The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1908. A TURKISH RAILWAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14611, 19 February 1908, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1908. A TURKISH RAILWAY.

While the newspapers have been discussing the German schemes for the construction of the Bagdad Railway they have forgotten another Turkish line, of lor greatei importance. During the last day or two they have had cause to remember it. The plan for linking up the Austrian railway system with that of the Balkans, by way of Novibazar, is not new. Tho Austrian liners run. down almost to the frontier of Herzegovina; tho Turkish system hue a branch running up to Mitrovitza. Tho gap between the two is not a big one, and if it were bridged there would he a straight run down from Vienna to Salonika and the; iEgean. It is true that the two systems are already linked by way of Belgrade and Sofia, but this line to Constantinople crosses Sorvia and Bulgaria, and tho' connection is Hungarian rather than Austrian. Tho Novibazar route establishes direct connection between Austrian and Turkish territory, and that is the chief reason why the Servians and the Russians have opposed the projected railway so bitterly. Of course, tho agitation against tho Austrian scheme is noi purely national. There are strong Russian financial interests concerned iu the Servian railways, and no present the whole of tho Turkish traffic must pass through Sorvia. It is not surprising, in tho circumstances, that the Servian and Bulgarian Governments should lend themselves to the promoters of the agitation. The Austrian Government made its first dofinite move in regard to the new lino come ten years ago, when it- decided to extend its line from Sarajevo, or Seraievo, to the border of tho Novibazar district, which is wedged in between Montenegro and Servin. Nearly fifty years ago the Sultan Abdul Aziz himself proposed to construct a lino from the frontier of Croatia to Salonika. Thoro was then ito money for such a work, and the jealousies of the Powers made it certain that tho capital could not ho found outside Turkey. Bosnia was then Turkish territory, and when at length money was available,, work was started at both ends of tho route. Ultimately the lino from tho south reached Mitrovitza; that from tho north was carried from Dobrlin, on the Croatian frontier, to Banjaluka, some sixty miles. There tho engineering difficulties compelled tho promoters to stop, and when the Austrians subsequently occupied Bosnia, and commenced an era of railway expansion, they contented themselves with repairing the existing line, carrying a new line south from Brod, on tho Save. A century ago, when Napoleon’s campaign had disorganised the trade of Western Europe, the road through Bosnia to Salonika carried a comparatively enormous volume of commerce. With tho fall of Napoleon its prosperity declined, but it remains one of tho most picturesque roads in all Europe. Under tho Berlin treaty Austria, was permitted to occupy certain posts on the Turkish side of the frontier, and they have long had a telegraph lino operating as far as Novibazar. But their position lias never been comfortable. The Servians have been jealous of thorn, having a long-standing grievance against them for prohibiting commerce across tho Danube, and the Montenegrins have left unsatisfied an old postal debt. Moreover, tbo Albanians themselves are a. conservative people, and desire no civilised innovations. Tho construction of the line would strengthen Austria’s position, on the frontier, and would, of course, induce a largo volume of trade from Macedonia. The Russian official objection is quite comprehensible. For years the Turkish Government opposed the construction of railways, and even of good roads in Albania, on. the ground that where carts could go cannon might bo taken. The linking of tho Austrian find Turkish railway systems would give Austria military command of the north-western cornor of Turkey, and would make it morally certain that, in tho event of serious trouble in Macedonia and Albania, Austrian troops would bo occupying Turkish towns. Troops would bo necessary in any case to guard the railway, and all Russian hopes of commanding the Turkish situation would bo gone for ever. It has been hinted that tho consent of the Porto to tho extension of the lino from Mitrovitza is duo to German influence at Constantinople, this being tho German method of repaying Austria for hor support at the Algcciras Conference. Wo may add that the jiroposcd railway from the Black Sea to the

Adriatic, mentioned in the cable message, has for years been a favourite Servian scheme. Tho route suggested is from the Iron Gates, through Servia and Albania, to Skutari-in-Albania.