Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-23
STRAIT TUNNEL
GAINS FRIENDS
CAR FAV0RS THE SCHEME TO
BORE UNDER BERING
Plan to Connect Russia With United
States Meeting With Favor in
st. Petersburg-Poltics
Involved
RY Associated Press.


ST. PETERSBURG, March 22.-The
sympathy of Emperor Nicholas, Pre-
mier Witte and other members of the
ministry, as well ais of powerful influ-
| ences at court, have been enlisted by
Baron Loicq de Lobel in the project
of the American Trans-Alaskan ST.
berian company for the construction of
tunnel under Behring strait from
East cape to Kansu and 300 miles of
railroad to connect it with the Siberian
railway, and the opposition of a por-
ton of the bureaucracy which fought
the scheme bitterly because the nego-
tiations were conducted over their
heads, is breaking down.
The outlook for a favorable decision
is now bright. In addition to the bene-
fits which will accrue to the nation by
the development of the resources of the
present waste of northeastern Siberia
the imperial family owns an immense
extent of land which will be benefited.
The national defense committee also
considers the project essential from
strategic point of view and more i'm
portant still there is in the higher gov
ernment spheres a distinct disposition
TO cultivate the United States as Rus
sias natural ally in the far east. 1t
is believed that by interesting Amer
leans materially in Siberia the political
ties between the two countries will be
strengthened. A statement to this et-
feet has been submitted by Foreign
Minister Lamsdorff to the commission
under the presidency of Zeigler Won
Schaffhausen minister of ways and
communications, which has been con-
sidering the project, which statement
really amounts to an important declara-
ton of foreign policy as is evident from
the following extract:
More Than Desirable
From the standpoint of good policy
the project is considered more than de-
sirable. The investment of foreign cap
ital, and especially American, in an en-
terprise so important for Russia, will
certainly tend to an economic, financial
and political Russo-American rap
prochement. 1t will also contribute
TO the creation of greater confidence in
our foreign policy, which has sensibly
suffered by recent events. By in
teresting Americans we may be able
better to combat the injurious agita-
ton against us which produced so
much harm before the usso-Japanese
war l believe the protected railroad
would serve to paralyZe any aggressive
movement against us in the far east.
Everything which can help to place
Russia in a more Independent position
with regard to Japan and China can
not fail to strengthen Russia both in
the far east and in Europe"
Six of the twelve representatives of
the various ministeries on the Shaft
hausen commission already have pro-
nounced in favor of the project. Cen
eral Boldureff representing the min
istry of the imperial household, told
the commission how much his majesty
was interested and personally chal-
lenged the arguments of M. Toulinski,
who has combatted the project.
M. Grebnetsky, on behalf of the min
istry of the interior, went to the extent
of declaring that if the railroad was
not constructed Russias position on
the Pacific would be lost. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the railroad
was feasible and that Americans were
capable of carrying out the project.
Baron de Lobel is making the changes
in the proposed line of the rilroad which
were suggested by the committee of
national defense on strategic condi-
tions.