Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-08-04

Proposed Lines, ~ Constructed, VIII
Form the Connecting Link of En-
tire system of the Empire-Interest
of the United States In Oriental
Commerce increasing.
The proposed American railway line
in China Will, II existing agreements
are carried out and the line construct
ed, prove an important link in sys-
TEN connecting all of China with all of
the outside world. Railway lines now
existing, under construction or pro-
jectcd form a great circle, swOoping
from Paris across Germany, Russia
and Siberia to the Pacific, thence
southwardly through China, skirting
the Pacific coast, thence eastwardly
through Burma and India to the H.
dian ocean and Arabian sea, and push
ing thence for passageway through
Persia to complete the grand circle Of
all the continents Of Europe and Asia.
Recently published statements by the
treasury bureau of statistics show that
the Canton-llankow line, which the
American syndicate has agreed 10 con
struct and which agreement 1t Is now
asking the Chinese government to con-
firm stretches northward from Canton
TO Hankow, the principal interior city
of China, some 600 miles, and that a
Belgian syndicate has n concession for
construction Of a road from Hankow
north to connect with the existing line
now reaching Peling, the capital of
China; also that the American syndi-
cate has an option for the right to con-
struct this Hankow-Peking line pro-
vidinS the Belgian syndicate shall
omit to take advantage Of its cOnCes-
sion. From Pcking Il road will connect
with the Russian-Sibcrian line which
Is now under construction to Port Ar
thur thus making the proposed Amer
lean line an important link in a great
system which will stretch from st.
Petersburg by way Of Siberia and Port
Arthur through China to Canton, on
the coast of China, Immediately oppo-
site the Philippine Islands, only coo
miles away.
From westward through southern
China British interests have projected
railway lines to the southwestern ex-
tremity Of China, where they will con
meet with the present railway system
Of Burma and in turn with that OF
India. where 10000 miles Of railway
are ROW in operation. From the west
ern terminus Of the Indian railway
lines at Karachi to the point in Persia
toward which Russian engineers are
now pushing surveys for railway lines
Is but few hundred miles, 4 gap easi
ly filled whenever British interests
find It advantageous to encourage di-
rect railway Intercourse between India
and the railway systems of southern
Europe. Thus the proposed American
railway line in China is to form an i'm
portant link in what promises to be in
the comparatively near future grand
railway system skirting the shores Of
mercinl ccntcrS of Europe, measuring
bringing the orient into direct railway
communication with all Europe by
both a northerly and a southerly route.
This great intcrcontncntal belt line
will touch the Pacific at Canton. the
entrcpOt Of the most dcnsely populated
part of China, ut distance of about
/ 5000 miles by rail from the great COM
mcrClal centCrS of ESuropr measuring
by way of the TransSiberian road, now
approaching completion. From Canton
to the Philippines is but GOO miles and
to San Francisco 63S1 miles and to
New York by way Of Nicaraguan
canal, an all water route, but 1859
miles. Thus, whether by rail connec-
tion or the less expensive method of
transportation by water, the interest of
the United States in the commerce Of
| the orient Increases materially with
the Developments Of the year and pros
pective developments under discussion
and serious consideration.
/ Interest in the commerce of China Is
increased materially by the recent de-
velopmcnts in regard to transportation
and privileges of foreigners. 4 recent
publication of the treasury bureau Of
4 Htd dllNlICS NuON > llldl oN NtI o,pVV lllllpS
/ Of railway are now projected in China,
: over 5000 miles of telegraph in opera
ton, and that by recent action of the
I Chinese government the waterways of
China, its most important means of in
tcrnal traffic at present, have been
! opened to foreign commerce and for
! eign vessels. \ recent cdict announces
that foreign vessels may navigate the
streams Of all provinces of China in
which treaty ports are located, and as
treaty ports are now distributed prac-
tically over the entire empire this
means that foreign vessels may navi-
gate the streams Of substantially all
parts of that great country and carry
with them the citizens of other coun-
tries and their products. The natural
waterways Of China aggregate, it is
estimated, fully 10000 miles in length,
and this, combined with the proposed
railway systems when completed, will
offer to other parts of the world com.
mcrcial opportunities of great lmpor.
tancc, whether reached by rail from
the commercial ccnters Of Europe OF
by water from our Pacific or Atlantic
scaboard.
Horse Throws n Somersault In the
Shafts.
A horse which was standing on Mair
street In Warren, Mass, hitched to G