A New Canal in Russia.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 179, 20 November 1886, Page 6

A New Canal in Russia.

The Moscow "Gazette" says that the project of connecting the White Sea and Lake* Onega by means of a canal will be realised much sooner than was expected. The Zeinstvo of Olonetz petitioned Itfst year in favour of the immediate expropriation of the necessary lands, and voted an advance of 15,000 rubles for that purpose, and the ministy of lines of communication has now contributed 13,500 rubles to the same object. The total cost of the work is estimated at 7,000,000 rubles. The length of the canal will be fifty-eix versts, the terminal points being the village of Soumy, in the Bay of Onega, and Povenatz, near Lake Onega. The waters of various lakes and streams in the adjoining regions are to be utilised. This new water-way is especially indispensable for supplying northern Russia with corn and promoting commerce between tha inhabitants and the Norwegians. Hifiherto communication has been closed with Sfc. Petersburg for fivo months in the yuar, a condition of isolation that the canal ia intended in large measure to remedy. The country to be traversed contains such large and dense forests that a million of trees may be cut down annually without infringing the rules of scientific forestry. Facilities will be afforded for exploiting the rich mines ot Olonetz, a matter of great importancefor the manufacturers of St. Petersburg, who are now obliged to buy their raw material Fi'om the foreigner. The navigation and fisheries of Olonetz and theWhite Sea will also be greatly benefited by this connecting line with the south. At present the cost of transport for goode from Archangel to St. Petersburg i 3 1 ruble per poud (36 pounds. ) By the opening of the canal the rate will be reduced to 40 copecks. Two other projects are spoken of for uniting the northern provinces with the more fertile regions of middle Russia. One ofthese is the junction of the Dwina with tha Viatka, an affluent of the Volga ; the other, that of the Kama with the Vytchegda, in the direction of the canal now abandoned, called "Catherine of the Worth." On the other hand, the department of the rail way is oh arged to eatimate the cost of lines of junction between Archangel and the northern system, this port being destined as the entrepot of • Siberian products. It ia contemplated to prolong the Louniew line in the direction of the Dwina, and also to connect the beds of." the Kama and the Vytchegda.