He had writings in French from the Czar's government which set this forth.

Only, the Russian assurances were made contingent upon a standing army of "Ifs." "If" Storri _should_ throw a railway across China; and "if" he _should_ launch a line of steamships across the Pacific--the same fostered by the Washington Government with a subsidy--and "if" all and singular the railway from Puget to Duluth, the Canadian Canal, and the line of steamships from Duluth to St.
Petersburg--also with a subsidy--_were_ once extant and in operation, then the Czar would step graciously in and see what might be done in forging those final Russian railway links required to unite the ends of this interesting chain.
"And you are to know," went on Storri, "that my government, the St.
Petersburg Government, is paternal.

It will give whatever, in the way of land rights and loans, is demanded by the exigencies of the project.
"And there," cried Storri in conclusion, as he shoved maps, papers, and concessions, Russian, Canadian, and Chinese, across to Mr.Harley, "is an idea the magnificence of which the ages cannot parallel! It is simple, it is great! We shall have three-score small companies--that is, small compared with the grand one I am to name.

We shall have land and banking and lumber and mining and railway and steamship and canal companies.

We shall have companies owning elevators and factories and stores and mills.