The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-10-30
SIBERIAN WATERS NAv1GABLE.
Captain wigglns' twenty Years srug-

twenty-five years since he had COM
menced his first voyages to the Kara
sea and the estuaries of the great riv-
ers Yenesei and Obi. Merchants and
capitalists, both in England and Slbe-
rit (Sidorov Trapezni6ov, Siboriakov),
had gradually become convinced of the
correctness of his assertion that the
Kara sea was open for the navigation
of vessels especially adapted for this
work, and if the Yenesei and Obi are
navigable even during short period OF
the year, 1t would create extensive
trade relations between Europe and the
whole Of Asiatic Russia. The gigantic
area comprised under the general term
of "Asiatic Russia" would be brought
into commercial relation with the rest
of the world through the medium OF the
immense network of waterways, all
flowing with the exception of the
Amur) from south to north. His first
voyage was on the Diana, a yacht spec
tally adapted for this work and manned
by a picked crew of the best Scotch
whalers. He set sail from England on
June 5, 1874, and entered the Kara sea
through the Iron Gates on June "a,
where the large quantity OF ice he met
with convinced him that he had arrived
six weeks earlier than was necessary.
The ice moved northward owing to the
Gulf Stream, and the waters Of the
White sea, the Pechora, and other riv-
ers flowing into the Kara sea through
three straits, the MatovchlSin Shar the
Iron Gates and the Yukorsk Shar The
presence of this warm water was
shown by thermometrical observations
made on the surface, and also Its inner
Depths in the vicinity of the Kara
Gate, where the temperature was for
ty-five degrees Fair.
Observations of the magnetic devia-
ton Of the compass proved a deviation
of thirty degrees to the east In the
northern portions Of the Kara sea. The
accuracy of the old Russian charts was
confirmed, and does credit to the Rus
sian travellers or photographers A Sc
ries of soundings and measurements
was made. During the whole course of
the voyage, as far as two hundred miles
inside Of the Gulf Of Obi, the depth was
not less than six fathoms. This was
the beginning Of August, and every
where the sea was free of ice. Having
spent two months in the Kara sea, he
returned home with the conviction that
| it was accessible for navigation even
further north than the mouth of the
Yenesei Captain Virgins gave a gen
eral survey of the various expeditions
twenty In number-beginning
from 1874 in which not less than thirty
seven different vessels have taken part,
accomplishing voyages to the mouths
of the Obi and the Yenesei and also up
these rivers. He enumerated the voy-
ages made under his command, and
was convinced that no shipwrecks were
due to the fogs and other causes, which
might be met during navigation in any
other quarter Of the globe. He next
enumerated the expeditions of Nord-
ensKjold Gardner, Sidoroy, Sibirakov,
Baron Knoop, Trapeznikov, and Ger
| man expeditions to Nadim. Not less
than twenty -four expeditions, COM
posed in all of thirty-seven vessels (of
which five were sitting ships, quite I'M
suited to such voyages), safely trav-
ersed the Kara sea without any imsad-
| ventures or hindranees from ice. The
| trading vessels sailing on the Kara sea
during the past twenty years, including
| Norwegians and those which formed
| part of the above-named expeditions,
number altogether two hundred and
| thirty. Steamers of ordinary construc-
4 ton should be conveyed by steam
vessel of special type and build, for in-
yestigating the shape of the ice and in
! dicating the course over the Kara sea,
and, in case of need. for affording me-
cessary assistance. Up river the fuel
used on the steamers is wood, of which
there is an abundant supply An Inn
mense timber trade is in store for en-
terprising exporters. The natives are
robust and superior to the Esquimaux
Reindeer furnish the Samoyeds with
everything they need-food clothing
shelter and the means of transport
They purchase tea and other Injuries
from the Russians, and altogether lead
an independent and happy life. AS a
rule, the summers are fine, with an
abundance of wild fruits and flowers
while the winters are as clear as In
Canada. With regard to gold mining
the greater part of it was conducted In
a very primitive manner simply wash
ing the earth in q shallow tray and let
ting the refuse escape. The late Empe-
ror Alexander Ill took warm interest
in this question of a Kara sea passage
In reference to the grand Siberian rail-
way, he said it would connect the Bal.
tic ports with the Pacific ocean, cover
ing the immense distance of sever
thousand English miles The construc.
ton of this railway completes the rail.
way belt round the world. The honor
of forging this last link has fallen, t.
the lot of Russia. The railway will
create new life, by attracting popula.
ton and developing the industries ant
wants of the inhabitants All bulky
articles, such as grain, timber, etc, re-
quiring cheap freight, would, as {
natural consequence, be transported by
the immense waterways of Siberia ant
find an issue toward the sea. The case
would be the same with the importa,
ton of machinery and other bulky ar.
ticles. The wealth of the Siberian GOLD
mine owners is proverbial; therefor,
their capital, which is now lying semi
dormant, will circulate a thousand fold
labor in this Ell Dorado being the only
thing required. When the straits ant
entrances to the rivers have been ex
actly determined and improved maps
published, vessels from all European
ports-Russian and foreign alike-wil