The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-26
rRANs-sIBERIAN RAILWAY.
When is Completed One Can q Arour
the World ia 80 Days.

| Tho two greatest events Dy Whlch the
new and coming century will be marked
ARE the Worlds Fair Exposition at Paris
and the completion OF the rans-Siberian,
tho largest railroad in the world, and
the only one that has an Emperor for a
president. But we are now concerned with
the latter. When running, which will be
about three years from now, one will cas-
| lily max trip around the world in thirty
days. Jules Verne, doubtless, thought that
he cut the time necessary for trip
around the world when he sent Phineas
Fogg, who made his journey in eighty
| days.
| Nellie Bly, made the trip in seventy-two
| days. Yet, when this road Is completed
one will make a trip twice around the
world and beat Phneas by twenty days
and Nellie Bly, by twelve days.
The scheme 10 build a road through ST.
IBERIA, dividing IT. into two prOngs, one
Of which shall 90 straight on 10 Vladi-
vostOk. the Russian Pacific port, and the
other in sOutheasterly direction through
| Chinese Mauchuria into Pekin, was laid
! before the Russian Senate in 1851. Sur
vcys were soon made and certain
amount OF money was appropriated, but
| this plan was cut of with the death Of
Nicholas ].
In the year 1891 the task Of building n
road through the Cars Eastern domin-
ion was taken up again, and committee
was appointed, with the present Emperor,
| then Crown Prince, as it's president,
which position he still holds
On May 18th Of the same year Nicholas
| H. wheeled the first barrowful Of earth
and laid the first stone Of its mighty
work. The rapid execution OF this colos-
| sal project is largely due 20 his interest
he manlfests in the work and also 20 his
enthusiasm.
An army Of 10000 men, with the excep-
| ton Of the numberless officers and en-
gineers. are employed in fine weather and
| they have built an average Of two miles
day. Considering the difficulties en-
countered and the primitive methods en-
| ployed, this Is very rapid work indeed.
The total length Of the Siberian road
proper IS 441 miles. Of which q little over
5000 miles has been completed. The Rus
sian Government has appropriated about
100000 rubles for the work and there ia
next TO certainty that the 375 900 600 rlible
mark will pass before the work is COM
peted.
If the money already appropriated for
this immense project. which Is about S17j,-
100000 I'm our money be stretched IN
line not leaving a space between the sill
yer dollars It would cover the whole ST.
The completion of this remarkable line
means the revolution Of the whole pas
senger and freight business between Fu-
rope and the far East. That II means n
revolution in great many other things
is evident. But fits effect upon traffic is
adequate for the present consideration.
10 begin with it. 7 am perfectly salts
leo 10 say that over 50 per cent Of the
travellers who now 80 TO Europe over
me seas route Of thirty or thirty-nve
uays), Will much more prefer to make a
less cost.
In other words millions that now go
over 10 steamship companies will then
20 VIA the railroads. There is no doubt
mat me larger amount of freight will 20
over to the Trans-Siberian railway.
AS TO passenger traffic take for exam
pie the cost and time from London 10
shanghai. Under present conditions
the most popular time of the route be-
tween these two cities is f0rtv-nine DAYS
1t costs $500 the first-class and s232 with
the second. BY the way of America il
takes from thirty-iive 10 forty davs be-
tween Liverpool and Shanghai and tine
voyage is $3.50 by the hrst-class.
Now how will this service be bv the
Siberian route? From Londan TO wilma
IS two and q half days of travel. which
costs Sio frst-class or $3.50 second. From
wilma by ST. Petersburg, Moscow. Sam
ara, fredericksburg Irkutsk TO Vladvos-
tok IN fourteen days will cost 81 by first
class or $33 second. IL will be necessary
10 add for the extra cost of expross
trains and for sleeping cars $3.50 for the
first class or SIS for the second. From
Vladyostok TO Shanghai takes six DAYS
on the Russian or japanese steamboats,
$40 for frst-class and SIS for the Sec
Ond.
In the price Of steamers meals are in
cluded adding then for the meals Of the
railroad S4S for those of the first class and
S2i for those of the second class. All the
journey from London TO Shanghai thus
only takes twenty-three days and will
only cost SlGlGO first class and Sl8.5O for
the second class.
IT is estimated that after the first few
years of traffic and after the contem-
plated branch Of Pekin viii be com
pleted Pullman service car that is
used now almost all over the United
states Will be able 10 make a tourney
between Peltn and 81. Petersburg in.
about six or seven days
Now, let us see by what other means
viii this railroad revOlutionize the world
IL is OF great interest TO the United
States that Russia is preparing 10 be-
come one OF the great maritime powers
on the Pacific. One of Russa's first and
important steps is to possess better sea-
ports than she now has in Vladivostok,
and then she will begin to play the lead
ing part Of the actor in the Pacific af-
fairs. Then she will create arsenals for
the manufacture OF warshps and armor
guns.
But above all things Russia IS longing
TO develop the central part Of Siberia at
the par with other civilized countries in
civilization as we'll as in commerce. This
can be seen from the rapid immigration
since 1891. In those harbors Russia will
find all that she requires TO develop it as
first naval and commercial power on
the mightiest oceans.
She can enter, upon equal terms with
the other great powers whose territories
border on the North Pacifc-Eneland.
United States and Japan. Such a mighty
quartet OF naval powers will. a quarter Of
a century from now make the Pacific
busy scene Of commerce
When this railroad is completed how
many thousands of lives will be thus
saved? Imagine an army OF Russian ex-
lies marching through the desolated re-
gions of Siberia, distance of 200 miles,
in about three months; their feet being
chained, while only being allowed to rest
every third day Of the march.
Here they are overtaken by immense
sand storms, while in another place they
suffer from she diseases OF respiratory
organs which are so common in the eX-