New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-22

Russia is to have her system Of Railroads like
oil the rest of the world, and their projection and
construction must naturally give powerful i'm
petus to her industry and commerce. The En-
peror has found company willing to snder-
take certain great main lines; and while these
do not fully answer the military necessities Of the
Empire, they take wide step in that direction.
The only existing railroad in Russia Of any con-
siderable Importance is that from st. Petersburg TO
Moscow, whichis some five hundred miles long. The
additions now proposed, and which are to be- accom-
plished BY the company in question, embrace line
from st. Petersburg to Warsaw, distance of over
twelve hundred miles; a line from Moscow to the
Black Sea, Of a little greater length; line
east from Moscow To Nishni Noygorod on the
upper waters of the volga some four or five
hundred miles; and another and last line reaching
from Moscow westward TO the port of Lbau.
on the Baltic, distance Of twelve or thirteen
hundred miles. Here are railroads radiating in
various directions from the heart of the Empire,
covering distance Of some four thousand miles,
and as we may say, draining an area as great as
that of France and England combined. The cost
must be prodigious, but so will be the benefit.
OF course the company get large franchises from
the Emperor, and expect good profits. But, what
ever may be the result to the stockholders, the
immense advantage to accrue to the Empire from
these roads cannot be questioned.
Russia is mighty in geographical proportions,
and when her industry is fully educated and de-
veloped-in which process these railroads are to
play an important part-she must be mighty in
power The late war has disclosed her wants and
weaknesses. These roads are designed to supply
the one and remove the other. BY their aid, in any
future European contest, she can bring her military
force TO bear upon her eastern and southern from
tier with promptness and CELEBRITY. Wed notdOubt
that this consideration has had great deal to do
with the initiation of this gigantic enterprise. If
human butchery is the chiefest Of crimes and Of
olles let US rejoice that in paving the way for sue
cess in that branch of business, the nobler aims
of peace and civilization are sometimes greatly
advanced. If Alexander only means to render
his armies effective BY this great scheme of
facilitating intercourse among his subjects, and
between them and all the world it is yet certain that
he is also helping forward the work of human en-
lightenment and emancipation. He may use the
machinery for his own purposes the great body Of
the people will also use it for theirs He may look
to it as an agent TO increase the strength of his
dynasty; it will also do its own proper work Of
loosening the foundations Of that despotsm, and in
preparing the way for an improved condition Of
the masses.
An immediate material result from the construc-
tion of the projected railways will be the building
up of new commercial city Oh the coast of the
Baltic. The two principal outlets which Russia
now possesses on that sea are CrOnstadt and Riga.
AT those two points the inland products of the
northern and central portions of the Empire find
vent During the open season they are extremely
busy marts of trade, several hundred ships being
at times in port at each But both harbOrs suffer
under the great inconvenience of being frozen for
FIVE or six months in the year. Each is inland at
the head of deep bay, while the site of Libau is
directly On the broad side of the sea- several de-
grees further south than either The new city is
to be built, as St. Petersburg was where the wants
of the Empire demand it. The plan is a bold one
and was doubtless inspired by the recollectlOns of
the great Peters achievements in the same line.
The Emperor has already begun the improvements
at this point, designing to have the new city in
readiness by the time the railroads are finished.
Here, at Lbau, it is expected to have an open
harbor for eleven months Of the year. If the ex-
pectation is realized, great change will be
wrought in Russian commerce. 1t is now under an
ice embargo nearly half the year; the design is to
TO reduce that embargo to single month With an
open port on the Baltic, and railroads extending
from to all parts Of the Empire, Russia will rise
from her commercial and industrial lethargy and
quicken her steps in the path of inevitable great
ness. Under the influence and stimulus of these
improvements she will enter on an entirely new
career Of commercial and industrial grandeur, and
consequently of more imposing political cOnse-
quence.