| Show the worlds new railroads the san francisco chronicle states that it is probable that within ten years asia will be crossed by a transcontinental railroad built bv alo russians from the present terminus of the line which is already some hundreds of miles east of the ural moun f bains to thence to imako baikal and down the valley of the amoor to or some other port open to deep sea navigation in the meantime china is also to be gradually opened up to civilization by means of several lines of railroad for which plans have already been made and on which work will soon be commenced this change in the exclusive policy of the empire is due to the fact that marquis tseng has imbibed some of the spirit of progress during his long residence in europe and has added his influence to that of li hung chang always liberal in inducing the father of the young emperor to consent the motive is rather strategic than commercial the need of railroads to roen ro en force the garrisons of a long extent of seacoast having been made evident during the late war with france it is the design to connect taku at the mouth of the pei ho with peking and to build a road from peking to canton connecting it with branch lines to chefko shanghai amoy and such other parts as may seem necessary it seems to be uncertain who is to build these roads it was first stated that the contract to build that from peking to taku had been given to a french syndicate it has since been stated that the work would bo given to chinese tors alone though this seems improbable the competition has been active between the representatives of french german american and english companies to open the chinese empire by means of railroads will be a revolution in more senses than one it will make the whole population uneasy will render the coast of the empire accessible and probably set in motion a wave of emigration that may destroy the industrial equilibrium of the world if it does not have results absolutely dangerous to its general peace |
