This
In Spite Of The Fact That, In India, A Man Can Travel 400 Miles Within
Twenty-Four Hours For The Sum Of $2.08.
The policy of low charges has
answered well, the people, on its adoption, at once having begun to travel
and to send their produce by rail.
In China, also, low rates will be a
necessity. Another fact of importance to China is that, out of the 260,000
people employed on Indian railways, 95.66 per cent are natives. Only the
higher posts are held by Europeans. In China, the proportions would
probably be even more in favor of the native element.
Mr. Colquhoun, who is a high authority, has no doubt that, as Richthofen
anticipated years ago, China will eventually be directly connected with
Europe via Hami, Lanchow and Sian. "No direct connection of this kind,"
says Richthofen "is possible south of the Wei basin, and any road to the
north of it would have to keep entirely north of the Yellow River and run
altogether through desert countries." The same reason which confined the
commerce of China with the West during thousands of years to the natural
route via Hami will be decisive as regards railway communication also. In
respect of natural facilities, and because of the existence of populous,
productive and extensive commercial regions at both ends of the line, it
is the only practicable route. It is further to be noted that the whole
tract would be provided with coal. The province of Kansuh rivals Shansi in
the richness and extent of its coal fields; no section of it north of the
Tsungling Mountains appears to be deficient in coal measures, and, in some
parts, a superabundance of the combustible exists.
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