Novorossiysk

Novorossiysk, a seaport town of S. Russia, in the Chernomorsk or Black Sea territory, on a bay of the same name (also named Tsemes), on the N.E. coast of the Black Sea. Pop. (1900) 40,384. The bay, nearly 3 m. wide at its entrance on the E., and 5 m. deep from E. to W., is exposed to the N.E. wind (bora), which sweeps down from the Caucasus Mountains with great violence. There is an artificial harbour (1893) protected by a mole. Novorossiysk is connected by a branch railway to Tikhoryetskaya (169 m.) with the main Caucasian line, which crosses the Volga near Tsaritsyn, and has become an important centre for the export of corn, and since the petroleum wells of Groznyi in northern Caucasia were tapped it has become an entrepot for the export of petroleum. Cement is manufactured. Large grain elevators have been built, and a new commercial town has grown up. Besides cereals, which amount to 69% of the whole, the exports consist of petroleum and petroleum waste, oilcake, linseed, timber, bran, millet seed, wool, potash, zinc ore and liquorice, the total annual value ranging between 32 and 54 millions sterling. The imports are small. Some 1500 acres in the vicinity of the town are planted with vines. Novorossiysk has belonged to Russia since 1829.