The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-25

IN All AStn-tHoNcrned From tcl>iu-
Conditions I'm Mauchurfa have been made
Che subject of "A special report To- the
state Department by r.. T. Gre,uCr. the
United States commercial agent ut VIadi-
vostock. Mr.. Gro,uer says
lin previous report q reference WAS
made to the resources Of MauChuria.
much of which has been verified This
was before the Boxer outbreak of last
year. Since the Russians have been
obliged to enter the territory 20 protect
their railway line this fertile and promis-
ing region has assumed even greater i'm
porlance, commercially and strateEicaIIy.
There is much exaggeratlon about the
number OF Russian troops IN this region.
The Chp1, which expanded to 10000 so
quickly IN the Imagination q journalists
and theorists. may be safely cut down
one-third. II is only necessary TO recall
the events of last summarize way in
which the great Siberian Railway was
taxed to transport the troops actually
forwarded at a critical It Cmcnt-to be
assured that il was impossible 10 trans
port. feed. and maintain so large 4 force
as is credited in MauChuria-
"Nanchuria has an area Of $4,000 square
miles and is one Of the most fertile coun-
tries on the globe. There are no better
crops in an Asia The Manchus have
barely scratched the surface. and yet the
business activity. the actual traffic and
the tangible results are n continual sur
prise. Well-informed persons. merchants
miners officers, assert that il is richer
i'm resources than any other part of Chi
ma The main roads leading south and
north are said TO be Congested with the
crowds OF carts. people. and beasts Of
burden. all heavily laden moving i'm the
early winter. During the whole period
of navigation. on the river from Much
wang north. thousands Of Chinese boats
are continually plying. The volume of
business done is estimated At from $4,000
0a0 90 500 OIG.0u8. and yet no part Of the
land is worked according TO European
methods, and only the least portion OF II
IS cultivated. NInIot beans, wheat. hemp.
indigo. and opium are the principal pro
ducts cultivated
American goods are already known and
favored on account Of their cheapness-
prints, canned goods, watches, clocks, uu-
steal and cuckoo clocks. steel, fancy
goods. and novelties. one cuterprisiEs
American merchant has ventured into
MaElhuria how far ne will penetrate
remains to be seen The japanese are al
ready on the ground with many success
fuI limitations, as wei IS their own good
articles Of merchandise. My japanese col
league tells me shat ne has suggested 70
japanese exporters to save duties by ship
ping goods by way OF Port Arthur. Aiuk-
den. north.
The russians policy is one Of conciIiI-
tioH. He knows how TO deal with Chi
ncse. He VIII not supersede the Man
chu as an aEriculturIst. however. or even
as "a miner. 1t viii be some time before
ne is q success, in the Western sense. in
either Of these lines.
Last April II was stated officially that
all parties wishing To explore 2Ianchuria
to-- mining and other purposes must adj
dress their petitions 70 the agent Of the
Department Of Foreign Affairs al Grin.
M1IuhuTla- An official explained this by
saying that IL WaS an error to suppose
that permission from the Aauchu Gov
truCr would suffice for mining purposes
III. hGsu.ities Of last year Cancelled all
such permiSsiOns. and neither Russians
nor Chinese have a right tO mine now. 10
was stated that such permission does not
nov depend on Russian authority. bat
upon the Chinese governors. who in turn
must await instruction from FeEiu. All
attempts al mining or exploration iu such
parts Of ManChuTIa as do not belong 10
Russia are forbidden, unless uDuer per-
nit and offenders viii be dealt with ac-
Cordiug 10 law
THE area Of the gold fields in Manchu-
j.
the shores Of the Argun and AmUr riy-
CTs. from the bed Of the Hailar to the
mouth Of the River Sung. ri, % miles in
land There Is no doubt as TO the rich
ness Of these mines Several years ago.
small parties Of Russians Illegally min
ing here obtained from one 20 three
pounds of gold per day. The average
production Of these mines IS ; 70 g ZOlOt-
ulKS OF gold 10 each 100 pounds Of sand.
each man earnsd from so TO 500 per day.
Until ISIS. the Chinese. in consequence OF
extreme prohihltory laws promulgated by
the governors, could not develop the rich
est mines When permission was obtain
ed. the Chinese were untitled for this
work. and had not the requisite tools and
machinery. At every stage Of the devel-
Opment Of any Of these mines IL Is safe %
say Ouc-hait Of the gold IS overlooked. SO
primitive and Wasteful are their methods
ut IS said that no foreigners are al
lowed 20 go into ManChuTIl. To an CN-
tent. this IS true only Russians and
Chinese may 70 -lItlsr overland II
would not be safe for many foreigners
20 venture into the country now. Tor out
side ~ the quiet parts about Grin, even
military guards could not guarantee
safety ~ present. MInrhIri4 iS mo- place
for tourists. and the authorities would
seem To be- exercising only proper prscau-
tiou ia discoUraglug mere SIghtseers.
Passes and permits are only sUaTlugIE
granted. and naturally not 20 persons
whose mission and character are not
clearly known
The line from NikoIsk % Hardin is not
in the best working order. nor is il even
considered open 10 general frame 70 was
begun under the CassiUi concession. and
as projected runs In uDrthwsst-Tiy di-
TgCtIUu through NiugDyta. HE-I1l-Chui.
T-lfzIEar. Hardin. 10 Nagadau, where IL
strikes the main line. 10 was started ST.
simultaneously from Nikuisk and Hardin
and was hastily run together last year.
So cruGsIy was the work done that iu
many places the raiIs. IL is said. were laid
upon tho bare ground. regardless of the
condition ut the soil II IS known now
that this line. as projected ig not gra"ti-
cable, and the present affair is only
makgShIlt Hardin was to- have been a
railroad centre. and doubtless viii be- nm
der better conditions. What is usually
arSsd on the map as Harhiu is really
'Suapari H. Hardin is much nearer the
river The new line will form more
UDTtafrlT curve near the river following
the course Of Suugari. uniting with the
present line north Of the Mukdskeu
station This route presents fewer diff
. CTltI's % construction. and Is IN fact
more direct than Tho former one. II is
said now the road viii Doc open Ora the au-
tumu- But ther- remains the great tuu-
usl of the ChlugIu Pass which can
scarcely be completed under the most IA
vorable circumstance within year
The readiness with which plans are
changed ard errors r,ctiGcd illustrates
the Russian indifference 20 mere matters
Of expense OF labor OF time when a spe-
ciHc result is desired. ali things are sub
ordinate 10 the end in view This IS
shown a ESQ ia the detcrmi nation 10 com
Ulete the original railway line as project
Cd along the t0Ttuous Amur. in spite Of
it's many windinEs and the enormous ex-
pcuSe involved. Lines are now marked
DuI % again connect Grin with Mukdeu.
Nmchwaug Wi in. Seoul. Gensau Che
connected two years ago. and was OpCTIt-
ca until tho. destruction of last summer