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directly with the national capital, Pekin, in the north. More than 3,000 miles of railroad lines today shimmer under the celestial sun.
"I have but briefly referred to the portentous signs of the times as they relate to the struggle of this new aspirant to the privileges of membership in the family of progressive nations. I am not a pessimist, nor do I believe that the Anglo-Saxon race will eventually yield and succumb to the dominion of the Asiatic, but I believe in an honest acknowledgement of the ability to do things wherever we find it, East or West.
"Western nations have long been pushing and the Celestial ball has begun to roll, and with each revolution the momentum shall become greater until it is not improbable that the international diplomatic question of a not far distant future shall be 'What power, or combination of powers, shall or can prevail against it?'
With the wonderful development of the iron, steel and other industries, we find similar progress in the development of railroad construction.
Washington, August 14, 1909.—China rapidly is awakening to the importance -of railway building.
This is indicated in the translation of a recent memorial on railways submitted to the Chinese throne by the Ministry of Posts and Communications. This translation has been sent to Washington by Minister W. W. Rockhill, of Peking, who says it has received the approval of the Chinese Government.
Railway extension is to be made in northwestern China, Mongolia and Chinese Turkestan. A corps of engineers is also proposed as is the development of mines and iron works to supply railway material and render the country independent of foreign sources of supply.
The memorial proposes two trunk lines for the northwest, an eastern trunk line from Kalgan to Urga and a western trunk line from Kalgan to Sul Yuan Cheng, thence through Mongolia, Liang-Chou and the Kuan to Ili.
A thriving passenger business is done by the Nanging City railway, which is of standard guage, connecting the Shanghai-Nanking railway and the port of Hsai-Kuan, This road is to be extended to Wuhu, a distance of sixty miles. This extension will tap the second greatest rice district of China.
The Shanghai-Nanking railway is a first class line. It cost more per mile to construct and equip than any other railway in China. When finished its schedule
