OMSK 83 



routes lead to the centres of the steppe regions, 

 including the territories of Akmolinsk and Semi- 

 palatinsk. The territory of Akmolinsk occupies the 

 northern portion of the steppe region. It is divided 

 into five districts— Petropavlovsk and Omsk are two 

 of them— and comprises 9,902 square miles. It is 

 bounded on the north by the Government of Tobolsk, 

 on the west by the Government of Orenburg, and 

 on the east by the territory of Semipalatinsk, 9,138 

 square miles in extent, the extreme south-east of 

 which adjoins the Chinese Empire and the western 

 spurs of the Great Altai range. 



The mountain ridges of this region contain untold 

 mineral wealth, which has as yet hardly been touched, 

 and at the foot of these mountains there are exten- 

 sive deposits of coal. The t'oal is easily procurable, 

 and will, some day, be utilised to work the various 

 mines by steam. There are, further, gold, silver, 

 copper, lead, and iron. Granite of very fine quality 

 is quarried in the vicinity of Semipalatinsk. The 

 bridge over the Irtish at Omsk is built of this stone. 



After leaving Kourgan the journey began to tire 

 me. I found myself wishing for a sharp run of 

 60 miles an hour as in England or America. This 

 speed, however, would be inipossible on the Siberian 

 railway, as the rails only weigh 18 lbs. to the foot, 

 and, although as well laid as possible, the soil of 

 the steppes is too loose to afford them a sufficiently 

 stable foundation. It will be necessary to build with 

 stones and cinders until the foimdation is made 

 sufficiently secure, when heavier rails can be laid 

 and a greater speed maintained. There is at present 

 a project on foot to lay another line parallel to the 

 fc:-isting one. 



The organisation of the line for traffic has hitherto 

 been magnificent. It was currently believed that 

 during the present war the increase of traffic would 



