The herald., 1896-10-16
Local, Eastern and Foreign
Commercial Dealings
WALL STREET SPECULATION
The Russian Great Trans. Siberian Rail.
road Line
1t Is 4547 Miles in Length-One-third Is
Completed-There Are 10000 Men at
Work On 1t

We are apt to forget that in a compara-
lively short time-perhaps by the close
OF the century-there will be completed an
enterprise destined to have more stupen-
dous bearing upon the progress and COM
merce, and ultimately the geography of
the world than the building of the trans
continental roads across the American con-
tinent, the opening of the Suez canal or the
proposed construction of the au-water Mic
araguan route from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. We refer to the transsiberian
railroad now being built by the Russian
government.
The total length Of this line, the longest
hitherto constructed or projected in the
history of the world. is 4547 miles from Che
llaofnsk to Viadivostock, on the Sea of
Japan. More than one-third of the gigan-
tlc Undertaking is now completed, and dur
ing the year 1895 not less than $751; miles
were constructed. At this rate Of pro-
gress the line should be practically COM
pleted during the next two or three years
at the outside. 1t is officially stated that
lnere are at present engaged upon the work
OF construction over 10000 workmen, be-
sides the engineering and administrative
stairs. Apart from the main line a large
amount OF work has been done on the sew
erai branches. One of the most impor-
tant branches hitherto projected is line
va Zig Alsiill tTdnSSlDerlan
me, llne, TO Peking. This line would be only
some 80 oV TO zoo miles in length, following
the most direct route, and there are No
really serious obstacles in the way of its
e4nstruction If the capital is found. Once
az Peking, the line could be carried without
difficulty to Tientsin.
although the fact has not directly trans
pireu, there Is good reason to suppose that
me results likely to follow upon such a
cnange en- N gel in the worlds present economy of
Transport were discussed between Ii Hung
Chang and the officials, with whom he came
INTO contact in st. Petersburg. For what
would this Russo o-Chinese railway mean :?
few days of Peking. As the crow fiies
peklng is already nearer to st. Peters,
burg than some parts of the Russian en-
pfre. INCLUDING Vladivostock. A line be-
tween tween 81: Petersburg and Peking, with
Chicago-New York Pullman limited, should
enable passengers to cover the distance in
about i've days, and this, would. of course
mean that London would be separated from
stead of being thirty days distant as hith-
erto. 1t is not, however, to be expected
that trains would. in any case, fly across
Ne Me slberian WerE 81 stepEpes as they do between
day become the actual. But even at the
usual rate of speed adopted on Russian
railways Peking should easily be brought
that would mean little more than ten days
from London. 1t can hardly be neces-
sary to add that such an event would be
fraught witt. tremendous consequences to
ilization, to the amount and the condi-
tions of travel, to the course and the Incl
dence of trade. to the balance of power
IN the east and to many other matters
and space. and the bringing more closely
together of the progressiveness of the Oc-