The lack of fuel was very severely felt in the provinces of Petrograd
and in the Baltic, owing to the stoppage of the importation of British
coal. Of all establishments closed down for this reason, about 60 per
cent. belong to the provinces of Petrograd, Livland, and Estland.
In other regions this want was felt less severely. The output of coal in
the Donetz basin and of naphtha in the Baku region has increased, and
the decreased demand for fuel owing to the diminished production has
somewhat lowered the prices of naphtha. Thus in 1913 the average monthly
price of light naphtha in Balakhany was 42 copecks per pood, (two-thirds
of a cent per pound,) but in September, 1914, it was 36, and on Nov. 5
it fell to 25-26 copecks per pood, (13 cents per thirty-six pounds--a
little over 1-3 cent per pound.)
The main difficulty in the fuel supply lies, however, in the inadequate
transportation facilities.
The next obstacle in the way of normal development of industry is the
lack of transportation facilities. This cause alone forced 223 factories
with 128,000 workers to curtail their output, and fifty-six factories
with 5,300 workers stopped production.
But the most disastrous effect upon the Russian industry has been
produced by the diminished demand and by the lack of raw materials. For
lack of market, 671 establishments with 219,000 workers reduced their
output.
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