THE BEGINNING OF THE CUSTOMS WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GERMANY, 1892-1894. BASED ON THE PUBLICATIONS IN THE NEWSPAPER “VLADIVOSTOK”

The article provides an analysis of the publications in the prerevolutionary Russian newspaper “Vladivostok” about the events of the initial stage of the Russian-German customs war (1892–1894). The author believes that the notes published in the newspaper shed light on the causes of the customs conflict between the two countries and the role played by AustriaHungary in its development and transition to the “hot” phase. The newspaper “Vladivostok”, despite its political bias, contains many details and facts that have not been studied by the Russian and German national press and are important for historical science. Based on the information published in the weekly, comparing it with archival documents and other historical sources, including those of the German origin, the author analyzes the significance that the customs war had for the Triple Alliance, and also answers the question of whether it was a coalition war. The article pays special attention to the participants in that war. Publications in the newspaper “Vladivostok” allow tracing the development of the trade conflict and its expansion due to the extension of the restrictive measures to the colonial possessions and the territories with a special customs regime. The newspaper also sheds light on the socio-economic consequences of the customs war for the German Empire