Sankt-Peterburgskaya universal'naya vystavka (January-March, 1880)

Universal exposition]

The Universal Exposition of Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburgskaya universal'naya vystavka) or Exposition of All Russia (Ekspozitsiya vseya Rossii) began with a speech by Tsar Alexander III on January 7 (Christmas in the Russian Orthodox Church).

The exhibition obviously featured more than 200,000 native Russian pieces (outpacing most other exhibits, the British with 75,000, Germans with 69,000, French with 25,000, etc). The reason is that Russia made an effort to bring in many cultural objects from its ethnic minorities, and it helps a lot when Russia is a mainly land-connected country.

However, there were obviously also industrial objects and exhibits outside the scope, such as Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's Tower of the Sun, a giant group of Matryoshka dolls, jeweled eggs produced in Russia, etc.

The Tower of the Sun or Eiffel Tower was a particular surprise, because no structure of such height had been built up to that time.

Russia was now showing a particularly developed economic and industrial muscle, as opposed to the military muscle demonstrated against the Ottoman Empire.

Now Russia was showing its industrial production in the chemical, oil, extraction and metallurgical sectors. The advantage of Russia is that within its own state it has a considerable number of resources (unlike other European countries, relatively more limited in materials so they had to innovate and seek new markets and colonies-territories).

*Electrical industry.

The daytime exhibition featured the world's first permanent electric tram, designed by Fyodor Apollonovich Pirotsky that stretched for 12 kilometers (approximately 7.4 miles). Transporting passengers through some parts of the exhibition and the center of St. Petersburg, German engineers present were particularly interested in the St. Petersburg electric tram.

At night the entire city was illuminated by the incandescent bulbs of Aleksandr Nikolaevich Lodygin and Vasily Fedorovich Didrikhson. A public demonstration of more than 40 hours, incomparable to most previous electric bulbs.

The streets of St. Petersburg attracted natives and foreigners alike interested in a practical, and more importantly, commercially viable light bulb.

The American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison, despite his legal conflict with Lodygin, was present at the exhibition to observe the electrical show carried out in the region through the Yablochkov transformer.

There were also brief expositions of the possible operation of the Pirotsky underground cables, demonstrations of Yablochkov candles (and the electrical transformer of the same), in addition to in general the Russian progress regarding the electrification of the country.

The arc welding or electrohephaestus of Nikolay Benardos also made its appearance, and it also had a notable appreciation among the public for its usefulness with respect to, well, metal welding.

*Automotive industry.

The Blinov tractor and cycle were already known, but the Sankt-Peterburgskaya universal'naya vystavka allowed international attention like never before. The growing Russian auto industry was able to shine.

Production of gasoline engines for tractors, tractors with steam engines or gasoline engines, the Blinov cycle and other domestic automobile productions within Russia (state and private enterprises).

Finally, more interested buyers began to appear, much more, of various origins, German, English, American, etc.

Also interested in the production of combustion engines, engineering, etc.

*Art.

The universal exhibition in Russia featured MANY different types of art, music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, comic, photography, etc.

There were many kinds of different styles and crafts, popular styles in Russia (the neo-Byzantine style), traditional Russian styles, exhibits about recent projects (the Moscow Metro), writing competitions and famous writings in Russia, the Lubok and other Russian comic books, etc.

The exhibition obviously also attracted foreign artists, some European artists and some Asian artists (mainly of Japanese origin).

A Dutch artist named Vincent William van Gogh was one of the many Dutch present at the exhibition, where he put on some displays of his artwork (and particularly appreciated the Japanese display).

Some famous artists from Russia (regardless of ethno-cultural origin and whether they were born in Russia or not) were present, Ilya Repin, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Gustave Eiffel, Antoni Gaudi, etc.

Foreign artists who did not reside or live in Russia also attended, such as the French writer Jules Verne (interested in Russian interests about heavier-than-air flying machines).

*Industry and science.

Russia had a lot to prove from its new industries, not only for example the extensive railway network (including the mega project that was the Trans-Siberian) but also its industries and economic development in general.

The automotive and agricultural industries were already clear, but there was still more. For example, the production of synthetic silk and since Russia had greatly mechanized the production of silk, hemp, cotton, etc.

Artificial silk (cellulose) of a remarkable quality that could flow from any part of Russia to the outside. Cotton from the Caucasus, Central Asia and other parts of Russia. Hemp from European Russia, etc.

Production of canned products (dragon beans), tobacco, alcohol, tea, refined petroleum, industrial components.

Russia had also improved its infrastructure, tests of the Baku pipeline, the Transcaucasus railways, the number of schools, shipyards, roads, etc.

Russia's burgeoning middle class, private and state-owned factories had made great strides in a variety of industrial sectors (mainly heavy industry, but there was still a light industry to brag about and that was good).

Russia was also able to demonstrate some scientific theories (the food web), studies on fauna, flora, the north pole, colonial subjects, etc.

It was obvious that Russia was a land of scientists, to some extent, engineers like Blinov, chemists interested in the production of artificial rubber, Stepan Makarov (and his developments in the shipbuilding industry), interests in flying machines, etc.

* Russian colonial empire.

The colonies (legally speaking), had their own section within the ethnic groups and cultures of the Russian Empire, for example there was Alyáska, the only Russian colony in America and its Native American peoples. Currently there is not much to say about that part of the exhibition.

However Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay at the Novaya Gvineya exhibition to expose his views and discoveries about the native Papuans. Miklouho-Maclay believed in Darwinian theories, he argued that the 'uncivilized' ethnic groups had the same ancestor as the 'civilized' (European) peoples and that despite technological backwardness they had an equally complex structure.

Somewhat rare ideas for the time, but which were undervalued by foreign spectators, more interested in observing the natives and what Novaya Gvineya produced.

In particular resources (rubber, copper, gold, etc), clothing, bamboo items, and food (dragon beans, cocoa, etc).

In this the conversations between Spain and Russia about the sale of the painted, carolines and palau continued, a subject in which Miklouho-Maclay and Ivan Shestakov were not in favor or against.

* Travel and (some) guests.

Although diplomats, some politicians and obviously tourists of all kinds attended, probably the most important was King William IV of the Netherlands (because of his status as king for nothing else), in his short reign William IV spent a lot of money , and obviously one of his expenses was to revisit St. Petersburg to spend money in the city, women and alcohol.

The Dutch king was a skinny and sickly looking man, but he was a king so obviously he did not go unnoticed (the Russian authorities in particular made sure that nothing will happen).

Tourism to Russia not only increased due to the universal exhibition, in the midst of all this in general tourism to European Russia increased.

The third edition of the Russian Soccer League in Kharkov, the Moscow metro and in general everything that Russia had to offer, the Crimean beaches, cities, rural environments, other natural wonders, the Trans-Caucasian railway, etc.

There were also many interested in the almost-completed Trans-Siberian Train, the largest railway in the world.

It was clear that this would be the backbone to connect Russia from west to east, which obviously involved several things economically and militarily.

All this foreign attention would bring economic results for the state during and after the universal exhibition, in the aspect of tourism and exports.

*******

[Sports Culture: Third Edition]

The British, French and German gentlemen (among others) entered the great stadium of Kharkov with curiosity. The place was covered with a variety of flags representing the colors or logos of the teams.

"The Russians are certainly excited." One of the English mentions.

"It can't be that good." His partner mentions.

However in the end many foreigners would leave the event quite excited, the Russian Soccer League was at a different height than the usual matches one could see (matches limited to some clubs and university teams, etc).

The event brought together food, souvenirs, and above all people from all kinds of cultures and places of the Russian Empire. There was basically a team for everyone.

The Catholic-Polish teams, teams for the lower or upper class, etc.

The Russian event certainly started to get more attention from abroad from the third edition onwards.

*******

Round of 16.

* Arkhangelsk vs Kharkov: 4-1 (Arkhangelsk win).

* Soroca vs Siedlce: 1-3 (Siedlce win).

* Vladivostok vs Novosibirsk: 5-2 (Vladivostok win).

* Helsingfors vs Moscow: 2-4 (Moscow win).

* Saint Petersburg vs Kazan: 2-0 (Saint Petersburg victory).

* Tbilisi vs Akmolinsk: 4-3 (Tbilisi victory).

* Anadyr vs Riga: 0-1 (Riga win).

* Grozny vs Baku: 1-0 (Grozny win).

*******

[International]

February (unknown day), in Russia begins to publish the magazine 'Elektrichestvo' (Электричество, Electricity) by the state, in honor of the Universal Exhibition of Russia, showing texts of various Russian scientific advances and some other curious data.

The magazine is obviously also translated into English, French, Spanish and German.

February 2, the German Empire and Romania, led by Wilhelm I (with Chancellor Otto von Bismarck) and King Carol I respectively, initiate a diplomatic rapprochement for quite simple reasons, Romania will ally with anyone who opposes Austria-Hungary ( mainly by Transylvania).

Ideas that could also appeal to an entire people, the Slavs.

Germany also tries to convince Spain to orbit towards the Berlin-Rome axis, to which obviously France (which was already surrounded by the Germany-Spain alliance-union) is opposed, but at the moment King Carlos VII does not seem to lean towards any side in particular.

Britain, still under Benjamin Disraeli (until April 1880) obviously cares about Germany's actions and her influence on the European balance of power.

For this reason, within British politics, Disraeli proposes the idea of "re-activating" France to oppose the growing German economic and political power.

February 4, in Russia the fight against the Narodnaya Volya continues, the Okhrana having entered the apartment of some of the members and successfully capturing them.

These members had a plan to pose as workers to plant a bomb in the basement of the Gatchina Palace, where the emperor and the imperial family live.

For the moment the universal exhibition and the royal family are safe. Most of the information is kept secret from the public and the media.

February 24, first large exports of Russian light bulbs (Lodygin-Didrikhson) abroad. In particular towards Berlin and Hamburg, where one of the ships of the German navy was illuminated for the first time.

March 31, the Kurds in the east of the Ottoman Empire have managed to stay united, Sultan Abdul Hamid II tried not to send too many resources towards his eastern zone to try to focus on the west and the Albanians.

However, trying to bribe Kurdish leaders to oppose Sheikh Ubeydullah has not worked, since the Sheikh has these leaders and possible opponents controlled on the basis of political alliances, military power and resources (gold, silver, weapons, etc).

The Albanians for their part also hold their fight successfully in Albania's rural settings, being a constant splinter for the Ottomans who are losing the usually loyal Albanian population.

France tries to approach Italy but King Umberto I has been convinced by the German military instructors to maintain the Alainza Dual and not approach France to continue Italian militarism.

Some in the body politic of France consider the revival of the old diplomatic relations between France and the Ottoman Empire, but it must be discussed with Austria-Hungary (who do not have the best relations with the Ottomans).

*******

[Diplomatic discussions: Russia and the Netherlands]

"Come on, have a drink!" King William IV exclaims excitedly taking a deep drink of vodka together with Peter Alexandrovich Cherevin (guard of Tsar Alexander III).

"Drinking is not my style. Well William, we have something to talk about." Tsar Alexander III mentions.

"If it's about my debts, don't worry. I have everything under control." The Dutch king assures staggering a bit.

"It's not about that. It's about Aceh and the Pacific."

"About what? What the hell is Aceh?"

Russia and the Netherlands (under William IV) argued about how a struggle between colonial powers in the Pacific would not be necessary, especially as Germany was now increasing its navy, Austria-Hungary had new colonial ambitions, the English were getting involved in the Malaysian states, etc.

*******

[Opium]

Central Asia, Russia.

The farmers grew some opium crops, the Russian authorities prohibited them from selling such material in the Russian cities themselves, but the merchants (mostly Uyghurs, Dungans and other ethnic minorities from eastern Russian Central Asia) did not move to Russia.

Instead these merchants moved to the Qing dynasty to sell opium.

Opium was also prohibited in Qing, but the fight against it was ineffective and in fact many governors, who needed money, needed to resort to the sale of opium.

Northwest Qing is usually poorer and more unpopulated than southeast Qing (there is a diagonal line that essentially divides China in two).

The minorities who escaped from Qing to become Russian citizens had not forgotten this, and in order to support their comrades, have money and continue to harass the Qing dynasty, they traveled incognito in caravans through the depopulated and geographically difficult Xinjiang and Mongolia to sell opium. did the rest of China.

The British were already selling opium from the south and other parts of China, it was obvious that the Russian merchants also wanted another piece of the pie.