The record-union., 1897-12-25
GIGANTIC WATERWAY,
A CANAL WHICH RUSSIA PRO-
POSES TO BUILD.
Contemp1ates the Connection of
the Baltic and Black Seas, to be
Traversed by Battleships.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-The Rus
sian Government viii begin next spring
upon a stupendous piece of engineering
work, which, like the Transsiberian rail-
way, will be of great strategic and COM
mercial value to her when completed.
The project contemplates the con-
struction of canal connecting the
Baltic and the 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 mobolize a huge fleet in the
Baltic in 167 hours by bringing to that
sea the Black Sea squadron, or can col
lect 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 Transsiber-
ian railway 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 Mediterranean and through that
sea reach the Suez Canal and China,
and it was pointed out that in case
of war Great Britain and Germany
would take measures to see that the
Russian fleet did not pass through their
waters without a hard struggle.
1t is officially stated here that the
canal, when completed, will connect the
city of Riga, on the Baltic. and Cher
son, on the Black Sea. Advantage will
be taken of the Dwina River. at the
mouth of which Riga is located, and of
the Dneiper Ricer, which flows into
the Black Sea, and at the mouth of
which Cherson sits. 1t has been esti-
mated by the Russian engineer that to
connect the two rivers, 125 miles of
excavation must be made The length
of the canal will be 1,00O miles. 1t
will have an average depth of 2S.4 feet.
The cost of the work will be S97. .OOO.-
600. and 1t must be completed by 1902.
1t is frankly admitted by the Russian
authorities that the canal is being
built for military purposes just as the
Transsiberian railway is being con-
structed, but they say that the water
way VIII be of benefit commercially.
The wheat raised in the southern mart
Of Russia, near the Black Sea. and the
coal and petroleum obtained from that
section can be transported more cheap
ly to markets by railroads than bv
steamers going through the Bosphorus
into the Mediterranean. Sixteen cities
are situated along the route of the nro-
posed canal, and they will be benefithd
by its construction
Russia maintains a formidable fleet
OF battleships and cruisers in the Black
Sea, said well-known naval com
mander. such action being in violation
of the provisions of the Berlin treaty.
The construction of the canal will mean
that the fleet can be reinforced within
seven days at the utmost by an equally
formidable fleet from the Baltic. and in
case of the dismem berment of Turkey
or necessity for a large force of naval
vessels in Asiatic waters Russia world
be able to get her reinforcements IN
that section ahead of any other Euro
pean Government. which woul6 ba
compelled to use the Atlantic Ocean ana
the Mediterranean. So far as Turkey
and China are concerned. the cornnIa-
ton OF the Russian canal will place the
Car in position which will be envied
by all the other European Govern
ments."