Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-24
Wants Plan for Railway in
China Changed.
SUGGESTS ANOTHER ROUTE
Alternative to Knox Proposal Soon
To Be Announced.
POWERS ARE BEING SOUNDED
Strategic Objections to Proposed
Aigun Line-Aight Of Veto
Is Claimed.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 24.-An
alternative to the railroad plan set forth
in the second part OF Secretary Knox
recent note to the powers may be ex-
pected soon from the Russian government
The American memorandum, In addi-
ton to proposing the naturalization OF
the Manehurian railways. announced that
syndicate, composed OF Americans and
Englishmen, had secured from China a
concession for the construction Of a rail-
road from Aigun. in northern Manchuria.
to Chinchow. and that the governments
Of Great Britain and the United States
propose to support the enterprise Dip
lomatically.
Russia rejected the naturalization pro-
posal. but took the second suggestion I'M
der further advisement before deciding
whether it would approve the plan and
share in the financing involved. AS a
result of its deliberations the govern
ment will propose an alternative PROPOSE
ton.
Another Route Suggested.
Russia will suggest that instead of the
proposed Aigun-Chinchow railroad there
shall be constructed another trans
monaghan line, further westward, strik-
ing the transsiberian railway near the
Baikal line, and which, with the extension
from Picking TO Kalgan. will traverse
Ursa and Kiakhta, avoiding the desert
between Kalkan and Urga by wide de-
tour westward to Puyuanchen.
This route would not be open to the
strategic objections to the Aigun line,
since 1t touches the Russian railroad at
a point where Russian troops could be
easily assembled
The foreign Office processes that the
line 1t suggests would be far more prof.
liable than the Aigun project, since 1t
would follow the great caravan route
over which all land exports to Europe
pass. The interested powers will be
sounded as preliminary to the advance
ment of the formal proposal.
The Russian-Chinese relations are
rather strained as a result Of railway
and other problems in Manchuria. China
has compiled with the admonitions of
Great Britain. so far as to ask Russia
views concerning the Aigun project but
refuses to admit Russia's pretensions OF
a right to veto the plan for the construc-
ton Of the railroad.
Right Of Veto Claimed.
The Russian foreign office bases it's
claim to this rlgnt OF veto On pTOHh-
Use, alleged to have been given by
China in 1899. that only Russian capt.
tai should be employed in railway build
ing north Of Peking in the event that
the roads were not built by the Chi
nese themselves. China claims that
Russia defaulted in it's part of the
agreement by failing to protect China
The prohibition on the expectation OF
grain from Manchuria IL a further
cause of irritation. Russia asserts that
the prohibition was designed largely to
cripple the Russian railroad and drive
Russians out OF Manchuria.
Apparently the plan has been effect
i've. Judging from the protests Of the
Russians at Hardin. Minister of FL
nance Kokovsoff has Informed the bud
get committee Of parliament that the
deficit OF the Manchurian railroad
would be greatly increased II the pro-
hibiti6n decree was not revoked.