The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-25
RUssIxs STRATEGIC CANAL.
The Great Waterway to Connect the
Black and Baltic Seas.
From The Scientific American.

From The Scientific American.
The expenditure for naval work in many
countries is far greater than ever before.
and the effect of this is shown not only in
the laying down Of new ships and the
building OF ordnance, but also in the crea-
ton of naval stations at home ana naval
bases of supply and repair abroad and the
field of activity has ever been enlarged
so as TO admit of the construction of ex-
tensive engineering works in the shape of
canals for the purpose OF rapid c0ncentra-
ton OF fleets of war vessels. The most eN-
tensive work in this direction is that to
be conducted in Russia for connecting the
waters of the Baltic and Black seas The
canal will have length of over 600
miles, and the primary object is for stra-
tegic purposes, but at the same time it
wall be of great commercial importance.
beginning at the Riga the canal follows
the course of the river Duna as far as
Dunaburg, and from there an excavation
is to carry it from Pepel to the Beresina
along This Watercourse to the Dneiper and
then down this river to the Baltic sea-
over total length of 1850 miles Bv u.s.
ing the rivers, the artificial construction
mas been reduced 10 some 125 miles AT
the ends of this canal are the cities of
Riga ON the north and Cherson on the
south. The latter is to become a great
naval arsenal. Active operations along.
the route were to be begun during the
last week of June, and it is expected the
canal will be completed and open 10 traf-
nc in four years, at an expense of S97 1000
0OO
The canal is to have a depth through
out its whole extent sufficient to take
the largest battleships, and the construc-
uon VIII be of such a character that a
e civ
tanned without erodng the banks by the
wash of the steamers 1t is estimated
that vessel can pass through the canal
In less than a week. and this time NAV
even be decreased. as a much higher
speed can be maintained in that part of
the canal which follows the natural water
courses. Along its entire length the canal
VIII be lighted by electric lamps so as
to permit of travel by day or night.
Strategically this canal will be Of the
greatest importance to Russia as 1t will
enable the combined Black sea fleet. which
now has no outlet, as it is forbidden TO
pass through the Dardanelles, to be united
with the fleets of the Baltic sea without
passing through foreign territory. Russia
has now ten armored and nine unarmored
ships in her Black sea fleet, which in war
time could reinforce the ships in the Baltic
sea; SO that in less than seven days her
entire fleet could be concentrated in either
sea without being exposed at any time to
the warships of the enemy.
The commencement of this great etra-
tegic canal again brings to notice the nee
eesity for the Nicaragua canal. The re-
cent feat of the Oregon in making the
long trip from San Francisco to Key
West is remarkable. and it is a powerful
object lesson and brief for the construc-
ton of a great interoceanic canal under
the control of the United States of Ameri-
ca, which would bring our Atlantic and
Pacific coasts within about one-third of
the distance each of the other that they
are now. Admiral Walker promises the
report of the Nicaragua canal commits
sion in the near future. His statement
that the project is feasible and that the
cost will be about 125,O0,00O win help pre-
pare the public mind for the report, which
Will find American citizens more interest
ed in an isthmian canal than ever before.