For a detailed description of the architecture of Leningrad and the present contents of its museums, see Guide to the Soviet Union, Moscow, 1925 (In English).
An ice-breaking campaign has been carried out to lessen the time of the closure of the port through winter frost and in 1926 during December, which in former times was a closed month, 73 ships entered the harbour and 98 left it, 175,00o tons of grain being exported in that month. Until the breaking off of diplo matic relations between Great Britain and Russia in 1927, Great Britain had replaced Germany as the chief import and export country for Leningrad ; 51.3% of the imports into Leningrad in 1926 were from Britain and she received 31.8% of the exports from that city.
Germany and Finland supply most of the imports of Leningrad, and Germany, Finland and Estonia take most of the exports. The cutting off of the Finnish, Baltic and Polish background to the trade of Leningrad had an adverse effect on the city, but on the other hand it made her port the only Russian outlet to the Baltic. In recent years trading links between Leningrad and Riga have revived and Latvia has made special arrangements as regards railway gauge to encourage this trade. The industries of Leningrad, though depending on imports from other regions for metal and other raw material and also on imported foodstuffs for the workers, still occupy a prominent place and the recent provision of electric power is helping to solve the problem of fuel supply.
Metal and machinery manufactures occupy the first place and include the building of steamers and war vessels, the manufac ture of engines, machinery and agricultural implements and of electro-technical equipment. The Putilov works specialize in the
production of steel and of wire drawing plates for nail factories and of motor tractors, engines, turbines, etc., and the Sevkabel works in the manufacture of enamelled wire and high voltage cables. The making of pneumatic hammers for ferroconcrete, casting of centrifugal pumps, steel tramcars, manometers, gal vanometers and electro-magnetic measuring instruments has been successfully introduced since 1917.
The manufacture of chemicals, including celluloid and various medicinal preparations has developed markedly also, beginning about the year 1923. Textiles and ready-made clothing, galoshes and other rubber goods, leather goods, tobacco, paper, furniture, matches, printing, foodstuffs and the making of alcoholic drinks are other branches of industry.
The fact that Leningrad has survived the violent fluctuations in its fortunes since 1914, is still the second city of Russia and is developing new branches of industry, speaks much for its vitality. After the outbreak of war in 1914, the expansion of war industries resulted in a marked increase of the population which reached in 1916 a total of 2,416,00o. During 1917 it was in a constant turmoil of civil fighting, while in 1918 it was threatened by the German armies and by the disturbances in Poland and the Baltic provinces, while its inner life was further disorganized by the removal of the government to Moscow. It also bore the brunt of the attacks of Kerensky and General Kras nov and of the attempt of General Yudenich in 1919. By 1920, its population had fallen to 722,000; its industry and trade were practically at a standstill and in that year and the next, in com mon with most of Russia, it faced famine and disease. Yet by 1923 its population had reached 1,071,103 and its trade and industry were reviving. The destructive floods of 1924 added heavily to its burdens, but by 1926 its population was 1,592,158 and the city was turning its attention to the introduction of new skilled industries, to the improvement of its port facilities and to new scientific and educational work.