VLADIVOSTOK  , the

chief Russian seaport and naval station on the Pacific Ocean, situated at the southern extremity (43° 7' N. and 131° 55' E.) of the Maritime Province, not far from the point where that government touches both Manchuria and Korea (Cho-sen) . It is connected by rail with Khabarovsk (479 M . N.N.E.), the capital of the Amur region, and with Chita in Transbaikalia (1362 m.) via Ninguta, Kharbin, Tsitsikar and Khailar . Pop . (1900) 38,000 . The town stands on Peter the Great Gulf, occupying the northern shore of one of its horn-like expansions, which the Russians have called the Golden Horn . The depth of the Eastern Bosporus ranges from 13 to 20 fathoms, and that of the Golden Horn from 5 to 13, the latter affording a spacious harbour . The hills are covered with forests of oak, lime, birch, maple, cork, walnut, acacia, ash, aspen, poplar, elm, apple, pear and wild cherry, with a rich undergrowth of the most varied shrubs . Excellent, timber is supplied by oak and cedar forests not far off . The climate, however, is severe, as compared with that of corresponding latitudes in Europe . Though standing in almost the same parallel as Marseilles, Vladivostok has an average annual temperature of only 40° F., and, although the gulf itself never freezes, a thin ice-crust forms along the shores in December and remains until April . The town has several handsome buildings, a monument to Admiral Nevelskiy (1897), a cathedral, a museum, an observatory, an Oriental institute (opened in 1899), professional schools, a naval hospital, mechanical and naval works, steam saw-mills and flour-mills .

The

drawback of Vladivostok is that it has not, and cannot have, a well-developed hinterland, despite the great efforts which have been made by the Russian government to supply the Usuri region (to the north of Vladivostok) with Russian settlers . The town of Vladivostok was founded in 1860-1861, and from 1865 to 1900 was a free port .