THROUGH SIBERIA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7679, 1 February 1904, Page 2

THROUGH SIBERIA.

A New Zealatider's Impressions.

Immense Agricultural Area.

Mr Downie Stewart, who has been on an extended visit to Europe, returned to tbe 'colony via St. Pa.eirsburg, Moscow, Siberia, Viadvostock, and Japan, and in the course of an interesting conversation with a representative of the Otago Daily Times he stated tbat, having a desire to see something of Siberia and the East, he had journeyed from London to St. Petersburg, there taking tbe train over the famous straight railway to Moscow, and thence travelled across the trans-Siberian line to Vladivosbock. On his way across Russia in Europe, as far as the Ural Mountains, he found the country an immense agricultural area, with enormous wheatfields stretching away on every hand. The industry, consequently, was chiefly agricultural. In this district he found tbat travellers for German and American agricultural machinery houses were doing extensive trade, and an American travellers who had spent 20 years in Russia stated to Mr Stewart that he considered it tbe finest country in tho world, and one of the greatest grain producers. In tbe Ural Mountains district, through which the railway line runs at a considerable altitude, mining operations were being conducted on a very large scale, aud there is a great mineral belt of country at this point. Crossing the Ural Eange, the line ran into Siberia proper, and thus continued across the great plains in a more or less direct manner. The railway itself was but a light line, and was said to be but indifferently constructed; while it doubled back on itself in long curves and loops quite unnecessary from a nonRussian point of view. An English engineer explained tbis by the reasoning that as the railway engineers were paid so much per verst of the line constructed their natural inclination was to make it as long as possible, but the Russians indignantly denied this, and gave as a reason that ths ground was not suitable in some places for a line. The Siberian territory seemed to Mr Stewart an almost illimitable area of good agricultural land, as yet only sparseiy settled, but it had by no means that dead level of mopotony usually associated with the term " prairie," for the country was relieved here and ther by settlement and by forests ; while it, seemed to be well watered. Siberia was by no means the barren waste souie people imagined it to be, for it was one enormous tract of rich land, and if it were all —or at least the portion south of the Verkboranskoi ranges—cultivated, it would produce harvest for the world. In winter, of course, it was subjected to extreme cold, there being nothing to check the sweep of the Arctic gales from the north,but in summer the country enjoyed a very warm, bright climate, and this respect it was not unlike Central Otago, and probably the southern portion would suffer less in winter as settlement and planting progressed. He noticed in Manchuria that every station was guarded along the line by Russian troops, and every bridge crossed by the railway had its complement of Russian sentries. He had had numerous opportunities of conversing with Russians, and when they were questioned as to the proposed evacuation of Manchuria they pointed out—aud reasonably enough from the Russian point of view—that Russia had great interests in Manchuria, and had expended hundreds of thousands of pounds. It was not likely therefore that tbe Government of the Czar would withdraw from that territory if it could avoid the step. Then, again, they argued, Russia had no good ports from which to export her enormous produce all the year round. Other countries had ample facilities in the matter of harbours, and they also had colonies to ship their exports to, and their emigrants, while Russia bad no colonies and her increasing population had to spread out as best it could. Russia had also to compete with other nations in the world's markets, and to do this successfully she must have good ports from which to despatch her goods expeditiously. Mr Stewart also remarked that he noticed emigrants from Russia proper were rapidly- spreading over Siberia.

When questioned as to the probability of a Russo-Japanese war, tbe Russian officers did not seem to regard it as a very imminent possibility. If, however, it did come to a struggle between the two nations tbe Japanese, who held the seaboard of Korea, while Russia was iv possession of all tbe back country, would be swept into the sea. The Russian admitted that the Japanese navy would do some damage on the sea, as the fleet was equal if not superior, to the Russian ; but on the land the Japanese would be nowhere. In the earlier stages of such a war the Russians might be beaten back at first, as were the English in South Africa, but, in the Russian opinion, Russia would ultimately sweep the country of Japanese.

Mr Stewart noticed at many stations along the line large number of transport waggons standing in readiness, and by these Russians claim to be able to transport an enormous army with great facility. In Mr Stewart's opinion the transport trains could not travel at a greater rate than 15 versts per hour, for with a higher speed the line would probably give way in all directions.

As far as he had been able to ascertain, the Chinese in Manchuria seemed very well pleased with the Russian occupation, as excellent order was kept, in place of the somewhat chaotic condition of things before. The courts of justice deciding disputes between Russian and Chinese were Russian in constitution, and the Chinese seemed very much to prefer the Russian courts to their own, stating that disputants were afforded more even justice and stricter impartiality in tbe Russian courts than in their own. The Russians seemed to be highly regarded by the Chinese in Manchuria, and they were carrying out many great and important works. Manchuria was, of course, densely populated, chiefly, by the northern Chinese tribes, and Russia seemed to have a considerable hold.' It was questionable whether Russia would ever evacuate Manchuria until forced back by armed strength. The Russian forts at Vladivostock seemed to be as impregnable as Gibraltar. At the time of Mr Stewart's visit there were some 20 Russian warships in the port, while warsbipß of other Powers were fairly represented, bofe there was then only one British man-of-war present. The present position

seemed to indicate that the balance of supremacy lay with Russia, and that nation seemed to have secured a dominant standing in the Far East. Fortifications and substantial buildings were being constructed on every hand, and the railway lines were being strengthened. »

To tourists the journey was ono of great interest, and it was, also inexpensive. * Leaving London on Saturday, one could reach Moscow on Tuesday, and the journey from the city of the Kremlin to Port Arthur occupied 14 days. At the time of Mr Stewart's visit pojgpn of the Port Arthur line had been wwied away by floods, and so be proceed to Vladivostock; but Port Arthur was tho best terminus, as tho steamer service was regular.