The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-31
RUSSIA'S ARCTIC HARB0R.
she BUILDS 4 TOWN AND THEN FINDS
POPULATION FOR m.

from Ice, Though I75 Miles Sorth of the
Arctic Circle-It win lie n Nnval Baso
and Fishing Stntion-Residents of Koia
Move Bag md baggage to the New
Tewn-Trolley Cars. Schools and Lots of
Fish-The Cars Enterprises in the North.
A despatch from st. Petersburg the other
day said that the Grand Duke Vladimir was
about to open formally Russas new naval
and ice-free port OF Catherine lIarbor in
the far north. Some OF the Russian news
papers. II added. were exulting over the pros
pect Of IIussia's war flag being again hoisted
on the Polar seas" Tho building OF this port
on the north or Thurman coast OF the koIa PEN
Ursula. lis miles north Of the Arctic Circle. is
no ordinary event Any one who hears tho
story will be reminded OF the time when Peter
the Great was accustomed to order tho
building OF towns and cities in the waste
places OF Russia Thereupon the towns and
cities were certain to rise on the sites he had
designated. In the same way a town and har-
Dor works have been started in these days and
carried to completion near the shores OF the
Arctic Ocean. They were built by imperial
command The town was reared first and in
habitants were found for 1t later. Not build
ing stood there at the time the cite was selected
or when the edict went forth to rear the town.
build tho wharves and supply the place with
Dor The PROJECT had its enemies. but to-day
all Russia Is rejoicing over the successful car
ryng out OF the grand idea: and Ia part OF
the world where tho winter night Is two
months long and the sun hangs 80 low in sum-
mer as to inpart more OF light than warmth to
the fiat tundras that stretch inland from the
barren coast most substantial town now
stands with docks. coal depots. a trolley street
car line. electric lights in buildings and streets
and frp oh wnt far pipaJ frnun "a mr. Ia
There are several reasons why this work has
been carried out 1t Is the result. first. OF the
national aspiration to become more powerful
on the sea. No other Of the greatest nations is
so weak MS Russia is in available sea front.
This fact cripples her commerce.. for the whole
people believe the report OF the Government
commission which declared last year that the
country was losing millions OF dollars annually
through not having a sufficient commercial
feet Of its own. and then In Europe Russia
is hemmed in by powerful neighbors OF
great maritime development. Her navy and
merchant ships cannot get out OF the
Black Sea without passing through for.
eign waters. Neither could they emerge
from the Baltic in time of war with Ger
many without being confronted by hos
tile vessels in their own home waters. The
desire to have more sea facilities accounts in
part for the eagerness with which Vladivostock
was made u large naval station and for the re-
cent spending of S1.5OOOO0 to make Il pract-
cable harbor at Aexandrovski. far north Of
Vladivostock. opposite the island of Sachalin.
for the use of Russian squadrons. But tho
great Inconvenience of a lack OF ports is felt in
European. not in Asiatic Russia. and 1t was in
quest OF a good port on her northwest coast.
emerging from which her ships might lie on the
great ocean that her surveyors went to tho
Thurman coast in 1893 and began the surveys
and explorations that are going 10 result in the
large development Of that region. The word
Thurman is a corruption OF the name Norman.
Two other reasons however. were fully as
important as the naval reason for beginning
this development. One was the certainty that
II a good harbor were found it would be an
open winter port. free from ice. The eastern
trend Of warm surface waters from the Atlantic
brings them to this Thurman coast. and there
in the Arctic regions. is open water the year
round. The other reason is that with this Gulf
Stream drift. or whatever it may be called.
come in spawning time immense shoals OF fish
The fisheries here have been pursued for many
years in the crudest manner by few thousand
Russians and Norwegians Cod and herring
are there In enormous numbers and it is be-
lieved that one Of the greatest fisheries in the
world may be developed in those waters.
These facts were fairly well known in the time
OF Peter the Great. but he and his SUCCESSORS
lad too much to do developing their home ter
ritory and spreading their empire to the east
But the time to d" do IS something m Tor the far
north arrived. and on Jan. 20. 1897. the so
called North Commission was appointed and
set out for the northern coast with a consider
able number of geographers. engineers. sur
yeyors and tradespeople in its train. 1t had
been preceded by a surveying party Tour years
earlier. large programme Of work was as
signed to the commission. and the commission
Las been busy ever since. The Government
has given it all the assistance needed in tho
way OF steamers and large approximations,
though much still remains to be done.
The commission, is expected to promote
inG, ports, lighthouses, warning signals
and lIfe-savng stations; to establish fishery
for the sale OF provisions. implements, and
eyerythinG REQUIRED by sailor or, fisher folk to
the families of unfortunate followers Of tho
sea; to study, and improve, the, conditions OF
on the .Pechora. see what may he made OF
Nova va Zemlia, establish with the aid Of Ice
mouths Of the OBJ aud Yenise rv "GgW and the the
western ocean. study the best means Of com
ala. encourage the rearing Of reindeer in north
RnfSsia guard the territorIal fishing rights
and IT'S fisheries ne and re great northern GOV
take years to carry, out this ambitious sche me
OF DEVELOPMENT. though the vast amount Of
ss a ySy G2 rich IN Very w1 N?h
purpose is fully to deeyelop them. These are
the Fisheries OF the White Sea and more es-
pecially OF the Thurman coast. and the vast
forests. largely Of pines. that stretch away.
south of the tree line. clear across the two
northern governments, oquHlling in size and
value most Of the great forest regions OF the
world. Tho intention here is to describe the
development al ready achieved along the Muir
man coast. and particularly the founding OF
Catherine Harbor named after Empress Cath
erinr IL.
The site OF Catherine Harbor is in the mar
row. tiord-like bay OF kola. Before establish
ing the first harbnr on the Thurman coas, a
number of places that appeared favorable were
studied 10y the first surveying party in respect
Of th"irpoSiton depth. area. protection against
wind and waves. &c and the site finally So
lected for the first harbor bore Off the palm in
most RESPECTS. South Of IT, on the same inlet
was the lshlng town of koln. forty miles from
the sea, and badly situated fishing mort ON
account OF the limited water room, sandhanks
aud tho lee that makes j unattajnabn for
some months in winter. No steamers Of amy
size could reach 1t. So the scheme was sIy-
grsted II wipinG out koa
The Russian Government decided I'm 1897