The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-23
BEHRING TUNNEL IS
 FAVORED BY TIE GAR
SYMPATHY FOR THE PROJECT NOW VERY STRONG IN
 RUSSIA.

National Defense Committee Considers
 the Project Essential from il stra-
 tegfc Point of View--BeIief That Po-
 litical Ties Between the Two Couns
 tries Will be Strengthened--Stand-
 point of General Policy.
 St. Petersburg, March 22.-The sym pathy of Emperor Nicholas, Premier Witte and other members of the min istry, as well as of powerful influences at court, have been enlisted by Baron Loieq de Lobel in the project of the American Transalaskan Siberian con- pany for the construction of tunnel under Behring Strait, from East Cape to Kansk, and the building of three thousand miles of railway to connect it with the Siberian railway, and the op- position of portion of the bureaucra- cy, which fought the scheme bitterly because the negotiations were conduct ed over their heads, is breaking down. The outlook for a favorable decision is now bright In addition to the benefits 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 as essential from a strategic point of view, and, more iY1oT9 mt cfi ie, sx, r.s government spheres distinct disposi- ton to cultivate the United States as Russia's natural ally in the Far East It is believed that by interesting Amer jeans materially in Siberia the political ties between the two countries will be strengthened.
 statement to this effect has been submitted by Foreign Minister Lams- dorff to the commission under the pres- idency of Ziegler von Shaffhausen, rlin- ister of ways and communications, which has been considering the project, which statement really amounts to an important declaration of foreign policy, as is evident from the following ex- tract:
 From the standpoint of general poll icy the project is considered more than desirable. The investment of foreign capital, and especially American, in an enterprise so important for Russia will certainly tend to an economic, financial and political Russo American rap prochement. It will also contributa tn the creation. of greater confidence in our foreign policy, which sensibly siif- fered by recent events. By interesting Americans we will be the better able to combat the injurious agitation against us which produced so much harm before the Russo Japanese war. believe the projected railroad would serve to paralyze any aggressive move- ment against us in the Far East. Everything which helps to place Russia in more independent position with re- gard to Japan and China cannot fail to strengthen Russia both in the Far East and Europe'
 Six of the twelve representatives of the various ministries on the Shaff- hausen commission already have pro- nounced in favor of the project. Gen. eral Beldureff, representing the minis- try or the imperial nOuSenold, told tho commission how much his majesty was interested, and personally challenged the arguments of M. Toulchinski, who has combatted the project. M. Greb- netsky on behalf of the ministry of the interior, went to the extent of de- claring that if the railroad was not con- struoted Russia's position on the Pacific w0l1ld he lost He exnressAd tha oyin ion that the railroad was feasible, and that Americans were capable of carry ing out the project.
 Baron de Lobel is making the changes in the proposed line of the railroad which were suggested by the committee of national defense on strategic consid- erations.