The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-21
Many Achievements for His
People Have Been Wrought
by Emperor Nicholas.
BY LA MARaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.

n0SiSc DE tONTENOf.
INFERIOR Nicholas has authorized
ms Premier and Minister OF
Finance, w. r.. Kokovtzow. to
complete the arrangement in Paris for
roam or 70O.000,o00 francs ($I4O, 600
0oo), Tor tho construction of the new
south Siberian Railroad. His reign Is
aiready notable I'm Russian history for
the grant OF Constitution. and of
parliamentary form OF government to
the nation. as we'll as for tho compile
tlon OF the Trans-Aslatic Railroad from
MOSCOW across Northern Siberia to
Viadivostook, Russia's naval strong
mold on the Pacific Coast. He hopes
20 add to these achievements the crea-
tion or the South Siberian Railroad,
which VIII be from an economic point
OF view still more important than tho
North Siberian. the Trans-Caspian, the
Orenburg- Tashkend and the Amur
Great Trunk lines of railroad in Asia
The new line Will extend from Aktju-
oinsk, on the Orenburg -Tashkend Rail
road. and will stretch eastwards to
Turgai, and from there to Akmolinsk.
AT Semipala tinsk. which Ia, perhaps, to-
day the most important Russian trade
centre in Southern Siberia, the railroad
VIII cross the big River Irtysh. and
VIII then stretch northwards to Join
the present Trans-Siberian Railroad
The line Is destined to promote the
settlement OF the huge table land of
Russia In Asia. which is bounded by
the Trans-Siberian line in the north.
. py tne Cral range In the west, and
the Altai range In the south 1t Is
table land which. for hundreds of
years. has furnished the Kirghese and
other Central Asian tribes with the
means OF raising hugo herds OF sheep,
horses and camels. is capable of great
agricultural development, and is par
ticularly rich In mineral wealth, espe-
clally gold and coal, neither OF which.
although Drospected. have been able
TO be worked to any extent, owing to
the lack of transport.
Now that Russia has secured virtual
control of Persia and of Mongolia. En-
peror Nicholas and his principal states
men do not wish for any further ter
ritorial acquisitions In Asia Their
aim is rather one of concentration and
development of what they have al
ready got. keenly alive as they are to
the almost ineXhaustibie character of
the latent wealth of that portion OF
the Muscovite empire which is stu
ated in Asia. 1t is in pursuance of
this object that the Gear has deter
mined TO spend so much money on this
new South Siberian line. which is TO
form sort of vertebra for n number
OF ribs in the shape OF branch lines.
stretching north and south, tapping
prosperous districts.
While the Gear and his ministers
thus disclatm, with perfect sincerity,
any desire for territorial aggrandize-
ment. their views are liable every now
and again to be frustrated bv the
officers OF the troops intrusted with
the guardianship OF her frontiers
These men not only banker after mill
tary laurels. but also fancy that war
affords them chances of promotion and
or fame. as having added to the pos
sessions of the empire. That IS why
and 1t Is TO this, that Is to say. to
the ambitions of frontier officers that
must be ascribed the discrepancy that
has often appeared to exist between
the peaceful assurance of the imperial
government at ST Petersburg. and the
aggressive acts of it's agents in Cen
trail Asia n notable instance in point
being that of Merv.
Among the principal duties OF am
oassadors is that of keeping their gov
eminent thoroughly posted as to the
trend of popular sentiment in the
countries to which they have been as
signed. especially when the policies of
these countries are more or less di-
rectly subordinated to the will of the
people The most efcacious way of
Keeping in touch with this popular
sentiment is by means Of pcrusal OF
the various newspapers of the country
IN question, and also by mngling
freely with all classes OF society. But
how can an envoy do this when he is
lopelessly ignorant of the language OF
the country concerned?
Every one Of the various foreign
ambassadors and ministers at Wash
inston is master OF the English lam
suage NJ. Jusserand. for instance. has
achieved celebrity as one of the fore.
most living authorities on English lit.
erature. But Thomas James O'Brien.
the retiring ambassador of the United
States at Rome, is as ignorant of Ital-
ian rs his first secretary, Richard c.
herens who has represented the United
States at Vienna, knows as little of
German as his predecessor. Charles
Spencer Francis John a. Leishman,
at Berlin. can hardly be described az