BEHRING STRAITS TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13454, 5 April 1907, Page 5

BEHRING STRAITS TUNNEL.

SCHEME REJECTED BY RUSSIA

By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright.

(Received April 4. 10.57 p.m.)

■St. Petersburg, April 4. Tr?i; Premier of Russia (M. Stolypin) lias rejected the proposal for a tunnel under Bearing Straits, to give railway communication between Siberia and Alaska. This scheme has been before the Russian Government since before the war. It was originated by M. Loicq de Lobel, and adopted by an American syndicate. The strait. is about 38j miles wide, with two islands in ii. and the sea there is 167 ft deep. There would be three tunnels, each about 12j miles long. The proposals put before the Russian Government were as follows: — Only Russian engineers and workmen to be employed, Russian linns to supply the ironwork "(estimated to cost £12,000*000), the Russian Government to have the option of purchase after 30 years, and the syndicate to open a land bank for the use of settlers in Siberia. In return, the syndicate asked for alternate blocks of land 7£ miles deep on either side of the railway. The estimated cost of the enterprise is £47.000,000. The Asiatic end of 'the line

I would be at Kansk, on the Siberian rail- | way, and the American portion would even- ! tually connect with the Canadian-Pacific.