om all
over Russia, and even from India and China, to exchange their wares.
The value of the exchange sometimes amounts to $100,000,000. ORENBURG
(73,000), on the Ural, is the terminal depot of the caravan trade of
Asiatic Russia. ARCHANGEL (25,000), on the White Sea, is the chief
emporium of trade in the north, with exports of characteristic
northern produce. BAKU, on the Caspian Sea, is the chief seat of the
petroleum industry of Russia. All the towns and cities above named
have grown enormously during the last twenty years.

VI. THE TRADE FEATURES OF INDIA

INDIA'S PAST AND PRESENT COMPARED

To the student of civilisation India is one of the most interesting
countries in the world. It has always been one of the most fertile and
populous regions of the globe. For centuries it was thought to be one
of the richest. In consequence it has, time and time again, been the
scene of invasion, conquest, and spoliation. But its riches never
consisted so much in natural treasure as in the savings of an
industrious and frugal people. Since the year 1600 European nations
have had much to do with India, especially England, France, Portugal,
and Holland. During the last 140 years, however, England has been the
dominant power there. Whatever may be said as to the motive of
England's interference in India's affairs in the first place, it can
only be said that the present influence of England in India is
immensely beneficial to the country. India's prosperity on the whole
is now comparable with that of any civilised nation on the globe. And
a people that once, because of repeated conquest and spoliation, had
lost all sense of honour and self-respect, are now, under the benign
influence of peace, law, order, and security, rapidly becoming
honourable, self-reliant, and enterprising, and ambitious to possess
all the rights and privileges of modern civilisation.

INDIA'S SIZE AND POPULATION

India is a much larger and more populous country than most people
think it to be. In shape it is somewhat like a huge kite, each of
whose diameters is over 2000 miles long, or more than the distance
across the Atlantic from Ireland to Newfoundland. Its TERRITORY is
about 1,700,000 square miles. Of this area, over 1,000,000 square
miles, a territory considerably greater than the territory of all the
states of Europe (including the British Isles) except Russia, is
directly under British control. The remainder is indirectly under
British control.