THE NEW ROUTE TO SERVIA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12727, 22 December 1915, Page 6

THE NEW ROUTE TO SERVIA.

.NAVIGATION OF THIO 081 RIVER, Two large v.-.-s.-is chartered by the SJib-.*i iais Steamship Mamifactiiring and Tinding Company have just arrived at Grimsby with cargo-.- from the Yenesei and oiti districts of Central Siberia, valued at £350.000. This is the third , year in succession that the company has sent out vessels under the leadership_ of Mi Jonas Lied to Siberia'.by way. of Norway and the Kara Sea, thus thoroughly proving the practicability of the route in spite of the difficulties of the ice. They have been overcome by the use of wireless telegraphy, stations having been built bv the Russian Government to communicate with vessels and tell them which passage is freest from ice. '•The outstanding result of this year's voyage." .-aid Mr Lied to a "Daily Chronicle" lepresentative yesterday, "has been to establish the posibility of miking use "f the Obi River as well as the Yenesei. Hitherto we have been only to the Yenesei, which has a great depth of v. nter and can take a steamer of any size. »V>it the other hand, the river boats available cannot, bring down more than two shiploads. "The Obi. however, has a veiy largo river H- t. comprising 550 steamers and a huge number of barges capable of bringing" down half a million tons at a time. It v. as asserted that the Obi would not take a larger vessel than from 1200 to 1500 tons, "but I went closely into the matter early this year, and I decided to take t.ut the Hatiga.-t.oel of 5100 tons. That was; loaded down to 16ft. and we cut-red the Obi without the slightest difficulty. "N.xt year I propose to take out a verv huge expedition, between 20 and 50 ships. "Whether the' war is over or not, this means of communication with Sibciia will be equally important, because the Siberian railway will be used e.\-chi.-iveiy by the Government for some time. ' There are at this moment 150.COO.COO poods of wheat, besides enoimfjus quantities of other produce, stored in Siberia, which cannot be brought out. If we can load up even 20 or 50 steamers it will make a difference, and do something to improve exchange."