The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-25
Engineering Plan for Uniting the
Black and Baltic Seas.
GREAT RUSSIAN CANAL
CAN BE NAVIGATED BY HEAv-
lest BATTLESHIPS.
In Case of War Over China, Russia
Could Send Her Fleets Into Asia,
Down the Suez and Into Indian
Ocean By Continuous Water Route
Estimated Cost, $97, 100000.

New York. Dec. PA special to the
Herald from Washington says:
The Russian government will begin next
spring upon a stupendous piece of en-
gineering work which, like the TRANSIT
berian railroad, will be of great strategic
and commercial value to her when COM
pleted.
The project contemplates the construc-
ton OF canal connecting the Baltic and
Black seas, which can be traversed by
battleshipS of the heaviest tonnage at SIX
knots per hour. BY means OF this canal,
Russia will be able TO mobilize a huge
fleet in the Baltic in 167 hours, by bring
ing to that sea the Black sea squadron,
Or can collect in the Black sea IN the
same time the Baltic and Black sea meets.
In case of general European war over
the DIVISION or China, at the time Oh the
completion of the canal. 1t would not be
difficult for Russia TO send her fleet
through the BoSphoruS. the sea OF Mar
mora and the DardanelleS, into the Medl-
terranean, down the Suez canal, across
the Indian ocean to China, while she
could utilize the transS1berian railroad
to transport troops.
WHAT IT WILL DO.
The canal will remove the necessity of
sending a fleet across the North Sea ana
down the Atlantic in order to reach the
Mediterranean ana through that sea, reach
the Suez canal and China, and it was
tain or Germany would take measures to
see that the Russian fleet did not pass
through their waters without hard
struggle. Slt
1t is officially stated here that the canal,
when completed will connect the city of
Riga, on the Baltic, and Cherson. on the
Black sea- Advantage Will be taken OF
DWina river, at the mouth of which Riga
is located. and of the Dneiper, which
flows into the Black sea. and at the
mouth of which Cherscn sits.
1t is estimated by the engineer that to
connect the two rivers 125 miles Of exca-
walton must be made. The length of the
canal Will be a thousand miles. 1t will
have an average depth of 8.4 feet.
ITS COST.
The cost of the work will be $97, 900, OOO
and it must be completed by 1902 1t is
frankly admitted by the Russian authori-
! ties that the canal is being built for mill
taIy purposes, just as the trans-Siberian
railroad Is being constructed, but they say
that the waterway will be of benefit COM
merclally. The wheat raised in the south
ern part of Russia, near the Black sea,
| and the coal and petroleum obtained from
that section, can be transported more
cheaply to markets than by steamers.
Sixteen cities are situated along the
route of the proposed canal, and they Will
be benefited by its construction.
FLEETS IN BLACK SEA.
Russia maintains formidable fleet of
! battleShipS and cruisers in the Black
sea. said a well-known naval command
er, such action being in violation of the
| Berlin treaty. The construction OF the ca
nal will mean that this fleet can be re-
/ inforced within seven days at the utmost
( by an equally formidable fleet from the
/ Baltic, and in case of the ACKNOWLEDGMENT
4 OF turkey, or a necessity for a large force
! of naval vessels in Asiauic waters, Russia
would be able to get her reinforcements to
/ that section ahead of any other European
/ government, which would be compelled to
use the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterra-
mean. So far as Turkey and China are
concerned, the completion of the Russian
canal will place the car in a position
which will be envied by all the European
/ governments.