Vladivostok

a Russian port on the Pacific, the capital of the maritime province of Siberia. Vladivostok is situated on a harbor which communicates through the Gulf of Peter the Great with the Sea of Japan. The city was founded in 1861. The harbor is fortified strongly. The Trans-Siberian Railway reached the port in December, 1901. There are large dry docks, waterworks, electric street railways, and electric lights. Lines of steamers ply to ports of Japan and Korea. The Russian government has subsidized a line running to Seattle, Washington. Under ordinary circumstances the port is closed by ice during three winter months, but steam icebreakers are relied upon to keep the channel open. The population is given at 38,000, including a large garrison of Russian soldiers.