Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-08-15
THE TRANSCASPIAN.
RUsslA's NARROW GAUGE RAILWAY
TO sAMARcANO.


] ing the OrientaIs.
/ An important event in the Old Worlds
history las been the completion by Russia
[ Of narrow gauge railway from Oren.
/ burg. In the Transcaspian province, to
| Samarcand. the holy" Mohammedan city
Of Bokhara or western Turkestan. The
/ shrll shrek Of the locomotive within $50
miles OF the gates Of Herat and within,
too, about 600 miles Of the northwestern
military frontier Of British India, Is an
event 10 give pause to the observant pub
licist In all lands. Just as surely as It will
arouse another spasm Of terror and de-
spair among our British cousins, especially
Of the lingo faith In politics.
The appearance by rail Of the Russians
within comparatively easy campaign dis
:Rnces Of Herat, the gateway Of Afghan
stan, and Of Teheran, the capital Of Per
sia. Is unquestionably. as affairs stand, a
menace to the British Indian empire It
Is perhaps an even more direct menace TO
the great Chinese kingdom and power. It
certainly threatens, as a near possibility,
the independence Of Persia, and II 30, the
possible and probable absorption of Beelo-
chistan on the Persian gulf But the
military character Of the situation will be
found. when analyzed. to DO the smaller
factor In IT,
Without doubt Russia has driven this
little track across the Merv desert to the
east Of the Caspian sea and over the fer
Lille plains or praries Of Bokhara for a
military purpose But on Its existence
Russia can have but slight hope, as any
me can see who has any experience In
military matters OF making 1t the means
" precipitating operations against the
British power In India There Is In the
Russian Caucasus but one railroad, and in
the adjacent parts OF European Russia
out one other well equipped road on which
troops TO any number could be moved to
the shores OF the Caspian The fleet on
that inland water Is quite large and could
DO rapidly made available for military
transportation 1t has been reported that
a least one thousand vessels navigate
that sea, OF which one half are steamers
II considerable tonnage The railroad
east OF tue Caspian. which is now at
Samarcand 800 miles beyond the sea. and
the petroleum fields which have created
It's large marine, Is but a poorly equipped
road II will not carry over fifty
tons per train according to David Ker
and other travellers It's cost is said not
TO have exceeded $4,000 roubles per mile
that is to say. about $4,000 in our
money A bare statement of the fact
that this Samurcand Caspian road is of
the character indicated shows quite plainly
that the Russian war office, which Is ably
directed and understands Of necessity the
science of logistcs especially In view of
the territorial difficulties they must over.
come In all their movements can have
no idea OF preciptating an army on Brit
lsh India All Russia can do now i'm a
hostile sense by means OF this new rail
road OF hers Is 20 annoy the Anglo Indian
empire. and prevent, perhaps that full
,uuceutrat ion about Constautmople which
British statesmen are now likely to deem
most desirable
In other aud more Importantly perma
nent ways the entrance OF the locomotive
into the ancient capital of Timuur, the
Tartar Is matter OF first class import
nnce 1t Is Tar more likely to tell. and
very early too, In favor Of the peaceful
and material development and rehabilia
ton of central Asia than to the provoking
OF more bloodshed Ii will of course con
centrate Russian power 10y its existence
and It will also focalize the diplomacy of
intugues which its ambition created. al
this new center one thousand miles be-
yuud the Transcaspau province, now
wholly secure in the hands Of its perma
nent army OF 100000 Russian soldiers
From Samarcand will 20 and to it will
come the agents who will bring all Turk
iSh nomadS 10 the Russian standard. who
vii, plot aud oahai IN Persia. who will eN
plore Thlnet aud the great uimalayuu
plateau who will press forward into the
northwest among the Mussulman Chinese
- the empire OF China, and also those
Who will In one way and another creep
'nto British India, with the view OF 70
menting disaiection there among the vast
native population, which Il Is conceded
by all Is sufficiently Disturbed to be good
material for such operations
All this presupposes that neither the
sagacious and able Anglo Indian soldiers
md statesmen, nor the very astute rulers I
Il the vast Celestial nationality, will do /
anything 10 prevent OF counteract the cN .
lvctod movements Of Russia Ii also .
-uores the largest factors In the problem /
shlch the railroad exploitation OF central .
\-ia and Siberia must produce Those
actors are involved In the now industrial .
ma commercial relations and conditions /
.utt arr constantly being evolved Cen
nrtes since all this central Asia reriou
',S the scat OF powerful and prusperous
aoples We imagine that they have al
ugether passed into what might be "in
sncuous desuotudr m these rt,spects
lUt the traditions Und some uf the forccs
II their former power and activity have
,ot been entiroly ob'uemted The ex
,rr,enccs Of hcyclist Thomas Stevens. I'M
90, Journey round the world have proven
uls
The Samarcand Caspian railroad will
tnally conqucr new development and
r,,Sh power fur native races uf Asia The
vmmerclM prize Tor which Russia con
ends Is graatrr one than The territorial
.r4ulsitlous 70 which OF necessity she vet
.splros She wants 90 get 20 the India
swan. and Grvay Britain win be wise 10
Allow her 10 DO 80, by means of a road
hrough Persia aud Bcviucuistau. New