed of in very large quantities. Morocco leather is also sold wholesale to a very large amount. A great deal of it comes from Astrakhan, where, as in other parts of European Russia, goats are kept for the use of their hides to make this leather, more than for their milk or flesh. The pleasant soap of Kasan is sold in large quantities. One is glad to find that it is in such demand.
The iron and iron-ware stored in the mile of shops where nothing but this metal is sold, has been brought at immense expense from Siberia; yet much of it in its original crude state probably came from Tula, not a great distance from where it is now, in its highly finished form, exposed for sale. Weapons and glittering arms of all kinds occupy conspicuous places in the hardware stores. There is, as a set-off, a very considerable supply of holy images and priestly vestments!
The cloth range is large and well stocked. One quarter contains ready-made clothes of all descriptions. The cloaks alike for men and women are made from stuffs with most singular patterns. Some of the figured works from Asia are really beautiful. The value of the woollen goods (Russian and foreign) sold annually is seldom less than three millions of roubles—£375,000. The quarter for fancy articles—gloves, handkerchiefs, ribbons, &c.,—is always crowded with purchasers, attracted by the graces of the fair occupants from Rue St. Honoré. The division for cotton goods is fully stocked. The mills of England are largely drawn upon for these; but they are not in the hands of Englishmen at this fair. The value of cotton goods sold here averages about twenty-two million roubles—£2,750,000! A grand display is made by the silks and shawls, chiefly of oriental manufacture, and hence in very brilliant colours. The manufactured silks disposed of here yearly are estimated at ten and half millions of roubles, or £1,312,000; while of raw silk there is sold over 300,000 lbs. The furniture shops constitute a great feature of the fair; and one can but be surprised to see costly carved tables, chairs, sofas, and still more large and valuable mirrors from France and St. Petersburg. Glass and crystal articles, mainly from Bohemia, constitute a very attractive display, while the jewellery alike of Europe and of Asia is always a source of considerable attraction, and the means of creating a large expenditure of cash. The precious stones from Bokhara and other parts of Central Asia are placed in the most tempting prominence and profusion. But beware of talismans and turquoises that appear to be cheap; they will probably be found equally cheap and much more satisfactory nearer home. The malachite and lapis-lazuli ornaments and other stones from Siberia are sometimes good investments; but some expert knowledge is required. Curious belts of silver may be purchased, but not without long bargaining. The hall-mark is represented by the number 84. There is a stall for the sale of ornaments in gold and silver, set with Siberian and Persian stones. Beware! But it is impossible to recount in any detail all that may be purchased or seen.
The Tea Quarter.—One of the most singular sights of the fair is the tea quarter, which occupies the greater portion of an immense division standing by itself, and distinguishable by its Chinese architecture. The Chinese superintend this business themselves, or rather formerly did so. Along the wharves enormous pyramids of chests of tea are heaped upon the ground, covered only with matting made from the inner bark of the birch tree. These chests of tea, called “tsibiki,” are so packed as to be impervious to rain or damp. Outside the ordinary wooden chest is a covering of wickerwork of cane or bamboo, round which, at Kiakhta, raw bull-hides are tightly stretched, with the hair inwards. These chests arrive at Nijni from China, having been received in barter, at Kiakhta or Maimatchin, on the Chinese border of Russia. The Russians, who are great tea drinkers, are accustomed to the higher qualities of tea grown in North China; but these are now quite as easily obtained from Canton as from Kiakhta (which see), and it is said (contrary to former belief) that the sea carriage has no deteriorating effect whatever. Here may be seen some kinds of tea which scarcely ever enter into the English trade, viz. yellow and brick, the former of a delicious fragrance and very pale, but injurious to the nerves if taken very frequently; it is handed round after dinner, in lieu of coffee, in Russia. The brick tea is consumed by the Kalmucks and Kirghizes of the Steppe. The best yellow tea sells for about 35s. per pound. The tea trade of the fair has shown a tendency to decrease.
Outskirts of the Fair.—To the casual visitor the outskirts of the fair are almost more interesting than its centre, for observation and study. The constant succession of carts in long strings; the crowds of labourers; the knots of earnest-looking traders with long beards; the itinerant vendors of liquid refreshments and white rabbit-skins; the greasy slovenly monk collecting kopecks of those who fear to withhold their charity lest their transactions be influenced by the Evil One; the frequent beggars, pleading for the most part that they have been burned out, and showing the most dreadful-looking sores as evidence of their veracity; all these go to make up the great assemblage, the unique tout ensemble of the great fair of Nijni-Novgorod as it has been, and is to-day. How long will it remain?
Administration of Fair.—The administration of the fair is carried on under the supervision of the Governor of the Province; the arrangement of all commercial matters and adjustment of difficulties being entrusted to a committee of gentlemen called the “Fair Committee,” chosen from among the assembled merchants. This committee consists of a president, three aldermen, and three committee-men, besides the manager of the fair-office and the mayor of the town of Nijni. The management of all Government property is in the hands of this committee. The letting of shops and store-houses and the erection of bridges and all temporary works comes also within their province. The conditions on which the shops and stores built by Government are let to merchants and dealers are exceedingly liberal, and this rent is the sole profit made by Government on the transactions of the fair. No imposts of any kind are levied in the shape of licences or duties. Shops are let to the first applicant, the sole reservation being that the occupier of the previous year has a prior claim. In order to promote competition, each row of buildings is devoted to a certain kind of merchandise, thus obliging the merchants to endeavour to undersell one another. To prevent monopolies or over-speculation, no merchant is allowed to hire more than three consecutive shops, nor is he allowed to occupy more than one shop unless they adjoin each other. The number of shops let in 1874 was 6,086, and their total rent amounted to something over £28,000.
The fair lasts six weeks—the really busy period being from the 18th to 27th August, when the height is reached. Some fifteen days beyond are allowed for the settlement of accounts. The usance of the fair is twelve months credit, i.e. from one great fair to the following; but sometimes, in dull times, and under special circumstances, as much as two years credit is given. This was particularly the case in 1849.
Trade of the Fair.—The annual trade of the fair has been the subject of various conjectures; but I believe the Government of the Province has caused careful estimates to be made from time to time. In 1697 the trade of the fair was estimated at £12,000 per annum—evidently far too low. In 1790 it was stated to be £4,500,000!
The following are the details of the principal branches of the fair in 1849, which were understood to be less than the transactions of the preceding year: money being scarce, and there was a stagnation in the grain trade. The total estimate of the Russian produce offered for sale was £7,916,016, of which there were sold raw produce £1,917,940; provisions £858,684; home manufactures £3,981,716—total £6,758,340, leaving £1,157,675 unsold. The value of the foreign goods and produce was estimated at £2,430,191; of these Asiatic articles sold to the extent of £1,329,131; European raw materials £493,955, and manufactured goods £204,888—leaving £402,217 unsold. So that the total merchandise at the fair was estimated at the value of 10½ millions sterling, of which about nine millions were sold.
In Murray’s “Handbook of Russia,” written by Mr. Michell, the then well-known British Consul, and published in 1868, it is stated that the aggregate sale and purchases at the fair represented about sixteen millions sterling; which dealings were conducted by from 150,000 to 200,000 traders from the various countries of Europe and Asia.
Mr. Doria, secretary of the British Embassy at St. Petersburg, reported that the trade of the fair had increased from about six millions sterling in 1847 to over £20,000,000 in 1874 (165 millions of roubles), when upwards of 6,000 shops were let. The iron sold in various forms amounted to 5,557,800 pouds of 36 lbs.—the value being £2,193,812. Tea of the value of about £1,200,000 was sold.
At the fair of 1879 the iron trade figured largely, and the following facts were obtained regarding the supplies. The Russian ironmasters sent 15,130,498 pouds (1 poud = 36 lbs.) of wrought iron, steel, and metal work, of the value of 7,528,350 roubles. A considerable amount was also imported into the iron ports of the Volga, viz. at Laïchev, 1,337,541 pouds; Kasan, 16,474; Simbirsk, 22,066; Saratov, 92,361; Rostov, on the Don, 67,762. Cast iron was not in great force, there being only 530,488 pouds, of the value of 412,475 roubles. One of the largest contributions was sent from the works of Count Strogonof, being 6,725,588 pouds.
Revenue of the Fair.—The fair constitutes a source of State revenue. When in 1751 the fair first became the property of the State, its tolls or revenues were farmed at about £150 per annum. In the reign of the Emperor Paul (end of last century) the farmer of the tolls engaged to build a new bazaar, and to pay £4,500 a year into the exchequer. In 1824 a new governor’s house, bazaar, and shops were erected, already described, and an annual sum of £8,000, part of the rental of these, was appropriated to pay the cost of these buildings. The rental, as we have seen, is now approximating to £30,000.
A “charity dormitory” was fitted up by Count Ignatieff, with accommodation for some 250 houseless vagrants; but if all of this class who are present were to apply for admission, probably accommodation for 20,000 would be needed!
The mode of estimating the number of persons attending the fair is peculiarly ingenious. The bakers are required to make daily returns of the quantity of bread they sell, and in this manner an approximation is arrived at. Of those present at the fair, only about one in a hundred are female.
It may be remarked that there is an excellent restaurant under the governor’s house in the fair. Some of the refreshment booths in the fair present a remarkable sight, and, we may fairly add, smell! The “Armenian kitchen” is one of the sights. Excellent horse-flesh may be had at the Tartar restaurants!
The passport system has been abolished as to persons attending the fair, the governor finding it impossible to examine, or indeed even to open the 40,000 documents per day that were formerly sent in. Besides, identification is out of the question; and the pick-pocket fraternity use to purchase, or more appropriately steal, the authorization they required under the old system.
Sanitary Arrangements.—The sanitary arrangements of the fair constitute by no means an unimportant feature. To a sometimes tropical heat there is the usual accompaniment of clouds of finely pulverised dust. The Easterns assembled are not proverbial for habits of personal cleanliness. There is indeed an aroma unmistakable. The sewers are flushed several times a day by means of water drawn from Lake Mestcherski, giving a fall of six yards into the river Oka. Round the central bazaar is a small canal, provided in case of outbreak of fire, and found valuable on many occasions. Smoking is prohibited within the limits of the fair under a fine of twenty-five roubles. The fair is guarded by a special service of Cossacks and police.
Amongst the amusements are a theatre with a very good ballet, for which latter Russia is famous.
There is a belief that the glory of the fair is departing. Wallace, in his “Russia,” 1877 (ii. 196-7), says:—“I went to the great fair—and was disappointed. All the descriptions of it which I have read are much too highly coloured. ‘The motley crowds of Orientals, representing every country in the East,’ is not visible to the naked eye of a prosaic observer. A few Georgians, Persians, and Bokhariots may be seen sitting at their booths or strolling about; but they are neither very picturesque nor very interesting in any way. There is a ‘Chinese Row’ where tea is sold, and where the roofs of the booths show traces of the influence of pagoda architecture; but I find there no children of the Celestial Empire. As to the various kinds of merchandise, they may all be seen to much better advantage in the shops and bazaars of Moscow. Altogether, I should advise the traveller not to go very far out of his way to visit this great annual gathering, which is commonly spoken of by Russians—especially by those of them who have never seen it—as if it were one of the seven wonders of the world.” This is in conformity with the general depreciatory style of the entire work.
I ought not to omit mention of a little privately-printed book, “The Great Fair of Nijni Novogorod, and How we got there.” By William Forsyth, Q.C. (1865.) He too was disappointed with the fair.
Two smaller Fairs.—Beyond the great fair which I have now described as fully as space would permit, there are two other fairs at Nijni, which, however, are little visited by foreigners. The one held in January on the ice, at the mouth of the Oka, is devoted to the selling of wooden wares, such as boxes and toys. Great numbers of people come to this fair from the neighbouring villages. In January, 1864, the ice on which the booths and inns were constructed gave way, and a considerable number of men, women, children, and horses miserably perished by drowning. Since then this winter fair can hardly be said to have revived.
The other fair held on 6th July (N. S.) is for the sale of horses.