Founded on and largely reproducing a Leeture delivered on the subject to the Bertin Richthojen, on ith April, 1874. To Geographical Society, "by Baron von
sued by the Berlin Geographical Society, (Translated from the German.)
No sooner had the great feat of connecting California with the Atlantic by railroad been successfully accomplished, than, as it were following on this event, the question obtruded itself on the mind' whether the great continent of the astern Hemisphere, reaching from the West of Spain to the utmost precinets of the Chinese Empire, could nut in a like way and withunutual advantage be brought together.
Phe result obtained in the American Hemisphere had been tonite a population of little more than 40 millions, inhabiting the States East of the Rocky' mountains, toa city on the Pacific which, though of undoubted mercantile importance still owned as immediate dependencies none but scantily populated districts, to avoid the disadvantages equally attaching to the long route by sen rounding Cape Horn, and to the frequent reloading and shipping of goods if the shorter distance vid Panama were chosen.
In the Eastern Hemisphere, the accom-pushment of a similar connection would be attended with results of paramount importance, and ends of infinitely superior a character would be attained.
Here the task is given to vanquish prejudices which have successfully held their own for thousands of years without succumbing to the most powerful of miners—*Time." The Chinese Empire, with 400 millions of inhabitants, is to be Drought into immediate contact with the 300 "millions inhabiting the European Commonwwealths; an irresistible connection is to be established between those two parts of the world that are foremost among producing and consuming nations by aid of the most powerful fetters that an azo powerful in invention has been able to produce.
The admirable despatch with which the construction of the Pacific railront has been carried out in the United States is due to many natural advantages, among which may be reckoned the political unity of the territory traversed; the short distance which remained built between the outposts of lines already existing in the East and West; the immediate aid of many adjacent States in high cultivation, and the eminently favorable proportion as (o space and time in which the land route stands towards the sea route, Many of these advantages will have to be foregone in consider Eastern scheme, and many serious obstacles may obtrude themselves with which the American enterprize has not been impeded, but the enhanced difficulty will be amply compensated for-by the results that may be confidently expected tu accrue from the attainment of such design, and which can searcely be overrated.
He who is accustomed to draw his conclusions as to the probability of events that may come to pass from the logical combination of existing facts will, I think, with me in regarding the construction most important means of traffic as a task that is bound to be executed eventually, however trying the procrastination to which it may be subjected.
The lecturer proposed to consider the question ch ate point out one distinct and unchangeable route as suitable to connect China with the West, and he presumes that his reasons for this assumption, and some particulars of the country to be traversed, may not prove uninteresting.
The first ideas of connecting China with the West were naturally based upon the natural thoroughfares already existing, and which had been approved by commercial and other traffic since olden times. At the same time prominent attention was devoted to those lines of railway already built or building which could be made subservient to the intended purpose, with a view to reduce the cost as much as possible, and at the same time to propagate political objects or provide against political contingencies. Pwo distinct schemes have been conceived on these foundations, which we may term the Russo-Germanic and British schemes.
The Russo-Germanic project regards Nischnii-Nowgorod as the Western starting point. Arailway from this city to Tin-men has been proposed and sanctioned by the Russian Government. The new railway would have therefore to start from "I'iamen, and would be connected with Western Europe by menus of the projected Nischnii-Nowgorod-'liumen line. The city of Tiumen is situated on the Eastern descent of the Ural range, and is a pice of some importance, inasmuch as it commands the entire river navigation of Western Siberia, which is of some moment in itself, and the advantages of which are to be further increased by intended canalization. From Tiumen the road is to follow the general route vii Omsk, Tomsk and Irkutsk to Kiachta, and thence through Mongolia to Kalgan. The short stage to Peking remains then tocome plete the object in view.
The whole, of this line, with the exception of the latter stage and some parts bordering: on the Baikal lake, would offer no serious: obstructions in the way of ground formation, as far as can be conjectured; but there are other disadvantages inseparable from: it which are of so adverse and unavoidable nature as to render its execution fora con siderable time to come little short of impossible. While Ue competing power of steam-navigation is uble to penetrate to many harbours and marls, the entire line commencing with Tiumen would have no-object to keep in view but Peking. The: extreme North of China is thus to be chosen as terminus for a railroad which when constructed will cover some 700-800 geographical miles of ground, traversing country which gives little or no guarautecfor intermediate trafic, which is inhabited by a population that' produces next to nothing and the consuming faculties of which are even second to the quantity of its produce, which can boast no town of even mediocre importance as a commercial mart, where a hard winter would be likely to altogether prohibit. traffic for several months, abounding in proud streams which: would not only necessitate the construetionof costly bridges, but al the same time put their merits to a severe test, by a debacle-vigorous enough to cause disastrous damage and at all events to render their powers of duration eminently hazardous. "Any momentary interruption along the route: would render the enterprise quite barren, Peking and Yinmen being professedly the only stations of importance, These points would amply suffice to neutralize the deterioration that x cheap and well conducted railroad ought to cause in the opposing ranks of cheap but slow water trafic, but still nother fact to the detriment of the railway scheme under notice commands attention. This is the extremely scanty appearance of coal formation along the greater part of the projected route, and especially in Mongolia, which must be deemed an obstacle of sovereign importance. As the final consideration, ib aust be taken into account that though Peking might perhaps prove a good market for European produce, it could never be regarded as a suitable centre for Chinese export, because of its distance from the growing districts and because of the costly inland transit.
'The British project adopts the lines which connect the valleys of the Indus and Ganges, and endeavours to extend these: lines to' connect on the one side with Burope, and on the other with China, The prospect of embracing the Indian peninsula, with its 240 millions of souls, and intimately connected with the Birman states,. with another 30 muillious, thus joining territory of vast importance, and second only to'China, with this country and Europe, renders this project as regards great~ ness of principle infinitely superior to the Russian idea; and the magnitude of the interests involved in such an onterptise: would certainly justify an enhanced exponditure of no mean proportions. Journeys ant preliminary surveys have been under taken in great variety and ona grand scote,.. and, from these, discoveries of severe importance for the science of geography may be confidently looked for. Wo shall doubtless soon be informed whether the difficulties that are in the way of connecting India with Europe, either by way la and Asia Minor, as projected by the British Government, or from the Amu-Darya vid Peshawur, as intended by Russia and seconded by the opinion of M. de Lesseps, can be successfully overcome under given circumstances. But as regards the Eastern half of this plan, we are unfortunately in a position to state that its practicability is most effectually precluded The outpost of the Indian railways in these regions is the city of Dacca, situated ote—Wherever the term "mile" {2 wed i is alveays applied to te German or geographical tile,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.