Most of the colonies were half military in their character, being composed of Cossacks, with their families.

On the lower part of the Amoor, outside the military posts, the settlers were peasants.

Flour was carried from St.Petersburg to the Amoor to supply the garrison and the newly arrived settlers.

The production is not yet sufficient for the population, and when I was at Nicolayevsk I saw flour just landed from Cronstadt.

The settlers had generally reached the self-sustaining point, but they did not produce enough to feed the military and naval force.