The New York herald., 1871-11-11
~ er;.
TEE BLACK AND CASPIAN SEAS.

Tho Two Sens To be Connected by Canal
7S,3SO,OO0 Cabits of Earth To BE Dug Out
and $4,000 Men EmpIoyed-Cost of the Gi-
GRniic Enterprise-Its Immense Military and
Commercial Advantages To Russia.
Correspondence OF the Augsburger Allgemelne
Zetung.l
BELGRADE. Servia, Oct. 16, 1871.
II the favorite idea OF Peter the Great to
connect the Black ana Caspian Seas which are 30
pire In the southeast. Science was not, however,
sufficiently advanced at that period to enable the
creator Of the Russian empire TO carry lis idea into
execution. After his death several uselui plans
were found In the imperial archlves-am0ng
others the plan OF connecting the two
seas, which, undoubtedly, once formed one
whole. II was only In the year 1868 that
Mr. Bergstresser undertook In small
bark voyage from the Caspian Sea into
the Sea or AzOf. THIS event directed the general
attention to the long forgotten plan, ana scientific
commission was sent to explore the plains OF Kumo-
Manitz. This commission did not, however, go far
enough TO reacn the Caspian Sea. The merit OF
German topograpner in the Russian service. Ac-
cordng to the nrm conviction of this man the plain
branch OF the two seas In question: THIS plain
has. IN the course OF centuries, been
OF surf from the River Kaaus. Now the valley is
divided by a deep line into two parts. BY digging
out This SOIL connection between the Caspian sea
and the Sea OF AsOw could at first be established.
The union OF the Euxine with the Caspian sea is in
two respects OF infinite importance to Russia In
the first place, the natural line OF defence Of her
southern territory Will be enormously strengthened.
In very short time the fleets OF the AZOf ana the
EuXine will be enabled TO run through the Kum0.
Mantz Canal into the Caspian Sea, and there unite,
whether IL be tor q common attack or defence. In
the second place, Russia Will gain new aud for
midable point Tdppu In Central ASIA
THE GAIN OF COMMERCE..
Here the interests OF commerce go hand In hand
with those OF military strategy. With the exception
Ol a few Russian vessels there are now none but
Persian craft to be found IN the Caspian Sea- being
unconnected with any other sea. And yet the
last Official report 824 vessels, with 6S9l0 tons
into the Caspian harbors curing the year 1869 The
Black Sea- which Is open TO all sealaring nations,
shows a similar result within The same period. Tile
coastng trade on the Caspian Is now already sixty
times as great as that on the EuN AS to the
| details Of the enterprise M. Blum has pub
| lishcd the following In the GOtOS-TO COM
I plete the whole, an excavation OF 1880, ,00C
cubits of earth will be necessary while for about
forty English miles the canal will run through the
River Don which Will PROBABLY require an lncOn-
siderable deepening. The length of the whole canal
Is to be about $40 English niles Taking the
Der OF wOrkmen employed NJ 80 000 and the rate OF
working days at 800, six years VIII be required TO
complete this gigantic work. The cost OF the whole
enterprise will amount TO about S8 00o GO that Is,
$1g, ,0O0 900 less than the cost of the Suel Canal.
The plan has been very warmly received by the
public, and there is very lively agitation among
all classes in favor OF It's prompt realization.