4 
In parts 2 and 3, Vol. XXI._, are two papers on the “Use of Maps 
in War," and “ The means of protecting troops from severe and 
unforeseen losses/* which are interesting in their way, but offer 
nothing new. 
The last paper we shall mention is one by Herr Biichelen, C.E., on 
;he “ Connection of the Austro-Hungarian with the Macedonian and 
Roumalian Railways/* which is of peculiar interest at the present time, 
[n 1867, Sultan Abdul Aziz, full of good intentions after his journey 
fco Europe, ordered a railway to be constructed from Constantinople 
rici Adrianople and Philippopolis to Ueskiib, where it was to branch 
in one direction to Salonica, in the other, via Novi Bazar and Serajevo, 
to Banjaluka and the Austrian frontier, and thus complete the 
railway communication between Vienna, Salonica and Constantinople. 
However, of this project only the lines from Constantinople to just 
short of Samakovo, and from Salonica to Mitrovitza, have been 
completed, leaving aside a short line in Bosnia, between Doberlin and 
Banjaluka. Of what importance it would be to Austria to be in 
railway communication with the ^Egian Sea, there can be no two 
opinions. But opinions differ as to the courses the new lines should 
follow. One line is proposed to run through Servia from Semlin via 
Belgrade, Nisch, and Vranja, to join the Salonica line. The total 
length of this, from Vienna to Salonica, would be 1323 k.m., of which 
831 k.m. have still to be constructed; and, on this line, the Servian 
custom dues would be very heavy. On the other hand, a line through 
Bosnia from Brod (to which there is already railway communication) 
via Serajevo and Priboi to Mitrovitza would be 1451 k.m. long, but 
with only 753 k.m. to build still. For this route there are to be urged 
the great military importance for Austria of a railway through her 
recent annexation, the fact that a narrow-guage line has already been 
laid from Brod to Zunica, which can easily be widened, and, lastly, that 
the said route would avoid foreign territory. The steep watersheds in 
the Sandjak of Novi Bazar could easily be crossed by means of engines 
with toothed wheels, such as are used at present on several mountain 
railways. 
Woolwich, 
October, 1880. 
V. 
