The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-03-10

i colossal Projects of the Present Time
1t seems to be the object and deter
mlnatlon of the present age to set or
foot gigantic enterprises and undertak
ings by which to increase and perfect the
system of the world s commerce to such
an extent that coming generations will
find but little to do in that direction
Among them must be counted the sub
marine telegraphs, the successful pierc
ing OF the Alps for railroad purposes
the Pacific Railroads, the great lines oi
steamships for transportation Of passen-
gers and freight, and above all the con
/ struction Of the Suez Canal. and last,
but not least, the tremendous railroad
5 network all over America, as we'll as over
Europe. Since the unhappy effects and
consequences of the year 1873 have
gradually died away, innumerable plans
and projects for. gigantic measures to
increase the facilities for the CONNER
cial intercourse of the world have made
their appearance and many of them
have been partly executed already,
while others will soon be taken in hand.
Prominent among the latter are the
Construction Of the Panama and Nicar-
aqua Canals and the project of Captain
Eads to build railroad across the 18th
mus of Tehuantepec, in Mexico, on
which he proposes to carry. ships of any
and all sizes from ocean to ocean. In
connection with these projects stands
the construction OF complete railroad
net all over Mexico by American capi-
talists, and the finishing of the Southern,
Northern and Canadian Pacific Rail-
roads. The laying of submarine cable
from San Francisco to apan and China
will be the logical consequence of the
construction OF all Of these Pacific roads.
As far as our own American anaviga-
tlon and shipping. is concerned, there
IS in contemplation a stock company
whose object it is to build one hundred
iron steamships for coast, river and lake
navigation; the first seven Of these
steamships are now in progress of con
struction. The mouth OF the Mississippi
is now passable to the largest vessels,
and great projects are being planned
for the improvement of the levees of
that river. A navigation company has
been formed at New Orleans for the
purpose of monopolizing the total navi-
CATION of the Father of Rivers and its
tributaries. a~.T,s s,zEt ss4 ot
Western Europe is busy in the con-
struction of steam transports In order
to handle and move the tremendous
American freight and the constantly in-
creasing emigration tothe United States;
Hamburg aud Bremen are chiefly en-
gagged in such enterprises. In France
the construction of canals and railroads
is pushed forward; it is the intention of
that country to expend one thousands
millions of dollars in such improve
nients. In the East, Russia is ener-
getically pushing the completion of it's
railroads towards the South and Asia. l
Austria intends to construct an impor-
tant railroad from the Danube, through
Servia and Bulgaria, towards Constanti-
nople. The project Of Lesseps to pierce
the lsthmus of Corinth seems to have
been pushed into the background
through the Panama Canal project.
In Asia, also, great railroad enter
prlses are planned and partly in con-
struction. . The Chinese, who only a
short while ago destroyed and den1ol-
ished little railroad built by Euro
peans at Canton, because they regarded
the locomotive as being built in the
devils workshops, have now concluded.
to construct a railroad system on their
own responsibility, in order to connect |
all the chief cities of the interior OF that
vast Empire with Pekin. s Undoubtedly
the pigtails are driven to these enter
prises by their fear of the Russians, who
are tearing piece after piece from the
borders OF the Celestial Empire and whoyI
at the present time are preparing for
general attack. jqess rdf sa q Sea
That England, like Russia, entertains
its plans and projects for the construc-
tion Of railroads through Asia, towards |
India, is a well known fact. When |
England secured the possession Of Cy-
prus, it was generally admitted to be 7
proof OF the fact that that country in.
tended to build railroad in Asia Minor
1T a point nearest and most convenient
% the island. which should run along
'he River Euphrates towards the Gulf Of /
Persia. Preliminary surveys have al
'eady been. made; but when this plan
will be executed the English Goyern-
nent seems to regard as secret. 4
AS compared with England, the Rus
ian plans and projects in Asia are SIM
,ly tremendous. It is Russia intention
lot alone to connect the Caspian Sea
With the Sea of Aral,, but also to make
he River Amur- -Darja navigable as far
IS Tashkend. Russia. has already a
arge number of steam vessels on thatj
'iyer which run into the very heart
II Central Asia. But the most
sigantic plan of Russia IS the
of a railroad ssFs from I;
he Caspian Sea through Central Asia y
IS far as the frontiers aof China and
Afghanistan.~aThere is no doubt that
sesseps has his hands in all these Rus. !
ian plans; he has travelled through the
Interior of Asia for this purpose. The
obstruction of "a railroad through the
lesert along the Persian border, towards p
he chief cities of the Turcoinan and
seok-Fepe ana Merv must be regarded +
8 the beginning lot the Russian CentraEl
sailroad. 1t cannot be long before that
Dad will be pushed towards Herat in
and in an easteriy direc-
ION towards /. the frontier of China.
testing upon the beginning in the con-