Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-07-24
CELESTIAL RAILWAY
The Americans Will Connect
China with the World.
A Description of the Proposed Line
and lis probable Effect Upon ihe
Commercial Traffic of All Seas
and Lands.

are carried out and the line construct
ed, prove an important link in a sys-
TEN connecting all Of China with all of
the outside world. Railway lines now
existing, under construction, or pro-
jected form a great circle swooping
from Paris across Germany, Russia
and Siberia to the Pacific, thence
southwardly through China, skirting
/ the Pacific coast, thence eastwardI!y
through Burmah and India 10 the In
dian Oosan and Arabian sea, ana push
! ing thence for passage way through
/ Persia to complete the grand circle of
| all Che continent Of Europe and Asia
/ Recently published statements by
the treasury bureau CT statistics show
that the Canton-Hankow line. which
/ the American syndicate has agreed to
construct, and which it is now asking
the Chinese government to confirm,
/ stretches noIthward from Canton to
Hankow, the principal interior city Of
China some 600 miles, and that
| Belgian syndicE,ee has a concession fer
construction of d road from HaRkow
north to connectWith the existing line
now reaching Peking, the capital of
China; also that the American syrdi-
cate has an option for the
right to construct this Hankow-
Pektng line, providing the Bel
gian syndicate shall omit to take
advantage of its concession. From
Peking a road viii connect with the
Russi iar-Siberian Hne which is now IN
der construction to Port Arthur, thus
making the proposed American line an
important link in great system
which viii stretch from st. Petersburg
by way Of Siberia and Port Arthur
through China to Canton on the coast
CT China, Immediately opposite the
Philippine islands, only 600 miles
away.
From Canton westward through
British interests have
projected railway lines to the south
western extremity OF China, where
they viii connect with the present
railway system CT Burmah and in
turn with that Of India, where 10000
miles of railway are now in operation. !
From the western terminus of the IN
dian railway lines at Karachi to the |
pant in Persia toward which Russian |
engineers are now pushing surveys
for railway lines is but a few hundred |
miles-a sap easily filled whenever |
British interests ind it advantageous /
to encourage direct railway inter !
course between India and the railway |
systems Of southern Europe Thus |
the proposed American railway |
line in China is to form an important /
link in what promises to be in the
comparatively near future a grand
railway system, skirting the shores of
the continent of Europe and Asia and
bringing the Orient into direct rail-
way communication with ali Europe
by both a northerly and southerly
route.
This great tnter-continental belt
line will touch the Pacific at Can
ton, the entrapot Of the most densely
populated pare of China. al a distance
Of about 5000 miles by rail from the
great commercial centers of Europe
by way of the trans-Si-
berian road now approaching compile
ton. From Canton to the Philip
PINES is but 600 miles and to san
Francisco G,3S1 miles, and to New
York by way CT a Nicaraguan canal,
an all water route, but 1859 miles.
Thus. whether by rail connection. CT
he less expensive method of trans
'OrtatiOn 10y wafer. the interest of the
United States in the commerce of the
Orient increases materially with tne
developments of the year and pros
'ective developments under discussion
md serious consideration.
Interest in the commerce Of China
5 increased materially by the recent
IN regard to transpor- z
alton and privileges of foreigners.
recent publication of the treasury
ureau Of statistics shows that over B.
90 miles Of railway are now protected
4 China, over 5000 miles of telegraph
n operation, and that by recens action 9
f the Chinese government the water =,
ways of China, it's most important
leans of internal traffic at the present,
ave been opened to foreign commerce
nd foreign vessels. A recent edict
nnounces ths'5 foreign vessels may
avigate the streams of all provinces q
China IN which treaty ports are 10
ated, and as treaty ports are now dis I
'ibuted practically over the entire en-
ire, this means that foreign vessels 1t
ay navigate the streams of substan- 4
ally all parts of that great country b
i'd carry with them the citizens of
ther countries and their products r
he natural waterways of China ag- e
osgate, It is estimated, fully 10000 p
liles in length and this, combined h