863.51 Relief Credits/30: Telegram
The Minister in Austria ( Washburn ) to the Secretary of State
Vienna
,
February 18, 1928—5
p.m.
[Received February 18—3:15 p.m.]
[Received February 18—3:15 p.m.]
11. Department’s telegram 12, February 17, 7 p.m. Terminology employed was taken largely from English expert Acworth’s report on Austrian railways made in 1923.20
- 1.
- “Superstructure” and “rail systems” interchangeably used to mean permanent way or roadbed, sleepers, ballasting of track, rails, switches, bridges.
- 2.
- Cost of electrification second, Salzburg–Buchs, originally estimated at 240,000,000 schillings. This amount actually expended; announced a year ago that additional investment of 20,000,000 schillings in 1927 would be required to complete this construction, making total cost 260,000,000 schillings instead of 240. Twenty million schillings increased to 50,000,000 schillings in latest estimates to provide for (1) enlargement of water-power stations by eight million cubic meters and (2) larger number of electric locomotives to accommodate estimated increased traffic. This brings total cost of electrification two to 290,000,000 schillings. Electrification three Salzburg–Vienna meant paring down other investments for railway improvements to 224,000,000 schillings. By postponing three on account of present low coal prices as mentioned in paragraph three it was possible to increase other investments for railways deemed absolutely necessary to 364,000,000 schillings allocated as explained in paragraph four.
- 3.
- My despatch No. 1704 contains statistical information supplied Morgan representatives and impractical to summarize. Despatch left with Paris courier [on] 8th instant and undoubtedly caught Cherbourg steamer [on] 11th. It should reach the Department certainly on Monday [the] 20th.
Washburn
- See League of Nations, Financial Reconstruction of Austria: Report on the Reconstruction of the Austrian State Railways, pp. 51–72.↩