The New York herald., 1874-11-21
RUSSIAN RAILWAYS.
Effect Of the New Development
on the Question Of the East.
Military and Commercial Adyantages-ln.
creased Power OF the Gar.
A Heavy Blow at the Trade
Of England.

LONDON, Nov. 6, 1874.
Only few weeks ago the Emperor OF Russia,
whose power within his own dominions Is uniim-
tied, received NJ. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the most
enterprising engineer IN the world, In private
interview at Ems. l saw them both shortly AFTER
ward, and they appeared almost equally impressed
by the results of the conversation they had had
together. The imagination Of NJ. de Lesseps was
all on fire. and he mad planned series OF public
works which would change the face OF all the
earth II II were carried into executlon-and M. de
Lesseps Is not man who Is likely to abandon
project after he has once conceived IT. Difficulties
do not frighten him, because he Is accustomed to
deal with them. he knows perfectly well how
money can be raised and how o new scheme can
be coated by bold dnanciering II Is also worthy
OF note that the credit OF all descriptions
or Russian paper guaranteed by government is
extremely good; and although her currency )
subject 10 awkward fluctuations at times, her nve
per cent bonds are two and half per cent above
par according TO the last quotations OF the Stock
Exchanges OF Europe. Moreover, 1t Is fact OF
which capitalists are well aware. that the
Emperor of Russia has full power to pledge the re-
sources OF hts country TO any extent; and also.
that ne is an honest man who will keep his en-.
gagements with honorable fidelity. As soon,
therefore, as Russia asks for cash to make new
railways, whatever sum she requires Will be
here be observed that, In the year 1860, when the
United States had upwards OF $4,000 miles OF
railroad, Russia had barely 1000 miles. To-day
there already TO- 900 miles OF rails laid down in
Russia against 70 900 in the United States. This
progress, or rather abrupt awakening to progress,
Is in every respect remarkaDle: the increase
during the last decade being tenfold in Russia,
while In the United States the length Of railway
mileage Is nearly doubled. In plain truth there
iore 1t Is now clear that Russia Is determined to
possess herself OF the highroad between Europe
and lndla and to deprive the old route OF Its traf-
fc. England does not seem sufficiently aware of
this fact, aud as she has become accustomed to
ceive her Indian news through the columns OF the
NEW YORK HERALD it is doing her o friendly turn
to call her attention 10 1t.
THE RUSSIAN RAILROAD SYSTEM
Is now divided into two great sections. The first
comprises the roads running in northwestern
direction towards the southeast. The second EN-.
braces those roads which connect the northeastern
provinces with the districts OF the southwest.
Some necessary variations excepted it will be
seen that the whole OF the vast regions
OF the Russian Empire have been mapped out
into immense squares, producing at cursory
glance something like the effect OF a chess board.
The remotest parts OF the country are thereby
brought into unbrOken communication with each
other, while at the same time all the lines have
been centralized at the second metropolis OF the
Empire. From Moscow no less than six different
roads radiate In various directions, although 1t
would appear, alter patient examination of the
map, that the city OF Orel Is the most central
point OF the Czar's dominions. When the great
network which has been planned with consum-
mate engineering skill, is fnshed-and 1t mas
been brought very near to completlon-the travel
! ler may 90 In straight line from ST. Petersburg
| to the Crimea or to the borders OF Persia, while
the banks OF the river Volga, as well as the base
OF the Ural Mountains, may be reached with equal
facility.
THE MYSTERIES OF THE GREAT EMPIRE,
which has excited so much curiosity and so much
speculation, will thus be revealed TO the world.
The country, often supposed TO be wholly bar
barous. will be more Justly appreciated and its in
habitants better understood These Russian rail.
roads have been constructed on system which
evlnces much method and iorerhought. The lead.
! ing features OF 1t seem to indicate that the
I national government, which exercises supreme
! power, Is determined to make 1t felt through the
length ana breadth OF the land, as completely as
that Of the civic authorities controls the concerns
Of 0 small town. Thus city engineer will lay
down the plan according to which new
streets are to be built, ana unless he did
so every person might think he had a
right to erect fancy structures, and we should
4
sian government has wisely decided that there
shall be no chance work applied to her means OF
communication. 1t mas taken care that they shall
! be devised and carried out with o comprehensive
view TO the commercial and social Interests OF che
people and that they shall strive Tor strategic
purposes winch will render her almost invinciDle
as military nation. or, at all events, secure from
attack. The advan rages which Russia has &C.
CURED py her political foresight in this direction
are truly astounding An army could be brought
down from the vicinity Of Moscow or st. Peters,
burg to any given point with unexampied ceier-
ity. Masses OF troops could be thrown on either
the Prussian Austrian frontiers slmulta neously
by six or seven different roads ON the other
hand. should there be
AN INVASION OF RUSSIAN TERRITORY,
the invading army would necessarily be exposed
at every point to aank movements. The SUBJ
joined statement, which have derived from an
authentic source, and which deserves the at.
tentive perusal OF Lord Sasbury-wno Is probably
the only English Cabinet Minister able to compre
hend Its importance-brleny enumerates the
various roads described in the two sections above
mentioned, and conveys an interesting idea OF the
through tratiic which will be shortly established
between the extreme terminal points OF these iron
lines
TYPOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS
| The first section comprises the railways which
commence at the northwestern limits OF the Em-
pire and end in a southeast directions
FLst-From Hesinglors (Flnland), with branch
TO Tavastcnanes, through viDorg 70 st. Peters
burg and thence to MOSCOW.
Second-From Riga to Dunaburg, thence to
VitebsS. Smoensk, Ore KursK, KnarKov, term
mating at Taganrog, In the Sea OF Azof.
MTd-From Libau to Kowns. thence to Wilma,
Pnsk, Zytomvi, Berditchev Stanisavchez, Ba!ta,
terminating at odessa.
tourh--From viteDsk to Mohylev, Njeselin,
Putava, SimleropO terminating at Sebastopol
I'LL NJ nhna ttttnV V,tf Lfvn-
1gsDurg TO BalystoCk and Bresc- Lltewski.
HIM-From Novo-Georgevsk 10 Warsaw, Ivan.
gorod, Luolin, Zamosc, TomasZoh, terminating In
the direction OF Lemourg, III Austria.
THE SECOND SECTION OF RUSSIAN RAILWAYS
comprises the following roads,
Ftrst-From st. Petersburg to Narva, Revel and
Baltic ports.
Second-From st. Petersburg to DunaburE,
Wara eu Iac iuri.,z