Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-02
Of Grave Importance to the Russian
Empire.
LINE WOULD BE A WONDER
Travel Without Change From London
to the Orient and Western
Shores of Chinese Sea.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

1of WHICH expenditures running up
to more than 300.00O,o00 yen have already
been arranged. are only the beginning OF
a vast system of railways, which will in
the not far distant future plan the great
Siberian railroad of Russia. The Japanese
will look after the Manchurian and the
Chinese branches Of this system, but the
Indian branches and some of the Afghan
istan lines will be to large extent under
British control. French capital Is to f1ll
in the gap in the vicinity of Persia and
Tibet. while German energy and German
enterprise will become responsible for the
lines to the south Of the Caspian sea and
the Black sea, and on to Constantinople.
From Constantinople lines will be devel-
oped through the Balkan states, the meth
DDS and in all probability the routes Of
the orient express being followed In a
large measure; Swift connections will be
London. and 1T is hoped that eventually
British military prejudices can be won
over to point where permission will be
mel between Great Britain and France. so
that it will be possible to travel without
change of cars from London to the orient
This plan, which was originally laid
out by an American named Crater. is said
by engineers to be less daring than the
Cape to Cairo road at the time Of its in
ception. When Crater first appeared in
Paris he found his plans blocked by
play of worldwide international forces,
which he could not understand. His chief
trouble appeared to be in getting the Per
sian concessions. Russian interests finally
blocked all Persian franchises-there was
a big row in Paris, and Crater finally re-
turned to California In disgust Then came
the war between Russia and Japan. and.
Of course, the execution Of an international
enterprise Of this character became q mat
ter Of absolute impossibility. The recent
death Of the Shah of Persia will. 1t is
believed, remove all obstacles toward the
construction of the central section OF the
trunk line through the southern and CEN
trail portions Of Asia.
1t should be remembered that the pro-
gram is not 80 stupendous an might appear
at first thought. So far as the East Indian
railway systems, are concerned it is only
necessary to remember that they are fairly
we'll developed, and that it would not be
difficult to establish connections to the
north with a line of this character. With
the japanese pushing on toward the west
of Manchuria and with the Germans push
ing on east through the Turkish empire, 1t
would appear to be matter Of only
few years before the gaps in the under
taking would be pretty we'll filled.
Significance Of Movement.
Of@course the significance Of the move
ment lies in the fact that once the railway
Is completed by this international chain,
Russia will be pretty we'll penned up for all
tary and commercial point Of view, of
way becomes matter Of grave Importance.
1t is even believed in governmental circles
here that some movement of this nature is
behind the Anglo-Japanese alliance, which
has puzzled the diplomats of the world.
Once the trunk line through Asia is de-
cided to be a strategic and commercial ne
cessity-once the wisdom Of such policy
Is admitted by the governments Of Lon
do Dow nd nrttp ic o6r tod fIat
the necessary loans would not become
matter of financial impossibility. Relatively
1t Is believed that it would be an undertake
ing no greater than the dreams of Cecil
Rhodes of a railway from the north of At
RIGA to the south, or than the Americans
are now undertaking single-handed in the
building of the Panama canal
1t is only necessary. at any rate. to read
between the lines of the speech Of the en-
peror at the opening of the diet where he
laid emphasis on the increasing cordial
relations that existed between Japan and
the other powers and the necessity for the
development OF the national resources in
general and the resources of the new
Asiatic possessions of Japan In particular
TO understand that important movements
Of a worldwide nature may be expected
during the next twelvemonth
1t is said here that the only reason why
the news in connection with some of these
railway plans have not been made public
before this is because of the negotiations
Though the Russian government Is fully
aware of the nature of some of these plans,
and is prepared to acknowledge the dis
position of the nations of the world to keep
that empire penned up in the fce-locked
harbors of the frozen north, nevertheless 1t
is feared by all concerned, that a storm Of
indignation might sweep over that country
which would be difficult for the car to ar
rest prior to the settlement Of all DIM
culties now pending. After these difficulties
are settled it is asserted there need be no
alarm over possibilities Of International
complications.
Some Treaty Points at Issue.
According to the explanations just made
by the Russian government itself the main
points at Issue are the Interpretation of GER
tain phrases in the treaty of Portsmouth
which differ in French and English, and the
fishery question. According to this state
ment the negotiations are making normal
progress, but Japan has made certain de-
mands which Russia cannot grant. The
two principal difficulties appear to turn
upon the detailed matter of the Sungari
river and the definition Of fishery rights.
The subject matter OF the negotiations had,
by no means, been exhausted when the
japanese minister, M. Motono left for
return to st. Petersburg the first of next
week. when the negotiations will be resumed
and other problems dealt with. among
which probably the easiest to be settled
will be the Japanese estimate for the keep
an the medical treatmen. Of the Russian
prisoners, and the determination Of the
point OF .emarkation between the railway
line to the northwest, which Russia retains,
and the section which she has consented to
allow China to redeem and hand over to
Japan. 1t was decided at Portsmouth that
the city of Kwan-che-tse should serve as
the point Of demarkation between the two
lines, and that Japan might construct a
line Of Kirin, either from Kwan-chen-tse
or any other station that might be in her
possession.
Meanwhile improvements in China 60 for
ward with remarkable rapidity. The thing
that has caused the most excitement m
Picking for q month Is the opening of the
new bridge to accommodate the Picking
tram cars. Peking already has considerable
Of tramway service, but now that the
bridge has been opened negotiations have
been completed for the extension of this
tramway service. A new line is shout to
be constructed through the French conces-
sion on the Bund to the Japanese conces-
sion, and the rails will eventually be car.
ried aa far as Tientsin II terms can be ar
ranged with the British, German and Rus
sian municipalities.
According to information received here
the Importance Of DR.. Won lie Coos dis
.coveries in northeastern Turkestan was
underestimated IN the first OF the reports
received. This German expedition was at
Turfan. about ~ degrees latitude for seven
months, during the first three of which its
work was in vain. Then Bartus the assist