Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-09-24
Russia and China.

The most circumstantial rumor of the late treaty
between China and England came by the way of st
Peterburgh This fact Indicative of the interest and
Importance of the progress about
which little is known, between Russia and China
1t is no ordinary statement that St Petersburgh is
month nearer Pekin than is London. ..-
1t curious fact that Russian cOuriers travel from
Pckn to ST Petersburgh in about tweny-sx days but
the courier post is used exclusively for dispatches of the
Russian Government and for no other purpose whatever
For several years there has been constant communca
tiOn between lrkutsk the capital of Eastern Siberia
and Pekn which usually takes ght nine days to eff
feet and from Irkusk to Moscow about four thousand
miles, it requires eighteen days Moscow at present is
the easernmos point of teegraphc line. The whole Of
the immense distance from St Peersburgh can be tray
ersed good roads with relays of horses at every TWEEN
ty-fOur miles.
Until within two years the results of this long inter
communication with China were kept a secret that is
the exclusive policy of the Russian Government kept the
maps and results OF the various explorations closely shut
up its archives. Now they may all be readily obtain
ed and indeed they extensively published in Russian
periodicals. Thus of these journals contains high
y interesting and important account with map, of last
years Russian surveys Of the northwestern part OF the
Russo Chinese frontier region far the great moun-
tain range of Shian-shan which the Russians now claim
the boundary of their dOminonS in that quarter
Even upon the rivers and lakes of that region they have
steamboats, and by their means at any time pene
trate into the ghborng parts of the Chinese Empire
IulS facility OF arOuStS the jealousy Oh
Eng land 1t touches tender point. To nothing is she
sensitive than to the pulsations of trade and the
single telegram telling the China news has unlocked
volume of speculation.
I'VE must bestir ourselves, says the London Times
or we westerns shall be shut out of the new game We
must become ire-eXcndng people We have let
every nation get ahead OF us in this matter. In Eng
land do not do things because they useful still
less because they beautiful but there nothing
the earth under the that cannot accomplish
it offer good dividend large capital There seems
to have been hesitation about the chance Of making
profits by carrying messages and meantime every ont
has outstripped The French have covered all North
Africa with their wires how far Russia has carried
hers do not know. But this China telegram gives III
ground to suspect that they pushed long way be
yOnd Moscow. The American States talk hourly will
each other with these tongues of lightning vet We t(
whom rapid communication is the branch of our en-
pire have not yet begun to lay down wires to Cal
cutta Nudged and ebowed by Brother Jonathan, W.
have thrown line across to America but let any ont
compare the Atlantic ocean, which, far it was al
impeachment to conversation, VIC have practically abolish
ed with the Red Sea and the Straits OF BabCmandel
and the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and th
Straits of Malacca and the China Sea. There can be
difficulty in any Of these SEAS We have Alden and Call
and Singapore and Hong Kong stations-wIlat is t.
prevent us from paying out our lines of wire and work
ing teegraphs? There really is nothing to proven
this except that the official mind is not yet quite sur
that the Atlantic Telegraph is fact and not dream
and cannot yet believe that the work so easy as it ha
been now proved to be-"
Now, it is fact that four years ago Russia forme
the design of telegraphic communication between ST
Petersburgh and her North American possessions AM
hence to San Francisco. 1t was to go via Moscow ant
Irkutsk, and if the above con lecture of the Times b
true, Russia has already extended wires good way be
yond Moscow. There can be no doubt that Russia il
steadily encroachng on the north Of China and rapid
extending its commerce with this singular race
Boston Post.