New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-25
1RILLROAD TO TINBNC1OO.

any other act OF the present administration
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RAILROAD To TINBUC1OO
While De LcsseDs is trumpetlng the shares
of his Panama Canal project i'll the columns
of the Paris press, an enterprise OF more mn
portance to French commercial interests, ana
one more gratifying to French national plide,
has been organized by the Governor of French
Senegal, and is in fair way of being pushed
forward to speedy completion. II is nothing
less than railroad from q harbOr on the
West Coast of Africa to the Valley of the
Niger. During the past ten years the FEAST
bility of reaching the vast fertile region of
the Soudan has been much discussed III the
French newspapers and reviews, but the rail
roads projected for that purpose were to start
from the Mediterranean at Algicrs or Tripo.i
and cross the Great Sahara Desert. The
feasibility OF building and running rail-
road across the Desert was not doubted 10y
engineers who were familiar with the nature
of the ground. but the immense distance OF
arid waste the line would have to traverse
before it could reach a region aifording it
any traffic discredited the scheme as Il bust
ness venture. Ii remained for N. Brierc de
rIsle, the Governor Of Senegal, to demon
strate that the SOudan could he reached from
the west coast OF the continent by n line only
half tie length OF that projected from Algiers,
and one possessing, besides the great advan-
tage of tIaversing for the greater rart OF tie
way a wcll-pc0pled, fertile agricultural cOun-
try, which would furnish 1t with considerable
traffic. The distance from AlCicIs t. the
Niger in straight line is 1900 kilometres,
willie that from Dallar. the best barber on
the west coast, is only 1900 kilometres (abOut
1000 milca).
The name of Sjcudan is applied by ceogra-
piers to the region lying between the Sahara
on tho north, the BASIN of the Nile on the
east, Sencgamba on the west, and Guinea aud
tie uueNpOrcd regions OF Equatorial Africa
on the south. This vast territory is about five
and hall times us large as France. 1t has been
explored in large part by Aiungo Park Clap
pertor, Denham. the brothers Lander, C9ile,
Rarth, Mage, Gerard ROhlfs. and Nachtig.l.
The western part is watergd by tie Niger
and tie eastern part is composed chiefly OF
the Valley of the i nuwe. the principal uibu-
tary of the Niger, and Oi Il number OF alluyil
basins surrounding large lakes Speaking in
a general way, the Sou Jan may he said to be
an immense plain, having the triple Condi
tions OF great fcrtlity-a deep soil, abundant
water and q tropical climate. The region is
well populated by tribes of negroes VINO live
in villages under the rule Of petty chiefs, and
who gain an easy subsistence by cultlya-
ting the land. Some of the tribes are
Mahometans others are fetish worShlppers.
The agricultural resources OF the SOudan are
very great. Its productions are cotton, coffee,
indigo, rice, pepper, ginger, wheat. barley,
maize, dates, and great variety of fruits and
vegetables. To tap this vast, rich country by
railroad, bring its varied products to
the markets of the civilized world and supply
it with manufactures, is an ambition worthy
of q great nation like France.
NJ. Briere dc I'Isle's project is already well
advanced. The French Chamber has Just
voted 100000 francs for the continuation
of the surveys begun last spring and for the
completion Of a telegraph line over the first
section of the road. The whole cost of the
road will, il is believed, be about 500, 900, 900,
and the time required to construct it is given
as six years. 1t is proposed that the French
Government should undertake the construc-
ton of the eastern section, running from
Medne to the Niger, distance of
$40 kilometres, leaving the middle and
western sections to be built by companies al
ready organized in Paris. The western sec
ton will run from Saint Louis, the capital of
Senegal, to Dakar, a distance of $50 kil0-
metres. and it IL believed will be self-su3tain-
ing from the first. The port OF Saint Louis
is 80 difficult of access, on account of the
sand bars which form Mt the mouth of the
Senegal River, that the trade of the place
will seek the excellent harbor of Dakar,
| where large ships come up to the side of the
| wharvcs This and the middle section,
| branching off at M'pal and extending to
| Medine, distance of $50 kilometres, have
already been thoroughly surveyed prelim-
| mary survey OF the eastern section, from
! Medine to the Niger Valley, "a distance of
! 500 kilometres, was made tins year by an
| expedition fitted out by the Governor of
| Senegal, which succeeded in reaching lis
destination after much suffering IN desert
aud a sharp battle with II native tribe.
TIE French control very little of the coun-
! try through which the road will run, but
treaties have already been made with most
! of the native chiefs whose domains 1t is to
| traverse, which guarantee protection to con-
| struction parties and tho safe working OF
the line. Less difficulty was found witt the
| heather than with the Mabometan tribes. "A
| few years ago the enterprise would have been
impracticable, owing TO the hostility OF Ell
| Hadi- Omar. a nOwerfnl Mussulman chief who