New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-21
THE INVASION or SIBERIA.

Those who have been accustomed 10 regard
Siberia with horror aS 4 terrible and dcNolaic
waste colouized exclusively by the criminal
ponula,io7 Of Russia will be surprised 70 learn
that there are two cnicrpriSing nations name
Is. the English and the Chinese, who consider
il sufficiently attractive 90 be worthy OF in
vaslon. The conquest upon winch me! are
Loot j. of An economic rather than o! po-
li;cIl nature. and their object X 10 secure pos
session. not Of the rulcrship, bat Of the trade
and commerce o. Siberia the value Of which.
according to Baron Nordcn>>od IA" highest
authority on the subject. l. >tupend"uS. ne
IBERIA, ne declares. Surpa,Scs the North Amer
can Continent in is area of cutyahlo soil
It's forest, are the largest in the world. and
It's mineral resources are immense.
Whne the russians are striving hy every
mean. in their power 10 exclude The Chinese
who. much to their diSmay are swarmine along
the amifcrouS bank, Of the upper lcniS"i
River. they are disposed H. foster and a>>i>i
British enterprise ~ siberia. The amnesty
between the Muscoyite> and the English. which
is So marked in the European portion Of the
Czar's mighty Empire. seems 20 zee replaced hy
feelings Of warm friendship cas' Of the rral
10 devise the system Of irrigation which j. 20
transform southern siberia INTO the greatest
ootton Welding country Of the world; English
capital has been bc>pobcn for the construction
If the Trans siberian Railroad, and exceptional
facilities including remission Of all import
duties have been granted to ia" ButiSh
pioneers Of trade upon the siberian rivers.
Il Is possible. Of course. that tins display
Of good will on the part Of the Russians *
due 10 their intention Of barring out British
trade by means of IA piohlbItyc taiiif 50 SoCl
az ever the English shall have sufficiently de-
vclopcd siberian industry and commerce to
enable them to dispense with any further A.
sistancc But for tho present nothing j. even
limited Of any such design, except IN 4 very
guarded manner by one OF the most obscure
organs Of the -. Petersburg press. All the
n'hor newspapers. b0th on the banks # the
Ncva aud AT Moscow, unite with the London
journals IN rejoicing a. the success If the
establishment Of direct trading relations be
tween London and lcnisclSk, a atty ia the
interior Of siberia some fifteen hundred miles
from the mouth Of the YcniSci River. Until
4 few months ago Siberia had been sealed
against the chici products Of Western indus
try. which could only filter into the country
along The great MOSCOW highway or through
the Afghan passes ~ prohibltiyc cost. But
during the last summer merchandise has been
delivered straight from the port OF London
with only one tian>+hipmcnt Oh the way. 10
the quayS Of an emporium in the very centre
! of Siberia NalulbIc carguc> which left Lon
don early III August were actually Uarcbousod
AT IcniSciNk in October, and the little fleet
has jus: Icaca"l the Thames on it, return
journey richly laden with Siberian produce
This opening up Of the trade Of continent
that has until now been rcputcd even darker
| than Africa cannot but exercise Favorable
influence upon the industry and commerce Of
the entire world and in view Of this fact We
should not hesitate 70 congratulate Great Bit
am upon the enterprise which she has dis
played, and Russia for her cnli ghtcncd and
far-sighted policy in the matter.