a provided the fastest and most reliable means of transportation available throughout the summer months, when it's roads were impassibly muddy. The 18th and early 19th centuries were the golden age of river transport in Russia. Since Russia has few large navigable rivers, extensive canal systems had to be constructed. Although these canal systems greatly improved transportation in Russia, the movement of goods was still slow and uncertain.
             Although it was the fastest form of transportation for what little industry Russia had, the river system had major disadvantages. If materials had to be brought from the Baltic sea, the trip could range anywhere from one to three months. Furthermore, rivers in Russia froze over anywhere from four to seven months out of the year. Thus, the systems were only usable between four to six months per year. Transportation during the winter months all but halted, people simply could not move goods efficiently. While the rivers in Russia were useable,
             many became too shallow during dry summer months. In other locations, river travel was rough and only small maneuverable barges were able to be used making the quantity of the goods they could carry very limited. Goods that did not reach their destination in time would either spoil or have to be stockpiled until the next season. In some cases, a round trip from southern Russia to the north could take as long as two years to complete.
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