The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-03

ROUTE OF THE GREAT SIBERIAN RAILWAY.
STA, the constant friction on the bound
aries of their colonies in the east and
the apprehension with which each has
regarded the slightest movement the
other has made in that direction It is
presumed that when the Siberian rail-
way is in operation it will be possible to
make the trip from Moscow to Vladivos-
tok inside of 10 days.
That Russia evidently had the mill
tary posi- bilities of the road uppermost
in her mind when it was decided to pro-
coed with its building is shown by the
fact that the estimated capacity of the
road is based upon the number of mill
tary trains which may be sent over it in
"a hours. For its strategic value alone
Russia could well afford to put the
$27O, 900, 900 which is will cost into this
railroad, without regard to the other
advantages it offers.
In case of hostilities between Russia
and England the former country would
be able in a comparatively short time to
send large number of troops by means
of this great railway system to attack
Great Britain s Indian possessions. Eng
land would be forced to send her troops
by means of transports through the Med
iterranean and Suez canal or across the
the Pacific ocean.
From a commercial point of view also
the importance Of the Siberian road can
not be overestimated. 1t will furnish
means of transportation for the Chinese,
Japanese and Indian trade to Europe
and divert the commerce of the east that
now travels in caravans from the lines
it follows farther south. The popular
notion of Siberia is that it is a barren
waste, extending from the frozen ocean
on the north to the burning semitropic
plains on the south, and that its chief
inhabitants are Russian political prison
ers who have been condemned to spend
their lives in the mines of this almost
unknown region But this idea is very
far from the truth.
AS a matter of fact it embraces enor-
nous areas of exceedingly fertile soil
and possesses climatic conditions favor
able to the development of agricultural
industries. It is also rich in minerals
Iron and coal are found nearly all over
Siberia and in veins of exceeding rich
ness Gold, too, exists in abundance.
These mineral deposits are now neglect
ed simply because the present cost of
transportation is too high to permit
them to he worked proftably. The rail
way will cheaper the carrying of nipple
ments and stores to the mines and in
crease the supply of laborers, who are
not numerous enough in great many
places 1t will also facilitate the mar
keting of the output, and as the road is
to be a government institution probably
the golden rule of ''all the traffic will
bear" will not be allowed to throttle
the industries it is built to promote.
Hitherto the principal barrier to the
development of civilization in Siberia
has been the absence of regular commu-
nication with European Russia as well
as between the most important indus
trial ana administrative centers within
the country itself. The railway will re-
move this barrier and will pour in
flood of immigration from the congested
districts in Russia and from other places
where the pressure of 1andless popula-
ton upon the limits of subsistence is in
imical to the stability Of existing insti-
tutions.
The influence of the new road upon
the commerce of the world must not be
lost sight of 1t will connect 400. 00O.-
900 Chinese and So, 600, 600 japanese
more directly with Europe The journey
from Europe through Vladivostok to
Shanghai will be made in 18 or 20 days
instead of 45 by way of the Suez canal
or So by way of the American transcon-
tinental railways, as at present. It may
also have much to do with determining
that great contest between Asiatic. and
European civilization which farseeing
statesmen have declared must ono day
1>o sott1ad