The Redwood gazette., 1901-12-11
RACE FOR THE PERSIAN GULF.

Persian Gulf BY rail, and the
appearances are III favor Of
Russia just at present. The
distances to be traVersed by the
projected Russian lines are
much shorter than on the Ger
man line, and the question of
the time required TO complete
any one Of them is one Of cash
The Russians also have the.
advantage that they have al
ready obtained the concessions
foran railways they contem-
plate in Persia, and the term
during which the rsian Gov
ernment is pledged to give rail
way concessions to the sub
ljects Of no other power has still
some seven years to run. On
the other hand the concession
demanded by the Germans
from the Sultan for the trunk
line from Koniah, the present
terminus Of the Anatolian Rail
way in Southern Asia Minor, to-
Basra on the Shaft -el-Arab, is.
still IN allegiance although It is.
being pressed at Cons stantiino-
pie with the personal influence.
Iof the German En- mperor. The.
concession demanded by the.
/ llIernansis a very wide one, so.
much SO as to amount almost.
to a great monopoly e1nbrac-
| ing not only transportation,
but mining and industry.
The railway demand is for.
the construction Of a main line.
from .Koniall, In prolongation
Iof the Anatolian Railway from
lConstantinop1e to Konia b, then
by way Of Adana, which is al
ready connected by railway
with Mersina on the Mediter-
ranean opposite Cyprus BY a
railway 40 miles long, through
the upper .Euphrates region to
Mosul on the Tigris; and from
there by Baghdad to Basra,
whence a branch line will be.
run to Kasina at the head Of
the bay on the. south side Of
which, near the entrance, IS
situated KoWeit, about which
| England and Turkey recently
had some trouble. In addition
to the trunk line, concessions
are demanded by Germany for
the construction Of branches to
some point on the Gulf ofAlex-
1sandretta; to Aleppo; to Orfah
in Mesopotannia; and from
#Baghdad to Khanekin on the
Persian frontier on the road to
Kermaesh and Ispahan. This
last, with the extension from
Basra to Kasina and KoWeitt, is
the most important co1nercial-
! ", politically and strateg gically.
The total distance from Koniah
in straight lines to Basra
through Adana, Orfah, Mosul
andss sBaghdad, is about 1900
miles, with a hundred more to
Kasinna and KoWeit to be added
making some 1900 miles in all,
Involving an actual length Of
rail to be laid down from Kon-
.|iah to Koweit OF 1900 miles al
!. together.
] The Germans, furthermore,
demand a preference Tor seven
Iother branch lines the glt to
establish lines of steamers on
the Euphrates and Tigris, and
on the Shatt-el-Arab below the
1 junction Of the. two former at
Kornah; the right to open and
Icons struct harbors (heres some
4 port of the Gulf Of Alexandret-
! ia, and Kasima and Koweit on
! the. Persian Cult, are Indicated
wherever the railway touches
the coast; and the right to
Y work all mines within a 2O-kiIo-
metre zone on either side of the
i railway, together with many
minor privileges. They also
4 demand from the Sultan a guar
antees for 13, 900 francs net traf.
4 fic receipts per kilometre, after
4 deducting 4, 800 francs per kilo-
metre for working expenses. Il
lis this which I1inderS the com
!. clusion Of the German conces-
I sion. .8is.
The position Of Russia III re-
4 gard tosthe Persian rail is
i already assured Two lines
4 from the Transcaucasus from
4 tier are now under examina-
4 ton, one to Bushire, near the
i head Of the Persian Gulf 3. on
the east side, and the other tc