Regarding the _European_ trade with China in general, M. Sorokin, Assistant Director of Customs at Niu-chwang, is reported to have remarked that the freight per pood from Europe to the East was five rubles on land and 1.50 on sea.[113] Certain articles, such as glassware, tobacco, and the like, seem to be carried from Russia to China at two rubles by rail and one ruble by ships.[114] The sea route consumes nearly two months, but, for bulky merchandise, it would be impossible for the railway to compete with it. It is interesting, in this connection, to remember that, from _America_, the freight between San Francisco and the Eastern ports has been reduced repeatedly during the last year, owing to the competition among the shipping companies, so that the charge for flour does not seem to be more than one mill per ton-mile, or forty cents a hundred pounds for 8000 miles. During 1901, according to the latest statistics available, the deficit of the Ussuri branch of the Siberian Railway is said to have amounted to $435,162, and that of the entire railway to $11,330,000.[115] * * * * * In this connection, it is interesting to note that this view is further confirmed by no less authority than Count Cassini, the present Russian Minister at Washington, who, in his statement given on April 9, and published in the _North American Review_ for May, 1904, said: “... Consider Russia’s position commercially toward Manchuria with that of the United States. In this country [the United States] are made not only the very materials that would find a sale among the people of the province, but with American goods shipped by an all-water route, the cost of transportation would be much lower than the cost of carrying on the all-land routes to which Russia would be confined. Should Russia ship by water to Manchuria from Odessa, the distance would still be too great to make competition with the United States successful. From Moscow to Port Arthur the distance by rail is 5000 miles. It is therefore easy to realize the privileged position of the United States in competing over an all-water route from the Pacific coast, with Russia over an all-rail route.”[116] ----- Footnote 1: Official figures for December 31, 1903. The _Fourth Financial and Economical Annual of Japan_, 1904 (hereafter abbreviated as the _Fourth Annual_), published by the Department of Finance, Imperial Government of Tokio, p. 5. The actual numbers may be even higher. Footnote 2: _The Monthly Return of the Foreign Trade of the Empire of Japan_ for May, 1904, published by the Department of Finance, pp. 91–95. Footnote 3: _Japan in the Beginning of the 20th Century_ (hereafter abbreviated as the _20th Century_), compiled by the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Tokio, 1903, pp. 53–58. Footnote 4: