The record-union., 1893-10-21
MoMBAsA TO VICTORIA NYANzA
An African Raiiroad G5T Miles Lon<
to BE Built by England.

RON6EoA ~ 1CLOH1A IN ANAa'
An African Raiiroad 65T Miles LonS
to BE Built by England.
Tho railroad between the Ipdian Ocean
and Victoria Nyanza. which was sur
veyed at the expense of the British Gov
ernment, is likely 10 be built. says the
New ork SIN. The report OF the sur
veyors has been published, and the
friends of the enterprise are gratihed to
hear that there are no serious difficulties
in the way. The most direct route possi-
bic to the northeast shore of the lake mas
been followed, and it is found that the
road will be 657 miles long. The esti-
mated cost of the projected railroad is
Sl3, ,200,0 eco. or an average OF S17 40 mile.
! The gauge proposed is three feet SIX
inches. No tunnels will be necessary,
and none of the bridges would be con-
sidered in other countries even second
class in point OF SIZE. Steel rails weigh
ing fifty pounds to the yard and from
thirty to thirty-six feet in length. are
recommended, and also steel transverse
sleepers, each weighing seventy pounds.
II viii not be economical and hardly
practicable to use wood for SleeperS. II
the road is built entirely of steel 1t Will be
practically iudestructible by such me-
chanical appliances as are within reach OF
the natives. 1t Is also better to use steel,
because the custom OF firing the grass and
the temptation to use wooden sleepers 1or
fuel or Tor building huts would expose
line laid with timber Sleepers to many
risks. White ants also are numerous,
and timber can hardly withstand their
assaults.
Only local traffic is expected at the
outset, and in order to keep down the
working expenses the surveyors recon-
mend that the stations at first be built at
least thirty miles apart. Additional sta
! tions will be provided later at SUCH points
as the traffic demands. The terminal
stations will be at Mombasa on the coast
and at the northeast corner of Lake Nlc-
toria. During the construction OF the
railroad telegraph line Will be neceS-
sary, and the large number OF workmen
employed and the constant movement
along the line will render the telegraph
line free from any danger OF destruction
by the natives. The surveyors anticipate
that the construction of the railroad Will
have a revolutionary effect, and Will en-
| tirely do away with the Nasal raids upon
the territory adjacent to the railroad.
For the first two years 1t IS expected that
the bulk Of the labor on the railroad VIII
have to be imported from India. 1t Will
also be necessary to MAINTAIN a sp6claL
railroad police force. The route passes
through some of the richest cultivated
districts and most populous regions IN
East Africa. From It's terminus on Lake
| Victoria communication by steamboats,
plying on the lake Will connect the rail-
road with the fertile districts around the
shores and grant the outlet that is so
necessary for the development of these
countries.
The general average speed Of trains is
! estimated at twelve miles an hour, IN
Guiding stoppages. On sections with
easy gradients and these include the
greater part Of the line, a speed Of twenty
miles or more may be permissible. w nen
the line is first opened trains will be run
only by daylight. This gives running
time OF ten hours, or q total distance trav-
! eled each day OF about l20 miles. The Of
/ ficials take a favorable view of the earn
/ ing capacity of the road. They say that.
/ in their opinion, the actual working eX-
/ penses Of the road tor the first few years
would not exceed $3l6, 900, and 1t is prob
| able that the road at the outset would be
able. from the freight and passenger trat-
/ iic to pay the working expenses. This
/ does not include the interest on the IN
vestment, and a. first there would be
deficit on the required amount OF gross
| earnings to pay all the expenses oil about
! 500, 900 year. They do not think, how
ever, that this deficit would be for many
years a tax upon the enterprise. Great
Britain has now assumed the control OF
Uganda, and as the building OF this
railroad is vitality necessary to the deYel-
opment OF the lake region, there seems
little doubt that the Victoria Nyanza rail-
road Will be the next enterprise OF the
sort to be carried out in Africa.