Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-27
GRIDlRoNING ASIA.
Great Railways That Are 6irdling the
Eastern World.

Eastern World.
Mr.. Balfour, in the house of COM
mons, emphasized the Importance Of
British railway extension In Asia He
seemed to assume temporarily that
Russia would drive Japan eventually
from the sea in the far East, and
would then resume her march south
ward in central Asia
He pointed out that the Russian
strategic railways had been pushed al
most to the Afghan frontier, and inti-
mated that railway construction in
Asia was to play almost as conspicu-
ous a part In future wars in the east
as the building Of fleets.
Whether this is true or not, certain
ly the gridironing Of Asia with rail-
ways is one Of the most surprising
developments Of the last fifteen years.
In railway building in Asia, Russia Of
course has taken the lead. The
whole of the Trans Siberian line
$4,000 miles in Asia) has been con-
structed since 1891. The Trans Cas-
plan line from Krosnovodsk on the
Caspian has been extended 1856
miles by way of Merv, Bokhara, and
Samarcand to Tashkend and Andjan
on the Kashgar frontier. A branch
line extends from Merv southwark to-
ward Herat, and another line extends
To thnnoon6 mil
Orenburg A line Is projected from
Merv southwark through Persia to
Bushire, on the Persian Gulf, to be
Joined at Teheran or Ispahan by a
line from Baku, on the west coast of
the Caspian.
Still another line has been projected
from European Russia to run north of
the Caspian to Bokhara or Merv. If
Russia Is driven from Manchuria II
is proposed to construct new Sibe-
rian line from Stretensk down the
Amoor valley by way of Khabarofsk
to Vladivostok. and another south
ward from Lake Baikal to Peking.
Against those Russian strategic
lines, which reach toward the Indian
frontier, England has extended the
Indian railway system northward to-
ward the Russian frontier. There are
now $4,000 miles OF railway In India
Bombay having connection by way OF
Delhi with Peshawar on the northern
frontier and through the Indus lines
with Quetah in Beloochistan and
Kandahar in Afghanistan. 1t Is pro-
posed to extend the Kandahar rail-
way to Herat, and to build a road
from Quetah to Ispahan in Persia.
Meantime German capitalists, under
concessions obtained by the German
government, are constructing railways
from Smyrna and Constantinople
through Asia Minor to the Persian
Gulf. Turkey is constructing import
ant railway lines in Arabia and Syria
and China has railway system inde-
pendent of the Manchurian roads
comprising a mileage Of $500 complet-
ed and under construction. Dutch
India has 1885 miles of railroad
Cochin China and Tonquin (French)
1888 miles; Japan, 4,116 miles; Siam
800 miles: Ceylon, 562 miles. The to-
tai for Asia is 75,491 miles Of rail-
road. Included are S7.2s7 miles under
Russian control, and $4,000 under
English control.
The Siberian railway Is important
as a military road, but 1t was con-
structed with commercial develop
ment in mind. 1t crosses all the grea'
rivers flowing north through Siberia
near the head Of navigation, thus al
fording an outlet for all the valleys
It constitutes the shortest route from
European capitals to Asiatic trade
centres, and it will command the
trade of Siberia and Northern China
The Trans Caspian railroad system
has great strategic value In case ol
war, but 1t was constructed to COM
mand the trade of Central Asia-to
reach the old trade routes through
Kashgar, Samarcand and Merv. II
peace should prevail for twenty-five
wears Merv would become the midway
station between Calcutta and the
Black Sea, the German railway
through Asia Minor would restore the
old prestige to the Euphrates valley
and the Trans Siberian railway would
bring a wonderful development to all
Northern Asia.-Chicago Inter Ocean