New-York tribune., 1896-01-14
~ GRlNp SrRlTEGIc INV"

ono of those news items which are well de
scrihcd as important If true j. Just now III err
culntion concerning a great siberian rhlr"Au
.,.h.nr II come. from seattle. AMI bears IN"
t,on~c>. II authority of Clicf En- -inrcr lloen"'k'
80 the IrkuiSk and Nndivosiok division "f me
Tr,nssibcrinn Railroad. II tells us that Russia
has ARRANGED with the Governments of Persia.
,foh,nist1n and Bahlchisian 10 build branches
~ thc great Siberian line in those countries.
More interesting STILL the United states Govern
ment f., going 10 build A railroad. presumably
from Seattle. up the coast TO some Alaskan
,,vu" Between that Alaskan town and Nladi-
yostok will ply a ncet Of Russian steamships
hv means Of which eth" journey from Alaska
"to Vladiyostok will be made in twcniy-four
hours" This. adds the chief Engineer Is part
Of q grand strategic plan. on which there is
thorough understanding between the American
and Russian Governments. As previously re-
marked, this is important if true.
We fear. however. that there Is something of
an accent on the If" We may pass by such de
tails ns the arrangement with the Government
of HaluchiStan" seeing that Raurhist1n Is under
rrifsh rule: ana the curious geographical prob
lem Of running road over the Tibet Mountains
in Afrhanistnn. seeing that Tibet j. in China and
separated from Afghanisian by some hundr'ds
of miles Of British territory. Those are foreign
countries. and To express any interest In them or
10 profess any knowledge of them might be
deemed offensive .IingolSm But Alaska belongs
+, this country. and we may property be con
ccrncd with il We should therefore like 10
know "A few more things about the Alaska end
Of this scheme, in order 10 determine which IS
fine greater. It's apparent importance or It's ac-
ual truth.
For example, this country is to run railroad
M to some Alaskan town. by what yet undls
covered route; According to all accessible maps,
such road would have 10 traverse the ilye hun
drcd miles Of British Columbia which He be
tween tine northern edge of Washington and the
southern end of Alaska. But that would never
do. since this Is 10 be n grand strategic plan"
put up 10y the United States and Russia alone
Can II he that the famous ~ deg. 10 min. or
nght" affair was decided in Ollr favor. and that
W. own the entire Pacific Const: We should
really like to know how n road Is TO bc run from
the United States 10 some Alaskan town. and
be- all the way on United States ground. Highly
Interesting. also. would IT be 10 know what
Alaskan town is 10 he chosen from which
steamers will run 10 NladivOstok in twenty four
hours II surely cannot he Stka, or Juneau
They are more than 1000 miles from NldlvOs-
tok. and we doubt if even so accomplished an
engineer as Mr.. Iloencck is able - devise ship
that will make that distance IN twcnty-four
hours Even If the road We're rlin clclr around
TO the tip end of the Alaska Peninsula, nj
Isanotsly Strait, its terminus would sill! be
about three thousand miles from Nlldiyostol
70 make that distance with n steamship in
twcnty-fou hours would be To hurry things
somewhat more than Is usual. even in this rapid
land and age.
We used to regard certain city in P'nnsyI-
vania rs the most prolific source Of lmportAn
If true stories. of water that ran up hill. and
men with live snakes in their Stoma his, and
moons made ont of green cheese. Rut west
ward the course Of empire takes its way