Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-09

changing course. and II will be difficult to
properly bridge it. 1t will be done. how
ever. and We can then send cars from Han
kow to any part of Europe"
An Anglo-German Railroad.
IT have understood that another line is
being built from north to south. nearer the
sea-"
You refer. I suppose" was the reply.
Ito the concession given to the Anglo-Ger-
man syndicate. That line has been planned.
but construction has not yet begun. 1t
will run from Tientsin down through the
western part of the Shantung province,
along one of the old freight routes. until
1t strikes the Grand canal. and will then so
along the banks of that canal to Chinkiang
on the Yangtse river. That project is n
very important one. for the road will form
one of the great trunk lines connecting the
northern trade of the empire with that of
the Yangtse and its traffic will be eQualed
only by that from Hankow to Picking.
THAT road continued Mr.. Ferguson,
will connect with the line which passes
through Chinan-fu, the capital of Shantuns.
the province on the seaboard of which the
German colony of Kiaochow is situated.
1t will be connected with the roads that
the Germans are now building from kiao-
chow bay into the interior, and 1t will aid
in opening up the large coal fields of that
region. The Germans lave already built
line from KiaoChow to Cninal-fu. The first
through train passed over 1t about two
months go, making the run from kidUChow
to Chinan-fu in twelve hours. The time re
quired by the old methods of travel was
from twelve to fifteen days. 1t used to
mean journey of abou: one month for the
officials of Chinan-fu to go to Shanghai or
T!entsIn They went to the port of Chcfoo
ard tn north south by sea They can
Low make the same Journey in tAree or
four days. This German line. already con-
siructed passes through the coal fields OF
Weihsian. giving their deposits an outlet
to the sea. 1t also goes by Taishan. the
most IOted of China sacred mountains
and passes near the old home of Confuc-us
There is no people fonder of making
piIgrimages to religious shrincs than the
Chinese, ard this road will have I big traffic
through the native tourists and pilgrims
L will attract thousands to these classic
regions, especially when the Angio-Gcrman
line is completed Heretofore this country
has been practically shut out from the rest
CT the world because of travel difficulties
Great Railroads of South China.
How about the railroads of southern
China Mr.. Ferguson?' l asked.
The region south of the Iang.se kiang
Is the most fertile and. | m ght say. the
most thiCkly populated of any part OF
China. In many of its sections the farm
ers are able to gather three crops every
year from the same soil. The country Is
cut up by series of canals, which carry
the waters of the YaaStse far down into
the heart of the provinces. forming an i'm
mense system of irrigation. The land is so
fiat that the Yangtsc waters can b. thus
transported many miles, and the canals
serve not only the purpose of irrigation, but
also as trade routes and farm roads. There
are tens of thousands of SIN all boats upon
, them. The farmers carry their produce 10
market in boats and the merchant thus
sends his goods to all parts of the country.
These canals will Ice feeders to tie trunk
lines and they will be valuable as
branch lines to our railroads. The farm
ers will take their produce to the railway
stations in boats. just as our farmers take
theirs upon wagons.
Owned by an American Syndicate.
THE lines planned to open up this rich
country" Mr.. Ferguson continued. are
naturally laid out so as to connect with the
trunk lines on the north of the Yangtse
One of the chief ones-;ndeed, | say the most
important of all-Is the concession of the
Americln-Ctina Development Company to
; build trunk line from H2rkow to Canton.
thereby connecting the chief industrial and
some of the most fertile parts of south
China with the trunk lire from Hanhow to
Pekins of which l have already spoken.
This road will start from Wucning, the
capital OF the province Of Hipeh. Wuchang
is situated Directly opposite H2nkow and
for th4c reason the line is called the Cam
ton-Haukow line. or IN Chinese the Yueh-
han line. This road runs through three
provinces, connecting three great capital