In Mr. Lothrop’s dispatch above mentioned reference is made to the
construction of a railway through Siberia to the Pacific Ocean. In
connection with this subject I had, a few days ago, a conversation with
General Annenkoff, the distinguished officer to whose extraordinary energy
this country owes the rapid completion of the line to Samarcand. He was very
enthusiastic about this Siberian line, and said that the Emperor was highly
favorable to the project and to its execution with the utmost speed. The
general wishes to extend this channel of communication even further, and to
effect a connection, through the Aleutian Islands, with a line on the
American side of the Pacific coast; and I have reason to believe that it is
his intention to endeavor to interest American capitalists in this
enterprise. The general is a man of great determination of character and he
will, doubtless, before a very distant day, accomplish the first part of his
scheme.
At present the number of emigrants who yearly go from European Russia to
settle in Siberia is about 40,000, but there has been a sensible increase in
this number since the completion of the railway to Orenburg on the Siberian
frontier; and this new line will draw with it at its different stages
towards the end thousands of settlers to the fertile valleys and plains near
the Chinese border.
[Inclosure in No. 186.—From the Journal de
St. Pétersbourg of July 11, 1888.—Translation.]
The Transcaspian Railway.
A Russian writer who knows Central Asia, having given attention to it
some years, sends us the following communication:
The event of the 15th of May, 1888, will certainly take a prominent place
in the history of the civilization of peoples in the last quarter of the
nineteenth century. Thanks to the extraordinary energy of General
Annenkoff, that day, the anniversary of the coronation of their Imperial
Majesties, was solemnly celebrated by the inauguration of a railway of
1,345 versts, binding forever the heart of Central Asia, Samarcand, to
Russia. It is truely surprising with what rapidity this line, which
extends from the borders of the Caspian to the tomb of Tamerlane, was
completed.
Since 1880 all western Europe, and especially England, has followed with
an attentive eye our successes in Central Asia. In fact, the events were
of a nature to interest all the world. The capture of the fortress of
Géok-Tépé (January 12, 1881), which led to the final fall of the
barbarous domination of the Turcomans; the peaceful annexation of Merv,
that proud city which for centuries has troubled its neighbors of
Bokhara and Persia; the defeat of the Afghans, near Kouschk, March 4,
1885; the extension of the Russian protectorate over Bokhara—all these
events raised the prestige of the Russian name to a great height among
the populations of Central Asia, India, Afghanistan, and Persia.
But how has the importance of the rôle of Russia been increased by the
completion of this work, by means of which every learned historian and
archaeologist may study at his ease the monuments of Samarcand, the most
ancient capital of the province of Sogdiana, erected on the ruins of the
monarchy of Alexander, or may undertake archaeological excavations among
the ruins of the ancient Merv-Baϊram-Ali! What an immense field is
opened to commerce by the new line! Thanks to it, the rich Turcoman
carpets, the wool of merinos, the silk of Bokhara, the leather, the silk
stuffs of Samarcand, and the products of the minor Industries of those
countries can in twelve or thirteen days not only reach the Russian
commercial centers, but also those of Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and
London.
It is therefore but natural that the solemnity of the 15th of May should
have assumed the character of a fete.
The construction of the Trans-Caspian Railway was begun at the close of
1880.
To facilitate the transportation of the food and forage of the troops of
General Skobeleff, then on the march from the Gulf Mikhaϊlovsky on
Géok-Tépé, a line 22 versts long was built between the gulf and the aoul
of Moullahkara. After the capture of Géok-Tépé, in 1881, this line was
prolonged to the stronghold of Kizyl Arvat (217 versts). In this state
the line was kept up to 1885. When in the month of February of that year
alarming news of the situation on the Afghan frontier was spread, it was
decided to prolong the railway as a stroke of strategy to the banks of
the Amou-Daria. As circumstances required that this work should be
completed as soon as possible (the
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line between Kizyl-Arvat and Tchardjoui on the
Ainou-Daria, was to have a length of 754 versts) its execution was
confided to General Annenkoff, who directed the service of the
transportation of the troops of the Empire. Facts were not long in
showing how well worthy of this confidence was the general. On July 2,
1885, the first rails were placed at Kizyl-Arvat, and from the 29th of
November of “the same year the station of Askhabad was open. On July 2,
1886, the line reached the stronghold of Merv, and on November 30 the
Bokharan city of Tchardjoui, on the Amou-Daria. At this point the
strategic role of the railway ceases.
Nevertheless, the line would certainly not have the importance that it
possesses now if it had not been carried on to at least the first
convenient center, for instance, the city of Bokhara. Therefore, at the
suggestion of the constructor, it was decided the 16th of June, 1887, to
build it from Tchardjoui on to Samarcand.
The 16th of January, 1888, the first rails were laid on the right banks
of the Amou and the 15th of May the first locomotive came to a stand
before the tomb of Tamerlane.
There, in a few words, is the history of the construction of the longest
European railway.
We have been particular in stating the precise dates which mark the
opening of the different sections of the line, for even on this point
the organs of the Russian press do not seem, it appears to us, to be
well informed. Have we not seen, as an example, one of the most serious
journals affirm lately that the section from the Gulf Mikhaϊloovky to
Askhabad was built during the expedition of General Skobeleff? How can
it be expected after that, that people should be well informed about
this railway?
Without touching upon the strategic nature of the line, we shall concern
ourselves only about its value for commerce and industry. It is true
that the want of space does not permit us to enter into details.
The writer of these lines has had occasion to visit the Transcaspian
territory before and after the construction of the railway. These
journeys have enabled him, without in the least being inclined to
exaggerate this great undertaking, to see for himself that the railway
has animated the desert countries of the Turcomans so that they are now
not recognizable. The populations of the cities of Askhabad, Merv, and
Tchardjoui have rapidly increased, the sandy island and desert of
Ouzoun-Ada is transformed into a bay of the first order, with a town
having its streets, squares, bazars, and a church. All these facts
confirm the saying of the Yankees that it is not by the populated
centers that railways are built, but that it is only necessary for a
railway to pass by a desert for it to be transformed into flourishing
oasis.
It is entirely owing to a railway that the gigantic undertaking of the
restoration of the dike of Sultan-Bent on the Mourgab, destroyed 300
years ago, can be executed and thereby call back into life the ancient
granary of Central Asia, If, by the reparation of the dike, the
administration of the crown property succeeds in irrigating only
one-half of the land which it is expected to reclaim, that is 150,000
instead of 300,000 deciatims (2⅝ acres the déciatim) our spindles can
find in Russia one-half of the cotton they need and will no longer have
to import it from abroad. Thence it will not be surprising if we see
American journals declare that Russia, instead of remaining a consumer
of cotton, has become a producer and sends its products to foreign
markets.
Let us not, however, be optimists; let us be contented with the prospect
of the economy of 90,000,000 of roubles that Russia pays annually for
its imports of cotton.
But it is especially the territories of Bokhara, Khiva, and Turkistan
that will profit by the building of this line. He who has crossed the
superb plain of Zaravschane and has been able to admire the flowers of
Samarcand, Katta-Kourgan, Nouveau-Margellan and Taschkent alone can give
an account of the importance of this work. If, notwithstanding the
entire absence of means of transportation (for one can not consider
transportation by camel as a serious thing, the camel supporting a load
of from 12 to 16 pouds only (38 pounds the poud), and requiring from two
to three months to go from Taschkent to Orenburg) the production of
cotton has in 15 years almost doubled in the territories of Khiva,
Bokhara, Kokhand, and Turkistan, it is beyond doubt that it will soon be
increased tenfold, thanks to the building of the railway.
Moreover, by the finishing of this road, at least half of Iran will pass
naturally into the radius of Russian commerce. The economic development
will be particularly marked in the rich Persian province of Khorassan,
with its holy city of Meshid. Twenty years ago attempts were made on our
side to enter into commercial relations with that city, and it was
solely on account of the lack of means of communication that they came
to nothing. As soon as the carriage road between Askhabad, Koutchan, and
Meshid is finished the Transcaspian Railway will receive by this road
millions of pounds of merchandise, and the province of Khorassan will
again become what it was formerly, the granary of Persia.
