The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-24
UNITES TWO SEAS
Russia Will Dig a Canal 1000
Miles Long
Joining the Baltic With the
Black Sea.
TO COST S97,OOO,OOO.
Work Must Be Completed by
the Year 1902.
The Gar Needs it in His Bust
ness of OYerrunning Asia.

New York, Dec. PA special to the
Herald from Washington says:
The Russian government will begin
next spring upon stupendous piece of
engineering work, which, like the
Transsiberian railroad will be of great
when completed.
The project contemplates the con-
struction of a canal connecting the
Baltic and Black seas. which can be
traversed by battleships of the heav-
lest tonnage at six knots per hour. By
means of this canal, Russia viii be able
to mobilize huge fleet in the Baltic in
167 hours by bringing to that sea the
Black sea squadron or can collect in
the Black sea in the same time the
Baltic and Black sea fleets.
In case of a general European war
over the division of China at the time
of the completion of the canal, it would
not be difficult for Russia to send her
fleet through the BOsphOrus the sea of
MarmOra and the Dardanelles into the
Mediterranean. down the SueZ canal.
across the Indian ocean to China, while
she could utilize the Transsiberian
railroad to transport troops The canal
will remove the necessity of sending a
fleet across the North sea and down the
Atlantic in order to reach the Medit-
teranean and through that sea reach
the Suez canal and China, and it was
pointed out that in case of war Great
Britain or Germany would take meas
ures to see that the Russian fleet did
not pass through their waters withoUR
a hard struggle.
1t is officially stated here that the
canal when completed, will connect
the city of Riga on the Baltic and
Cherzon on the Black sea. Advantage
Will be taken of DWina river, at the
mouth of which Riga is located. and of
the Dneiper river, which flows into the
Black sea and at the mouth of which
Cherzon sits. 1t has been estimated by
the Russian engineer that to connect
the two rivers, 125 miles of excavation
Tausst be made The length of the canal
viii be 1000 miles. 1t Will have an
average depth of 2S.4 feet The cost
of the work viii be S9LOoo'UUO ana II
must be completed by 1902
1t is frankly admitted by the Ru5-
sian authorities that the canal is beinS
built for military purposes, just as the
ETranssiberian railroad is being con-
str1cted but they say that the water
wav will be of benefit commercially.
The wheat raised in the southern part
of Russia, near the Black sea, and the
coal and petroleum obtained from that
section can be transported more cheap
ly to market than by railroads or by
steamers going through the Bosphorus
into the Mediterranean Sixteen cit
les are situated along the route of the
proposed canal and they will be bene-
fitted by its construction.
Russia maintains q formidable fleet
of battleships and cruisers in the Black
sea" said a we'll known naval COM
mander, such action being in viola
tion of the provisions of the Berlin
treaty. The construction of the canal
will mean that this fleet can be rein
forced within seven days at the ut
most by an equally formidable fleet
from the Baltic and in case of the dis
memberment of Turkey, or a necessity
for a larger force of naval vessels, in
Asiatic waters. Russia would be able
to get her reinfOrcementS to this sec
j6 n E1J1rOTlagn
ernment who would be compelled to
use the Atlantic ocean and the Medi-
terranean. So far as Turkey and Chi
ma are concerned, the completion of the
Russian canal will place the czar in
position which will be envied by all the
other EurOpean goVernments.'