The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-26
FROM CALAIS TO CALCUTTA IN A WEEK.
Central Asia TO Be Civilized by the
Solid Progressive RefOrmer.
General Ignatieff's Reply to the
Protector.
The Undertaking About To
Be Launched.
TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.

The following special despatch to the
HERALD has been received from our CORE
spondent in the Russian capital
ST.. PETERSBURG, May 25, 1873
It is believed that the Russian imperial gov
eminent assents to the proposition of Ferdi-
nand de Lesseps for the construction of COM
plete line of railway communication running
across Central Asia from st. Petersburg and
connecting with the English railways in India
to Calcutta.
In letter addressed to General Ignatieff,
Russian Minister at Constantinople, by Mr..
Lesseps, under date of May l, the writer
says:-
"a realization of this grand project fore
shadows the cessation of antagonism between
Russia and England in consequence of the
present position Of the intermediate territories
through which it is proposed to run the road.
These territories once traversed by the iron
rail, the accomplishment will remove all
obstacles which present themselves to the
expansion of European civilization, and the
rival Empires will be rendered secure by the
attainment Of solid, mutual guarantee
against the assaults of an aggressive semi
barbarous population. The distance from
Calais to Orenburg is already covered almost
NV
fore, only for Russia the construction Of the
line from Orenburg to Samarcand, fifteen hun
dred miles. From Samarcand to Peshawur is
eight hundred and fifty miles /; from Peshawur
to Calcutta-already constructed-two thou
sand two hundred and fifty miles, Counting
the way from Calais to Calcutta seventy-fve
hundred miles, with gap only the third of
the distance, travellers from Europe can 60
from st. Petersburg to Calcutta in a weeks
time The preliminary expenditure will be
six hundred thousand dollars, and this will
occupy two years"
| THE RUSSIAN MINISTER'S REPLY.
To this communication of NJ de Lesseps
General Ignatieff replied in complimentary
terms. He said he would communicate
with His Excellency Prince Gortschakof on
the subject"
| THE UNDERTAKING COMING UNDER WEIGH
NJ. de Lesseps has since resolved to launch
the project and form company; hence it is
supposed that he has received the Russian
Imperial assent
| India.
The annual report OF Mr. Juland Danvers the
British Government Director OF Indian Railway
Companies, published in January, 1872 furnishes,
formation upon points Of general interest relating
to railway progress and its profits in Asia. The
writer says
| The extent OF railway communication oper1 in
| India 10 $3.50 miles OF which $50 miles were com.
pleted In 1901, and 2l1 SINCE The three Presi-
| dency towns and the capitals OF the Northwest
' provinces and OF the Punjab are united, and the
Of trunk lines aid OUT by the late Lord Dali
inc II Negapatam, the most southern terminus OF
the y, esent MADRAS system, and proceeding by
Romnay, Jubbulpore Allahabad and Lahore 10
Msnta. on the Indus, contin sous length of about
. 400 mile Oh railway has been formed All this
has been ectcd at cost OF about f70 600 and
nroats AZ the rate or three and half per cent
mon ms sum OF about els 200, 900 has been ex-
pended upon the other lines open for trafac and
nnon those which are In progress, making q total
oiltlay of Ess,O0o 900 upon railways up to
the slr OF March, 1870 Much progress has
not at present been mate on what are termed
the STATE lines-viz., those which the government
OF India has determined to construct under Its own
immediate supervision, without the intervention
OF companies. small branch rom the Great In
dian Pennsular Halfway TO the cotton mart or
0omrawuttce, Of seven and half miles In length,
has been opened, making the second line OF this
description which has been constructed by the
government In the Central Provinces; but the line
from Lahore towards Peshawur has not been ad-
vanced beyond laying 1t out as far as Jhelum,
distance OF lo2 miles. Delay In proceeding with
the works In this undertaking has been
occasoned BY the proposal to alter the
designs which had been prepared for the
standard gauge, and TO adapt them to the
marrow gauge. Now that this question has been
settled In the Affirmative new plans are being maze,
ana operations VIII comence In earnest. The fol-
lowing are
THE STATE LINES IN CONTEMPLATION.
Length
Niles
The Punjsb Northern from Lahore to Pesha To
me inaus 'ahey' IRON Moal.an to kctree ........ W
Lines in RajpoOtana From pshI join the above. Ias
From Indore TO khundwa, ON Great Indian PENN