New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-02
RUSSIpS GREATEST CONQUEST.

Russia is cutivating the arts of peace as well
as those of war; While her agents are intriguing
in Bulgaria and Armenia, and her armies massing
on the Austrian frontier, her engineers are press
ing forward enterprise of far greater import
than the dethronement Of Ferdinand or the
occupation Of Stamboul. This is nothing less
than the construction of the transSiberian rail-
road, which has been dreamed of and talked Of
for years, and generally dismissed as an impracti-
cabity. That it is, however, entirely practicable
has now been demonstrated. The whole line has
been surveyed, and the cost estimated with reason
able accuracy And during the present spring
the work of actual construction on the longest
railroad in the world will be begun.
The western extremity of the road will be at
the mining town of MASK, In the northern part
of the province Of Orenberg, the eastern side
Of the Ural Mountains. Russian railroads already
extend to Zlatoust on the western side of the
Trails only twenty miles from Mask, and con-
Meeting line between the two towns will soon be
built From MASK the road will run to Chela-
binsk sixty-four miles; thence to Tukalinsk, cross
ing the Irish River. TO KaenslS to the River Tom
q branch of the Obi, 9s7 miles; thence to Kras-
nojars< to Kanslt. TO Mini Oudinsk. on the Upper
Tungoose River the chief branch of the fenisel'
700 miles; thence up the river TO IrSutsk, 1922
Bail1al TO MweesoTsky Pier, 1914 miles thence
northeast to Srietinsk, on the Shelka River $50
miles: thence along the AMOR River to the juno
ton of the Ussur where it will cross the Amoor
and run in almost straight line southwest to
Vladvostok, on the Sea of Japan 1,7SO miles.
The total length, from Mask to VladivostoI, is
thus 4,785 miles. or nearly twice that or the
Canadian Pacific Railroad.
yvb
is on the whole, favorable to railroad building.
It is generally we'll populated. Much of 1t is
phenomenally rich for agricultural purposes and
the rest of it is equally rich in metals Excellent
timber is plentiful, and there is no lack Of water.
There will be some bridge building, and some
mountain tunnelling, but there will also be hun
reds of miles across plains, where scarcely any
grading is required. The estimated maximum
cost including surveys, grading building stations,
rolling stock and indeed everything needed for the
construction and equipment Of the road, ranges
from S3345O per mile from MASK to Chelabnsk,
70 S6S000 on the short section around Lake
Baikal and of the whole road, SlS3, 900. n
large sum- but how small in comparison with the
cost of a war with the Triple Alliance
This route, it will be observed, entirely ignores
and abandons the magnificent project of an
co-Asatic railroad system, with its two great
divisions in conjunction at Behring Strait The
Pacific terminus is thousands Of miles from the
shores Of that strait to which desolate region no
railroad is likely ever TO make its way The
road will cross three Of the four great rivers
of Siberia, securing the already enormous COM
merce thereon. And it will place the whole
northern frontier of the Chinese Empire at the
mercy Of Russia whenever the conflict for the
mastery in Eastern Asia is precipitated. Indeed,
the commercial industrial and political possibil.
tiles which the enterprise brings into immediate
contemplation are indescribably great so great
as to dwarf, by comparison, all plans of Russian
conquest In the Balkans In Armenia and in Iran.
It is Annenkon, the engineer. rather than any
Of her generals, who will make the greatest mark
on the current pages of Russa's history.