The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-07

Baikal. which will be crossed by steam
er to Lysovskaya, where the train will
be taken again to Stretensk. whence the
steamboat on the Amur will continue
the journey 10 Khabarocka, and from
there the train will complete the trip.
one feature OF the line is the number
of large rivers IL crosses at right an
giles. Siberia is a land of fine water
ways. which Of late years have been
much developed. Among the many
schemes which led up to the transcon-
tinental Linz was that by OstroVski,
which met with much favor. His plan
was to lay a railway between Perm and
Tobolsk, thus uniting the Kama n
Irish. between Tomsk and Krasnoi-
arsk. thus connecting the Obi and Yen
isei. and between Omsk and Barnaul.
thus joining the Irish to the Obi In
this way he obtained a perfect network
of internal communication by river and
rail: and on his system. though not ex-
actly in the places he suggested. much
has been done and is being done. An
other work on the same lines, which VIII
have great results. is Funtusov's canal
connecting the Ket with the Pass on
the parallel Of Yeniseisk. This canal,
difficult to make. but only about five
miles long. will cad from the Obi to
the Yenisei and open up a waterway OF
over 5000 miles, joining Tiumen with
Irkutsk. and intersecting the whole
Western Siberia.
Another useful canal has been pro-
posed by Captain Virgins. whose work
in connection with opening up the sea
route into Siberia is well known. This
canal would cut through the isthmus
of Zalinall opposite made across the
isthmus.
Captain Virgins is an optimist with
regard to Siberia. his preconceiVed no.
tions of which were. according to his
account utterly fallacious. He had
pictured to himself a barren, inhospita-
BILE climate. unfit for any human being
except the offenders against the law.
who were compelled to live there. and
who had necessarily to suffer much
privation. Instead. he says. Il found
settled communities with municipal
government enjoying every amenity Of
civilized life, some living, not only in
expensive luxury. but even In extrava-
gance"-in fact. there exists in the
towns a civilization equal to what Is
TO be found in any part OF Europe.
1t was I'm 1874 that Captain Virgins
started to open up the Kara Sea route.
II was a perilous voyage towards its
close. one long continuous battle with
ice and tempest. The crew were worn
out. and Inevitable disaster seemed to
threaten them. The week ended i'm
gloom. Sunday morning came and
there was talk OF abandoning the at
tempt: but. pointing to the Bethel flag
OF the British and Foreign Sailors So
ciety ne had hoisted. the captain sum
moned the crew to service. and after
preaching from the text. BE OF good
cheer. II is I, be not afraid" ne called
for volunteers 70 finish the Journey.
The whole crew agreed to go on with
him. and the Kara sea was entered
with the Bethel flag flying. Twelve
years afterwards he made his wonder
full voyage 2.000 miles up the Yenisei TO
Yeniseisk.
An article uu Siberia without some
reference 10 he convicts may be un-
usual. but 10 must be enough here to
point out that in one respect the rail-
way will certainly ameliorate their pun
ishment by rendering unnecessary he
Wearisome march OF thousands Of miles
across the snow. and abOhshing the
long river voyages In the menageTie-
like barges. The prisoners are already
being sent by rail as far as the line
goes, and there are not a few sanguiue
phi~lanthr0piscs who hope that before
the railway IS completed the deporta-
ton system viii have ceased TO exist.