The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-28

future will fiji in the gap OF the Inter
national railroad.
The railroad viii give to Russia a new
world, a world almost as large as that
which the discovery OF Columbus gave
to Spain. 1t will bring civilization into
4 country which now by its extent and
physical characteristics is practically
cut off from the rest of the world.
To the student OF geography the p
crossing of Bering strait presents no
great difficulties. To railroad engineers
L is not a serious problem. This strait
IS filed with islands so close together
that no difficulty Will be encounter I'm
connecting them with bridges which
viii not be expensive OF construction.
Three miles of open water Will then dl-
vide Russia and Alaska.
Already students of railroad problems
have given TO the subject sufficient con-
sderation TO realize that the inaugura-
tion of the year 1905 will make possible
Of realization Jules Verne's dream OF
Around the World In Eighty Days"
with a@discount of over 30 per cent.
Leaving out the proposed Brtish-Amer-
lean road. they have figured that a trip
around the world may then be made in
80 days. At present the shortest route
in point of time Is as follows:
Days.
New York TO southampton.
Southampton To Brndisi. 3la
Brindisi to Yokohama via Suez
Canal and India. a................,...f2
Yokohama 10 San Francisco.
San Francisco TO New York. ........ 4h
Total .....................G
After the completion of the Siberian
road the journey can be made in the
following manner:
Days
New York to Bremen.
Bremen to St. Petersburg ........ ~
st. Petersburg TO Vladeverta at 30
miles an hour. .,...................10
Vladeverta to San Francisco ....lO
San Francisco To New York ....... Az
Iotdl '''.'''...''.'.. ..................3 81
This estimate gives to the Russian
railroad a speed of but 30 miles an hour
Engineers estimate that when the road
has been in operation three years this
average speed of passenger trains will
be far greater and that the journey
from the North sea TO the Japan sea
may be easily made in Q days and
hours. The construction OF the pro-
bCSeG ibfltlSn-A n-Afnellcan ROAD VIII cut
down the time between the Japan sea
nd San Francisco at least two days:
hence il will be possible TO make a trip
Westward from New York by way OF
'hicago to London around the world in
ess than a month.
Such a trip can probably be made
from New York, including in it a steam
ship journey from Liverpool or South
ampton. so that the journey will have
girdled the earth, for less than $500. Es-
timating fares on the unconstructed
lines on the basis already established
by the Russian government and that al
ready in existence in northern United
States, the cost would be as follows:
Vancouver to Kottomangoo. 100
Kottomangoo TO London. 1l9
London to New York k................. rs
Adding to this for meals, sleeping car
berths and other miscellaneous ex-
penses. a continuous traveller could make
the whole journey for about $500. Think
of that We people who studied the map
of the world 40 years ago and who dared
not then dream of ever seeing the Pa
cihc ocean or thought that old Mexico
with its volcano of Popocatapetl would
ever be reached by journey bv rail IN
palace car. Put thor th'7 Is 0r age ot
progress.