The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-23

| the Hindoo Kiosh in Afghsnistan-a range about
as high az the Rocky Aountainsn
THE ASIAN LINE COMPARED WITH THE PACIFIC
RAILWAY.
Your correspondent asked N. de Lesseps a to
the comparative length OF the two lines. "wen,n
he added, "the line in Asia win be shorter than the
one In America. The American road Is g. 200 Eng
lsh miles, the Asiatic a,400 French kilometres.
From MOSCOW IL would be a longer distance, while
from Calais to Calcutta which would be like calcu-
lating from New York to San Francisco, IL would
be 1000 kilometres, or in rough guessing about
four thousand nve hundred miesn
'sEvEN DAYS FROM CALAIS TO CALCUTTA
N. de Lesseps then alluded with some amuse-
ment to calculation he had seen In London
journal to the eject that train could not run
nom Calais to Calcutta in seven days. he. then
asked how long 10 took us to make our Journeys
from New York to San Francisco. Your corre-
spOndent answered that when the snow did not
intervene the journey employed about seven days
and seven niehtR "1res btenf' added H. de
Lesseps you are not very rapid railway travellers
IN America either, not In many cases going more
than one-half or two-thirds the speed Of our ex-
press trains. We can travel with European speed
toward Moscow W, and beyond we can take our time.
! only allude to this to show the tendency to un.
friendly criticism upon the part Of Englishmen.
The real question Is not whether we can run from
Calais 70 Calcutta IN seven days or seventeen but
whether we can 60 by hand ct ALL"
WILL THIS ROAD HELP RUSSIA TO ADVANCE ON
NDIAs
Returning to the remark of N. de Lesseps in
reference to British antipathies to this new route
your correspondent said that there appeared to
be an apprehension In the minds Of some English
critics that the effect o. the new railway would be
to aid the Russians IN their advance on India.
"Yes," said M. de Lesseps, with animation,
"there Ia such feeling. But these popular i'm
pressions or approximations are generally decep-
tive. They arise In ignorance ana are stimulated
by envy-so often the child OF ignorance. You
will remember how vehemently England and
especially as shrewd aman az Palmerston. opposed
the suez Canal project That was intended ITO
ruin British commerce and menace English domi-
MONS in India, ana yet you see that there has
been contrary result and EnGlshmen admit that
the canal strengthens their Indian domination
But as to your direct question, let me say cannot
believe that Russia has ever dreamed OF in
vading British India either In the near or dis
tant future. cannot see what Russia wants with
India. 1t would be an appalling burden to be held
by the sword, as IL Ia now held by England and
that they would be compelled to do, as they could
never hope or wish to make IL an integral part OF
their empire Russia has o mission in ASIA Its
arms have pacified and conquered the Wild, lawess
tribes who for centuries have spread over Central
Asia. They have carried enlightenment into the
homes OF barbarism. Again, also, any enterprise
on the part OF Russia against India would involve
war with England. You can see at what disad.
vantage this war would be made. Look ut the
bases OF communication and supplies. England
would have the sea for its communications and its
incalcuable wealth Of resources. Russia would
have the steppes and some OF the highest noun
tain ranges in the world, and limited resources at
home. In word. England would have the sea,
Russia the desert.
PALMERsTON ON THE sUEz CANAL.
Your correspondent ventured to ask what would
be the value OF this argument were England TO lose
the command of the sea. NJ. de Lesseps replied,
~ see no chance Of that. I do not think that
Englishmen themselves know how vast and over
towering Is their maritime strength. l remember
when was planning the Suez Canal, and when the
British government was vehemently opposing the
scheme, had an interview with Lord PalmerstOn
"But you will hurt our commerce. said his lord
SHIP who always became angry ana irritable at
any Idea Of the canal. His idea was that when the
isthmus was cut Marsellles was much nearer to
Bombay and Canton than Liverpool, and Liverpool
would be ruined. ! then asked him ne
knew what proportion the maritime COM
merce OF Great Britain bore to that of
other European nations. He replied he had no
idea, and showed him that 1t was more than all
the rest combined. However. could not convince
him that the success OF the canal would not be the
overthrow Of Liverpool But time has INDICATED
the judgment OF the men who made the canal"
ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN RTvALRIEs.
Returning to the conversation on British and
Russian rivalries in Asia, NJ de Lesseps said -
"what could Russia gain by driving England out OF
Aoia hat nn1d In fho pnor NJ
200, 100000 Of men, more than has been
achieved by England. and in what way could
she be benefited more than now ? The value to
mankind Of the British occupation Of India s the
protection and encouragement Of commerce, law,
order, security. Russia could not do this
more successfully than has been done by
England. The other day ! said to LORD
Lyons DO try and induce your people to aban
don the absurd Palmerston policy-which was only
q remembrance Of the elder Napoleon legend that
England could only be destroyed through India.
That remembrance made Lord Palmerst0n the
bitter enemy Of the suez Canal and threw in
credible obstacles in the way Of an enterprise
which has been Of enormous advantage to the
commerce Of England and its hold upon India
Lord Lyons listened to what I said, was deeply
interested, and asked me to write it down for his
own government. Now as to the Russian feeling.
The other day q Russian, Prince Schahovskoy
Streschner, Governor of Esthuria, came to see me.
He had an income OF 100000 q year, and could
not spend 1t. II money could serve me, 1t was
ready. I said had no need Of money now. There
were no expenses but those for surveys and at his
request promised him admission into the original
promoters and directors of the company. But this
shows you how England and Russia feel-the en-
thusiasm Of one people, the apathy and dstrust Of
the other.n
Your correspondent then called the attention OF
M. de Lesseps to his published letter to General
lgnatef, in which he said that the proposed rail-
way through Asia would tend to dissolve all jeal-
ouses between England and Russia in Asia, and
said that the avcrment was opposed to all popular
Impressions as to Asiatic politics and seemed
almost impossible.
mot at all, not at ALL" said M. de Lesseps,
earnestly. II am as profoundly convinced that the
dosa NJ mi lxUo in Aaia