Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-07
WADNOST0K PIERS
PILED W|THFRE|GHT
Russians Looking AnxiousIy
for Reopening of Pan
anna Canal.
FACILITIES INADEQUATE
TO MEET ARMY DEMANDS
So Far Not Single Ship From New
York Has Arrived Bearing To-
comotives or Cars.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
yLADIvOSTOK, October 10.-With
It's wharves piled high with all sorts of
war supplies and its railway facilities
wholly inadequate to meet the insistant
demands of the Russian army, Vladivo-
stok is looking anxiously toward the
Panama canal and hoping for a report
that the slides have been mastered and
will permit the passage of ships carry
ing the rails, locomotives and cars so
necessary to speed up transportation
along the 5000 miles of railway which
separate the Russian battle lines from
Russia's greatest gateway for supplies.
So far not a single ship from New
York has arrived bearing locomotives
or railway cars. Four hundred and
fifty American locomotives and 10000
American freight cars have been pur-
chased, and many of them have been
shipped Several ships bearing railway
supplies passed through the Panama
canal before the slide of September is.
which was reported to have cut off
communication for an indefinite time.
Because of the block in the Panama
route supply ships from New York have
been ordered to V1adivostok by the
Suez route, which takes several weeks
longer under present conditions.
Errors Concerning Vladivostok.
Two fundamental errors have entered
into much of the discussion concerning
Vladivostok's possibilities as a supply
gateway The first Is the somewhat gen.
orally accepted statement that Vladivos-
tok is ice-bound part Of the winter. This
is not true. The other erroneous state
ment is that the Transsiberian rail-
way Is entirely double-tracked from
Vladtvostok to European Russia. This
is equally untrue. Neither is there suf
ficient steel available to complete the
double track along the entire route.
Last winter two ice-breakers kept
Vladivostok open throughout the en-
tire cold season without any trouble.
purchased in Japan and the port author
tiles anticipate no difficulty in keep
ing channels open to the docks.
Vladivostok has hitherto been an ex-
porting and not an importing center.
The high freight rates across Siberia
made the port useless as supply GEN.
ter for European Russia until the pres
ent war threw all the Russian ports
out of commission except Archangel
and yladivostok, the two gateways
her arms and ammunition from outside
countries.
Avalanche Of War Supplies.
Heroic efforts have been made at
Vladivostok to measure up to the ex-
pected responsibilities. but warehouses,
docks, cranes, trackage and rolling
stock were lacking to care for the
avalanche of war supplies. Temporary
tracks have been built in every possi BILE
direction. Warehouses have been. en-
larged, new piers have been thrown
out But the enlarged LAC 1acii ~ ssei nave
and the worst Is to- come So far
large guns have been the only bulky
machinery unloaded. The great car
goes Of American locomotives and steel
and facilities which Vladivostok does
not AFFORD The docks are small, en-
tirely of wood and few IN numper. me
lighters and barges available are also
small and not well suited 10 large
pieces of machinery.
Owning to the conformation of the
harbor. a large part OF which Is wholly
monopolized by the navy ana army as
dry dock. arsenal. navy yard, par
racks and supply depots, ten or twelve
shins AT most can be unloaded in the
harbor at once, and with this number
lighters must be used to n considerable
extent.
Every Foot Of Space Occupied.
Virtually every available foot of
ground along the water front Is at
nresent stacked high with war supplies
coyered with canvas. Warehouses are
crow d-d TO their capacity and the over
aov 10 piled under any temporary
shelter which can be provided.
IA is estimated that n trainioad OF
war suppiies starts westward every
thfss h,,t,fs hut the great WarohouBrs
and ptsFs are constantly allied auAin
exosu sha ahl mn aluasa at auehar watt