Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-20
COLUMBUS, O., MONDAY MORNING,

which Mr.. w. P. Andrew has with such
unwearying pertinacity advocated ever
since Sir Macdonald Stephenson's
reached the point of general official ap-
Sproval. 1t gives up the Constantinople
section and makes the proposed branch
to the Mediterranean the main line, thus
adding three or four days to the journey.
In its latest form, as now before Sir
Stafford Northcote, Mr.. Andrews pro-
posal to this, to make railway from
Selencia in the Levant, to Bussorah, in
the Persian Gulf, a distance of $50
miles, or less than from Calcutta to
Aegra, at 100000 a mile, adopting the
shortest or Briandse route on the side of
Europe, and the shortest or Kurachee
route on the side of India, the whole
J distance from London to Kurache would
thus be reduced to 4,444 miles instead
of S,472 as at present by the Red Sea,
or in time from more than three weeks
to two. A beginning might be made
mean to Bagdad, with guaranteed cap
ital of $4,000, for the steam communi-
cation from Bagdad to Kurachee or
Bombay is swift and short. From Lon
don to Brindise 1904 miles of railway,
from Brindise to, Seleucia 900 miles of
steamer, from Seleucia, to Aussorah there
would be $50 miles of railway, from
Bussorah to Kurache 1,190 of steamer.
Were the Indus Valley line not complete
so soon as the Seleucia and Bussorah
line, which seems improbable, then there
would be 1.690 miles of steam naviga-
tion from Bussorah to- Bombay.
The uncertainties of the completion of
railway communication between Austria
and Constantinople are such, and Sir
Macdonald Stephenson's project so en-
braces line from Aleppo to Scanderon
or Selucia, that Mr.. Andrews proposal
is likely to commend itself to public sup
+ port, while helping towards the realiza-
tion of the larger scheme. 1t amounts
to this, that Anglo-Indians would es-
cape the Red Sea voyage and Egyptian
transit by a railway going hardly so far
as from Calcutta to Agra, and save a
week in time. The commercial and So
cial gain would be so great that, on
these grounds alone, the enterprise is
entitled to joint guarantee from Eng
land and India. The section of the line
to be first constructed is ninety miles,
from Selencia to Aleppo. General
Chesney- and Sir John Mcneil have
surveyed the route in detail, and COM
mission of English and French officers,
appointed by the Porte, lately reported
that the existing goods traffic between
the two would pay ten per cent. net.
The Sultan would subscribe part of the
capital, and is eager for the line of
which he has given a concession. On
this section only are there engineering
difficulties. Beyond Aleppo nature
seems to have meant the Enphrates val
ley to be the highway of the East. 1t
has been so from the birth of the
race to the decline of the Caliphate
under the curse of Moslem fanaticism.
Without quoting inspired prophecy, we
may safely assert that it will again be Sc
under the influence of the only progress
sive and imperishable civilization the
world has seen or can see. The best
harbor on the coast is that of Alexan.
| dretta or Scandervan, but is unhealthy
| and to use it would increase the distance
The harbor of Seleucia, like that OF
Brindisi, needs only that expenditure
which the Sultan is prepared to guar
antee, to render it comnodious and safe
Antioch, as well as Aleppo, would con-
tribute to trade. The line would open
up all Persia also, which now finds a
costly and tedious outlet for its scanty
commerce by Trebizonde and the Black
Sea. Russia is pushing on her railway
from Poti, on that sea, to Tiflis, and
thence to Baker, on the Caspian, in the
hope Of diverting the trade towards her
self, from its natural and ancient chan
mel, to the Mediterranean. France, too
is alive to the future. French contrac.
tors are projecting road from Cleppo tc
the Euphrates, as part of a scheme fol
improving the means of transit between
the Prussian Gulf and the Mediter
ranean.
Of the commercial advantages we
need say nothing more than that the
trade of India enriches whatever rout.
it adopts, and this is the Oldest and short
est route. Nor need we urge the bene
fits of a line which will bring India as
near to England as America is. The
political arguments will vary in strength
according as our readers believe in th,
Importance of commanding the Persian
gulf, relieving Persia from her subjectior
to Russian influence, outfanking Russian
Central Asia, and sending a stream o
English soldiers periodically through
| Syria and the Euphrates valley from
the transports at Seleucia to those a
Bussorah. We would not, however, will
Mr.. Andrew, exalt the Euphrates line a
the expense of the Egyptian route. W.
need both, and both would be used i
the Suez Canal becomes reality. Blu
the line which would save week il
time and 1,2S0 miles of sea voyage
ought to commend itself to- the ordinar,
public and for the transport of troops
Such line would be great leap to
wards the satisfactory solution of tn
Eastern question. We doubt not 81
John Lawrence and Sir Stafford North
cote, will show no less foresight tina
Lord Delhousie and Lord Palmerstor
by promising a guarantee.