The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-05
RUSSIA PLANNING
IN MANCHURIA
Is Trying to Establish FOothold
at VIadivoStok
WOULD HURT SHANGHAI
Scheme to Offset Loss of Dalny and
Port Arthur Ambitious One and
Means Much to Worlds
Commerce.
WOULD HURT SHANGHAI


Washington, March 4-Russia's renewed
attempt to establish a permanent foot
hold in North Manchuria by making Via
divostok the port of entry, thereby off,
setting the loss of Dalny and Port Ar
thur. is described in an official report
made public at the state department to-
day. which report recently reached wash
ington from one of the department
agents in China. The report expresses
the belief that this will rebound to the
development of American trade, and VIII
result In a great curtailment of the I'M
portance of Shanghai as a distributing
point. The extract made public at the
department says:
"Since the conclusion of peace between
Russia and Japan, there has been much
speculation in the foreign community OF
Shanghai as to the future opportunity
for trade and develoment in Manchuria'
and therefore the negotiations between
japan and China on the one hand and
the diplomatic moves of Russia at Pekin
on the other. have been watched with
the closest attention. AS soon as the
way to Vladivostok was opened there en-
81 ed a rush of steamers from Shanghai
Using Tao. Che Foo, Tien Tsin, Nagasaki,
Kobe and Yokohama, and as a conse-
duence the immediate demand for mer-
chandise was soon satisfied. Then came
the riots both at Vladivostok and Hardin,
followed by the ice closing the port of
entry. These discouraging factors drove
many of the traders away and left mar
ket which while we'll supplied with such
lpxuries as are indicated for the Rus
SLAMS Is still demanding staples for the
natives, and is offering great chance
for development Such is practically the
situation today and period three months
from this date will see Manchuria eager
for that which is now the beginning of
an era which will last few years at
least.
Russia Is Candid.
mo one knows what Japan intends to
do in southeastern Manchuria, either in
the way of trade or development in con-
nection with her position of the Chinese
Eastern railway. and the new line which
is to be built there to connect with
Corea Russia for the benefit Of her por-
ton of the Chinese Eastern railway, for
her own political affairs in the east and
perhaps for the sake of affording a con-
trast, is letting everybody know what her
aim and ambition is. 1t may be well to
point out what Is the field for the de-
velopment now being advertised by Rus
sian agents. The Chinese Eastern rail-
way, which leaves the old and original
survey of the Trans-Sberian railway at
Nertchinsk, crosses the Manchuria bor-
der at the station since called Manchuria,
and then by a southeasterly course runs
through one of the most fertile areas
on the continent to Hardin and from
thence on to Poyrantznaia (border), thus
reaching Siberia again. and joining the
Ousuri railway "a part of the original
trans-Sberian route, and now running to
Khabarovsk on the Amur river, goes to
Vladivostok
Through this Manchurian section there
are vast stretches of rolling and level
land, great forests of fine timber of
merchantable kind, and rich mineralized
areas. To the south of the line lies the
practically unexplored broken country
which forms the northern Corean border.
To the north lies Amur country, a land
of splendid possibilities for agriculture
and numbering, and flanked by streams
which are remarkable for their fisheries.
To the west is that which many think is
the best part of Siberia, since it contains
what has made IrlSutsk the great CONNER
cial center 1t is a great domain. and
one which is under good management,
and the lack of political disturbance from
Russia as well as China will produce rich
results
Railway Still Efficient.
The railway itself still remains efficient,
in spite of what has been upon it. The
rails are light Go pounds to the Yard
from the American standpoint, but they
are said to be in good condition; the
bridges are of American construction,
and the roadbed is solid. That portion of
the line from Hardin south need not be
considered here, as Russas portion only
extends to I<irin and of course it is
greatly in need of reconstruction on 40.
count of the war. But Russia is now APP
parently through with this railway COM
pany flor 1t is now government owned)
attempting to establish a permanent foot
hold in Northern Manchuria and to alter
things to such an extent that relapse will
be difficult. Even while NladiVostok and
Hardin were burning, plans were hasten
ing for the coming campaign of develop
ment. The scheme advertised contempla-
ted the establishment of a service which
would make Vladivostok the home port
the welcoming and the protection of in
vested capital the invitation to use the
railway as the means of transportation to
Europe for the products of China, and
especially of tea.
These are in a general way said to be
the plans and the foreign agent has been
given free hand to put them into eff
feet as far as the outside world is con-
cerned. 1t is the purpose evidently that
the government and Russian owners OF
this railway property will do a good deal
towards making Vladivostok the port of
entry, thereby making up for the loss of
Dalny and Port Arthur. The docks are
to he enlarged they say, godowns built
and cargo landing facilitated. This means
competition with the Japanese and an
interesting condition will arise. The
Japanese merchant marine have apparent
y recognized this and while Japanese az
fairs are being adjusted in the former
war zone, their steamers are getting
ready to enter Vladivostok trade also.
If therefore the ports of Southern Man
chura should be forsaKen and there
should be a reverson to Vladivostok, 1t
would seem that there should be a much
better future for a practically discarded
port With the assistance of the ice break
ers which are to be maintained by the
government Vladivistok would be more
nearly navigable for all the year than
Dalny. 1t is also argued by those who
are interested iii Vladivostok that it il
naturally the port for American Manchu-
rian commerce, being closer and easier