Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-27
RAILWAYS IN CHINA
Remarkable Development Co.
ing on in the Empire.
FROM PEKING TO LONDON
Trip Can Now Be Made in Fifteen
Days.
TIME MAY BE REDUCED TO NINE
Proposed Cut-Off to the Northwest
to Tap the Trans-Siberian
Road at Khailar.
FROM PEKING TO LONDON
TIME MAY BE REDUCED TO NINE
BY WILLIAM F.. CT RTIS.

BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
1t is now possible to go from Picking to
London by railroad in fifteen days-twelve
days from Peking to Moscow and three
days from Moscow 10 London: and when
a cutoff now being constructed by the
Chinese government from Picking north
westward is completed this time will be
reduced to nine or ten days At present
a passenger who takes the train at Picking
is required to go eastward to Hardin in
northern Manchura TO connect with the
Great Siberian railroad. whose main
line runs from VladNostok to. Moscow:
then he has to turn westward and follow
the other leg of an acute triangle to
1rkutSk. the capital of Siberia From
Mukden there is another branch to Port
Arthur. at the extreme point of the
Liza otung peninsula. which is usually pa
tronized by passengers to and from ia
pan. vt least three days time is lost
by following the present circuitouS route
and the Chinese government. recognizing
its disadvantages. is pushing what is
known as the Kalgan line with great
energy. and hopes to have it completed
through Mongolia to connect with the
trans Siberian railroad at khailar in the
province of TSitsihar within a few years.
The town Of Khailar is southeast of Lake
Baikal. across which the trains of the
Great Siberian railroad are now trans
ferred by a ferry.
No. l. The Peking- Kalgan Railroad.
The Picking KalEan railroad is being
constructed by Chinese engineers and
coolie labor under the general direction
Of n Il iuIc sci
VINO has spent nearly his entire life in
China in charge of the railway running
northward from Tientsin along the shore
of the Gulf of Pechili to Shan-Hiakuan.
which was built by the late Lii Hung
chang To reach his coal mines.
This road has been completed and is III
operation for IS miles. and 81 miles are
now under construction. IT is owned by
the Chinese government. is a division of
the Imperial railroad which runs from
Picking to Mukden. and is being paid for
with the surplus profits derived from the
operation of the latter line. Trains are
now running regularly to Nankow. *:
miles from Picking. Although its most
important object is to furnish a cut of
short line to Europe. it is of great benefit
to the local population and the export,
trade of Tientsin by furnishing quick and
cheap transportation for wool. skins. hides
and furS from Mongolia and the other
northern provinces which for centuries
have been brought down by camel cara
vans
Mr. Wilbur f.. Gracey. American consul
at Tsng-tau has recently sent to the
Secretary of State admirable report
upon the railways of China He describes
them all. both those that are in opera
ton, those that are under construction
and those that are authorized. and in ad-
the probable routes and the supposed ad
vantages of each. This report contains
informa ton of tho greatest value that
cannot be obtained elsewhere. and the de-
partment will undoubtedly have it pub
lished for general circulation. The inter
est throughout Europe in the railway de-
velopment of China is extraordinary. and
it is equally extraordinary that there is
no apparent interest whatever in the
United States. Although we are furnish
ing a good deal of construction material.
we might furnish great deal more if our
manufacturers went after the business.
Very likely they will do so. now that
railway construction and improvements
have been practically suspended in this
country. There is very large market
for every variety of railway supplies and
equipment in China. which we can furnish
better than any other nation, but we have
been so absorbed in supplying our own
wants that We have been Indifferent to
foreign markets We have no fixed policy
in our commerce any more than we nave
in our diplomatic relations. but since the
organization of the steel trust. the har-
vester trust and other great corporations
these faults are gradually being corrected
at a large expense. and our foreign trade
is now being organized upon a regular,
permanent and successful basis.
NO 2. The Imperial Railway.
In viewing the railways now in opera
ton in China, Mr.. Gracey describes first
the Imperial Railway of North China.
to which l have already referred. 1t
runs from Picking to Niuchwang, go
miles, and from there to Mukden, 10
miles to connect with the Manchurian
branch of the trans-Siberian railway from
Hardin to Port Arthur. The Imperial rail
way has four branches, altogether los
miles in length On" of them runs from
Peking twenty miles to the imperial
tombs. 1t carries no freight and
serves practically no other purpose than
to transport the emperor and imperial
family safely and quickly on their pcrlodi-
cal pilsrinlages to worship their ances-
tors.
The total length of the imperial railway
is therefore. H:.3 miles. and ii was con-
structed by the Chinese government. with
the assistance of rich native capitalists
and loan of Sl2.:aDNO fioated on the
London market. The entire cost of the
road was about So. 100000. which is
little more than, $4,000 mile.
and il pays enormous dividends. Mr..
ready been SJ,Up00 or about 5000 gold
per mile in ten years. 1t has an immense
freight traffic and handles IS per cent OF
the trade of Tientsin.
No. 3. The Peking-Hankow Rail-
road and Branches.
There is II railway from Picking south
TO Hankow. the metropolis of the Yang
TIE valley. and the most important trade
center of interior China This road was
built by Belgian syndicate has total
length of 7J4 miles, and short branches
with total mileage of - miles to con-
meet with coal mines and other impor-
tant sources Of freight. 1t was opened for
traffic in 1909. and trains now run daily
between Hankow and Picking on a thirty
sX-hour schedule. with sleepers and
taurant cars similar to those used in Bel
GUM The road cost an average of S41O
per mile. 1t is controlled by Belgians and
carries debt of $2222.:JnJ,OoJ at ) per cent
interest redeemable in twenty years.
The principal employees are Belsians and
the manager is NJ. j. Jadot, Shanghai.
China.
No. q. The Shansi Railroad.
The Shansi railroad which was built
tn brip COL ba