RYBINSK or RuIbinsk, though but a district town of the government of Yaroslavl, with a permanent population (1883) of only 18,900, is, as being virtually the port of St Petersburg on the Volga, one of the most important towns of the northern part of Central Russia. It lies 54 miles to the north-west of Yaroslavl, and is connected by rail (186 miles) with Bologoye, on the line between St Petersburg and Moscow. It derives its importance from its situation on the Volga, opposite the mouth of the Sheksna,—one of those tributaries which, flowing from the north-west, have since the dawn of Russian history connected the Volga with the regions around Lake Ladoga. Russians settled there as early as the 12th century, or perhaps earlier; subsequently it seems to have become a mere fishing station under Moscow, with perhaps some shipbuilding. It became a considerable centre for traffic when the Vyshnevolotsk, Tikhvinsk, and AIariinsk canal systems, connecting St Petersburg with the Volga, were opened. The cargoes of the larger boats from the lower Volga, consisting mainly of corn and flour, as also of salt, spirits, potash, and tallow, are here transferred to smaller boats capable of accomplishing the navigation to St Petersburg, and vice versa. The amount of goods thus transhipped is estimated at 16,000,000 cwts., worth 32,800,000 roubles. Since the opening of the line to Bologoye, a large proportion of this merchandise is sent to St Petersburg by rail (9,293,000 cwts. in 1880). The total number of boats visiting Rybinsk annually is estimated at 5000 to 7000, their aggregate cargoes amounting to nearly 20,000,000 cwts. (about 40,000,000 roubles). Upwards of 100,000 labourers (male and female) assemble at Rybinsk during the navigation, and the number of vessels is so great as to ...