The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-02-01
RUSSIA WANTS TO JOIN US AT
BEHRING STRAIT. NOW ONLY
So MILES AWAY.

The tremendous military efforts
which Russia is putting forth at the
present time, of course, overshadows
everything else in the empire. New
erthe1ess even with millions of men
at the front broad-gauge internal i'm
provements are being Systematically
pushed, writes Guy Mitchell in the
Saturday Globe. Indeed, it would
have been fortunate for Russia had
one of these been started little ear
| Her. Then Russia might not have
been found in the position of being
hard-pushed for ammunition and
guns, for the way would have been
open for American Industries to have
poured munitions of war into the
hands of the Russian military forces
without fear of molestation from en-
envy on land or on sea.
All of Russia's conquests, both
peaceful and warlike, have aimed to
gain an adequate outlet to the seas
for her immense domain, not to ex-
tend her territory. Since she now
rules over one-tenth of the land sur
face of the earth, an area twice as
large as the United States, including
Alaska, she is large enough. But
even now while she is engaged in the
terrible, bloody struggle for an open
ing from the Black sea, she is contin-
uing her peaceful efforts for an out
let on the Pacific.
Only Thir'ty-Six Miles From Us.
While the discussion Of the Alas
kan railroad was before congress last
winter Russia had a special repre-
sentative, James DIETRICH, in Wash
ington urging the extension OF our
Alaskan road to the extreme point Of
Seward peninsula, where but 80
miles of water separate us from East
cape on the Siberian side.
Mr.. DIETRICH has been for years a
mine operator in Siberia, especially
near the Siberian-Mongolian border
at Kiatka, and so knows the min1no
value of a railroad such as they pro-
pose to build across this segi0n to
connect at East Cape with our Alas
kan road. The Russian government
promises to build a railroad from It's
Trans-S Siberian railroad to Behring
strait provided the United States Will
connect with it. The proposed Rus
sian road would branch off from the
Trans-Siberian road near lrkutsK'
lust west of Lake Baikal and run to
East cape, where a railroad ferry
would connect with the Alaskan rail-
road. Through rail service could thus
be established from Petrograd to
Washington and New York city,
Such a world-encircling railroad is
an ambitious scheme, but not insur-
mountabe. The greatest obstacle is
crossing Behring strait. However,
the distance is only SO miles and part
of the way crosses shallow water
where a heavy trestle could be used.
The distance is further broken by a
large island. In a past age, very re-
cent geologically, there was a contln-
mons land connection between Alaska
and Siberia. A great ice breaker,
such as was used in crossing the great
Lake Baikal before the railroad was
completed around the south end OF
the lake. could do the work. Inc
ferry on Lake Baikal was capable OF
carrying 80 freight cars and l'OOO
men and their baggage. AS Mr.. Deit-
rich put it, ''W1inter can be overcome
by the steam engine on land and the
ice breaker and bridge across the
strait"
The Siberian railroad would follow
generally the route of the present
post road from Trkutsk to the head
waters of the Lena river and down
that valley to Yakuask. There are
two possible routes from there, one
east to the Sea of Okhotsk and on to
East cape. The other route would
go north of the mountains and across
the Arctic tundra to East cape. At
present a post road goes little be-
yond Yakutsk, where it turns into a
caravan route and finally terminates
in a trail. a railroad through this
region would open up valuable coun-