RAILWAYS

315

Although we may call them strategic, we may remember
 that the whole North-West system was strategic
only in the first instance, but that it has developed
a most surprising commercial value. It is probable that
every line on our frontier that tended either to facilitate
‘raffic, between two great centres of strategy and com-—


Aas

Pair: -

OF LIME

1G. 07. —

100 Miles
Riot 3

North-Western Railway System.

merce, or to push their way towards the great Central
Asian marts, would inevitably follow what has become the
rule of the North-West system (z.e. provide for strategy first
and commerce afterwards) if the cost of construction was
not absolutely prohibitive. Further into the financial
aspect of the question this is no place to enter, but no suggestion
 here made as to possible extension is made without
an amount of local knowledge which justifies us in main-