National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE PALESTINE RAILRoAD.

| since tho Drlei statement last month of tue
incorporation OF the Palestine railroad we
have learned additional facts concerning it
which give the enterprise new importance. IL
10 certain to become, when completed an eff
| cient element IN Eastern politics. In case of
pence, IL will be Of continuous benefit to tho
nations IL connects in case of war, 1t will
give immense advantage TO the power which
controls it. As was understood when the
charter was first made public, tho Massa-
chusetts corporators are small factor The
real work is to be dono with the financial sup
port of two large English banking houses.
and the charter was obtained with the mini.
mum amount of capital and number Of incor-
| porators There are in tho company fifteen
| men, with each one share of stock at one hun.
dred dollars, and only eight Of the fifteen live
| in Observation-Disclosures enough to come
within the law. 1t is likely, however, that the
enterprise will receive aid in this country,
perhaps more than was ut first expected for
within three days Boston capitalist has sub.
scribed for twenty.soven thousand dollars
worth of the stock. The same spirit. further
more, which led him to subscribe is likely TO
be an inducemont to Others
Under the charter the proposed road will
extend from Cairo In Egypt 10 Mosul on the
river Tigris, with branches TO Jerusalem,
Jafia Nablus, Beirut Aleppo, Iskendcroon
aud Erzeroum, IL IL should be judged best or
necessary to build them. In detail the route
is described as follows Beginning ut Cairo,
the road runs northward on the Pelusac
branch of the Nile to Port Said, the northern
end OF tho Suoz canal. At this point connection
will be possible with the lines of steamers
running between tho East and Europe.
Turning eastward from Port Said, tho road
will pass over the level plain near the seashore
across the desolntc tract between Egypt and
Palestine. Soon after entering Palestine it goes
through GAIA, Esdud 1.-THE ancient Ashdod), aud
thence to Ramleh. Al this place the br,nuhes
for Jafia and Jerusalem will leave the main
line, the Jerusalem branch ascending the
valley Of the Nalr Rubin and Wadi Surar. IL
reaches the city from the north and west Of the
GhOu valley and the station will be at or near
the Damascus gate. Leaving Ramleh. the
main line runs north through the plain of
Sharon to u point near the ancient Bethar,
whence branch is proposed 10 Nablus tho
ancient Shcchem. Continuing northerly from
Bethar to the Abu Zabura, the road ascends
that river valley and crosses the Carmel range
through the Megiddo pass.
From Cairo to this point the maximum
grade is twenty feet to q mile, and through
the pass 1t is forty feet to mile. From the base
of tho hill of Megiddo branch Is proposed, to
run down the plain Of Esdraelon, and thence
northward along the shore through Acre and
Sidon, and by the ruins of Tyre to Beyrout.
Iskendoroon lies north of Beyrout at the
northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea,
upon the gulf of the same name The main
line passes from Megddo across the plain Of
Esdraeon, by tho base Of Mount Tabor and
along the west side of Lake Genuesaret. 1t
crosses the Jordan at or near Jacobs bridge,
and follows up the valley sud gradually
climbs the Jebel IIeish at grade Of sixty feet
to tho mile. Crossing the summit and de-
scendng the valley on the other side, it
stretches across the plain to Damascus.
Thence 1t is projected to the Euphrates, to
connect with tho Euphrates Valley Railroad,
which is about to be built by an English COM
pany. From the river it extends to Mosul,
aud will connect there with proposed rail-
ruNd from Diabekir and the Black Sea.
Branches to Aleppo and Erzeroum will be con-
structed as soon us desired after the compile.
ton of the main line.
Such ID the plan. AS II stands, 1t brings
the Russian frontier near Egypt and makes
connections with Iuda more feasible If il
should prove to be the beginning of widely
extended system of railways from India to
Asia Minor and the Mediterranean Sea, it will
quicken wonderfully the older civilization of
the East with the newer civilization of the
West 1t will strengthen the power of Eug-
lsh arms, English customs and the English
language. With the influence England now
has over Turkey, with the island of Cyprus in
the control Of England, with railroad
straight into the continent built by English
money and managed IN English interests, the
island kingdom would be more than eyera
power in the East. Such ruad as this will
strengthen England in her delcrse against
Russia, whenever the contest comes between
the charging boundaries Of the dominion in
India aud the suuthward creeping line of tho
Muscovito empire.
1t is the intention Of the officers of the road
to push its construction rapidly US soon as the
necessary authority can be obtained from the
Turkish Government This authority is ex-
pectcd soon, through the exertions OF the pro-
jectors and the English aud American minis.
ters ut Constan tnople, Tho President OF the
road will depart in few weeks for London,
CUnstantnople and the East.-BOsiOu Adp.