The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-26

RVSSIA'S GREAT ENTERPRISE
We have moro than once in these COL
,.,,,,s referred TO the great railroad that
Russia is now building across the S'po-
,iap country. for there IS no ono tnins
., the industrial world to-day that Is
IN our opinion. of so great moment
There is I'm the May number Of Har-
,.r,s Magazine an interesting article OF
,his subject py Julian Ralph, who mas
recently visited Russia and Travelled ITO"
FINLAND to st. Petersburg 10 seoasiapol'
across The Black sea to Georgia on the
Aslastic side OF the Caucasus ana back
av another route. Mr. Ralph has maze
on Intelligent investigation and his con-
trlbutlon is one Of value.
This great railroad, as is well known
ts 10 be nearly 1900 miles in length and
Is ordered to be finished in 1902 at a cost
Of SIS 10000 The road IS now i'm opera
ton and more or less finished to Krasnoy-
arsk. on the Yensei, more than 2OOO
miles eastward. There IS also a finished
division from Viadivostok on the Pacific
westward TO Khabarovki, on the Usuri,
go miles I'm length.
The construction OF the road is said 70
be the very best. although AIR. Ralph
saws that some portions Of 10 have been
built so rapidly that the work is far
from being first class However there
is little doubt that when the road shall
have been completed, il will be first
class road, and it viii be equipped not
only with sleeping ara dining cars, but
with a church car also on its through
trains.
Interest has been attracted Of late
more particularly to the Manchuria
branch which passes through Chinese
territory to the yellow Sea. The length
Of this branch Is J. $50 miles, GAG Of which
is to be in Manchuria.
Mr.. Ralph tells us that this route was
chosen not because it shortened the ST.
berian railway. for the branches 10 it
from the finished sections make necessary
the construction Of 1863 miles more than
the entire Siberian road would require.
But that the Manchurian road is cheaper
30 build and IS 400 miles farther south in
a better climate and richer country.
China reserves the right TO purchase
shis road at the end of thirty-siX years,
D. to take it without cost at the end of
sighty years Russia seems to have Sc
cured from the Chinese liberal con-
tract, however, and goods shipped
through Manchurla are To- be free from
Chinese taxes. while goods brought Into
China or out OF u by the railway Will
pay one-thlrd less import and export du-
ties than II brought in OF ont at Chinese
seapOrts
This branch will open up a country ex-
ceedingly rich in gold and very valuable
from an agricultural point Of view,
whereas the territory I'm eastern Siberia
avoided by the Alahchurian route Sc
said to be OF very slight promise.
The popular idea OF Siberia is that 81 ID
cold barren country. whose only use
is as a dumping ground for Russian eX-
lies. But Mr. Ralph points ont that even
within the Arctic circle there Is % very
green and luxuriant summer, and that
when we are considering the greater
part of Siberia, we are discussing
country on the same lines OF latitude as
Scotland and England and extending Tar
below those lines.
The country abounds I'm rich minerals
and has large area OF splendid agricul-
tural lands. IL has hitherto enjoyed no
transportation facilities ana has been
undeveloped. but now with q great rail-
road such as Russia Is building through
its very heart and with branch lines
that must soon follow. u will rapidly
BE settled up by the surplus population
OF Russia. and must inevitably become a
great industrial factor,
Mr., Ralph thinks. however, that this
railroad IS 10 be considered On another
and more important light than as an ar
terry OF trade "The Russians are a war
like people" he says, "and no one does
them an Injustice who says that, as Il
unity, intelligen, people cherish the belief
that sooner or later they are 20 absorb
all Asia down TO and including India.
The very steps" he goes on. that stand
for mere progress in civilization in other
new countries are IN Russia all taken
with a view 20 war The railways. in
bulldlag which she has put forth the
most energy OF late. are all military In
strumenis hrst and agents OF land de-
velopmen, secondarily. BY means Of her
Black Sea naval reserve and her rail-
ways 20 the Caucasus. across the eau
cssia and beyond the caspian she has
put herself In readiness 10 hurl army