INDO-EUROPEAN RAILWAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12445, 30 August 1902, Page 7

INDO-EUROPEAN RAILWAY

Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright. LONDON, August 29. (Received August 29, at 11 p.m.) Lord George Hamilton has sanctioned the construction of the Quetta-Nushki railway, the first- section of the IndoEuropean line, via Baghdad aud Constantinople. Presumably the project is a revival of the Euphrates Valley railway and extensions. .Some Russian proposals made in 1899 having been rejected, an English syndicate. of considerable financial influence came forward with a sohenie to rim a line over well-known ground. Beginning at Konieh (the terminus of the Anatolian railway system) and running through Adaila, to Aleppo, with a branch to Alexandrelta, on the Mediterranean, tho railway would pursue iho valley lo Hit, cross the Euphrates to Bag. dad, and thenco through Bussora to a point on the Persian Gulf, near Koweit. This project wuuhl shorten the journey to India bv live or six days, supposing that fast steamers were put .on the route from the Persian Uuif to Karachi or Bombay. Suddenly a strong opposition wan forthcoming from the Uennant-. who control the Anatolian system, including the lino to Konieh, anil Vr'lio set up a. moral claim for prefercnee in Iho shape ot oxteiisions, although they had not fulfilled their undertakings, It was reported from Constantinople in 1890 that) the survey commission had reported to the German Company that the line could be made, but there wero extraordinary difficulties in tho way.