New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-24
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
RAILROAD BUILDING IN ASIATIC TURKEY
PROSPECT OF AMERICANS SUCCEEDING GREATLY

A PROSPECT OF AMERICANS SUCCEEDING GREATLY
wHtnE OTHERS HAVE FAILED.
TO the Bditor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Referring the cable dispatch in Thursdays
TRIBUNE announcing the Sultans alleged proposals to
Mr. W. X. Vanderbilt Mr. Jay Could urging them
construct system OF railways through his MS t
may be OF interest Ia some readers OF 1HE TRIBUNE
hear the opinion OF resident OF Turkey for the
twenty who has aversed the best part of the said
domains during his stay there.
1t is certainly compliment TO Americans to receive
the first proposals OF the sort made by the Sublime
Porte TO Foreigners English, French and German car
talists have tried repeatedly To obtain rmans for
sructng railways in Asia, Syria and Palestine with
couple OF tring exceptions all such proposals have been
respectfully declined His Majesty ex-
pertinent IN Egypt and wanted few Europeans and
European interests in his vast domains possible.
Leaving Egypt out of the question las it Will be
II it is not already the smyrna Ephesus and Tarsus
Ad0na railroads. which under English control,
the only railroads in Asatic Turkey. and they cover
only a paltry miles. Twelve years ago rich
Partisan banker bent constructing short line in
Palestine from Jsha to Jerusalem, distance of forty
miles lie sent out engineers TO survey the land and
obtained statistics, but could never Obtain permit from
the sultan to build the road; the plans which cost
him thousands of dollars still his hands Other
capitalists have sried repeatedly TO obtain concessions
and permits from the Snltan for different railroad
schemes but always failed to make any impression
the willy Turk
Now that have got through with the outworks " las
saw AngO-Gernan bill OF fare headed recently at
of the principal hotels in strasDurg Will return to
my subject The first quest American capitalists will
ask is, Of VIII 1t pay !" There is no doubt
whatever in NV mind that or two judcious lines
I'm Asia would pay and pay well, viz: line from Alex
andretta at the extremity OF the Mediterranean
Sea TO the Persian Gulf Aeppo. Bagdad and Bosra
This would shorten the route between England and
India by several days. would naturally become the mall
route and would get large amount o. the goods and
passenger traffic between Europe India and Australia
besides having good local traffic this is one OF the
fertile sections of This short route to India
Lord BeacOnshed's aim in taking possession OF
Cyprus. and had he lived few years longer his plans
would probably have been It owing to
welknown project that England bought none OF the
IL quite possible thai the Young generation OF To-Day
Aslauc part OF Cohs'sntihOpie ro-gn t1e Appemey
fertile lands OF Asia Minor TO Bagiad ana the PERSIAN
Gulf, then connecting with the Egyptian railways at
Cantara on the suez Canal via the Euphrates Valley
ancient Babylon. Aleppo, HUNS Hans' damascus,
Egyptian railways now run rom AleAahurih ahu oalo
TO lsmaa, which IL only short distance from Cantara
A short branch line Of forty NIL from Nazareth
through the fertile plain OF Esdraelon to the GU! OF
Gaia, would follow "a natural result Cara Is Mt the
foot Of Mount Carmel, aud has me natural harDor.
ms branch line would make Cara Tue cLei seaport Oh
Syria ana Palestine. and would carry the Immense
amount OF grain from the Hanran, Damascus ana
Nazareth districts which conveyed yearly to the
seacOast by thousands OF cames This grand trunk line
prosperous country In the world. and would no doubt
also pay good dividend alter the first few years, as tho
country Is exceedingly rich and fertile, and the iron
horse inyars y opens up country AMI creates bnsl-
ness and traffic.
The first railway the Sultan desires doubt from
scutar ErzerOum aud TrebZOnd the Black sea, as
his late war Russia showed him tie great adyan
line would have Afforded for massing troops
10 cueck tine Russian advance.
The fertility OF soil and possibilities for develop
ment Asatic Turkey certainly very great, ana
whether American capitalists go IN for the Sultns rail-
road scheme not, In opinion II Will not he many
\ before
The present surplus populate Of Europe will begin 10
flock OF westward before long whether
the sultan welcomes them not and they viii repopu
late the thousands OF deserted cities and villages where
once hustled busy and prosperous people, but when
bowling wilderness IN full possession or the
prowling wolf tile sleepy owl and the noisy Jackal
Aec York, Jan. q, 1883 T. G. G.