An essay by American Engineer Lyndon W. Bates “Russia”
Keywords:
Lindon W. Bates, Trans-Siberian Railway, USA, image of Russia, Siberia, transport, late 19th century, Russian-American relations, unification policy, empire, nation stateAbstract
The article presents an unpublished essay entitled “Russia,” written by American engineer L.W. Bates in the 1890s and addressed to Minister of Transportation M. I. Khilkov. The essay, stored in the Russian State Historical Archive, is an important historical source that provides a glimpse into the unusual perspective of an ordinary American on the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century. Bates was a world-renowned American engineer and transport systems specialist who participated in the construction of transcontinental railways in the United States and later advised the governments of Belgium, Great Britain, and Russia. He is known for developing a hydraulic dredger for the Russian government, which was tested on the Neva River. Bates’ essay is an attempt to understand the history and geopolitical condition of Russia through a comparative analysis with the United States. The author argues that Russia, unlike America, developed under unfavorable conditions: the Mongol yoke, lack of access to the seas, and a diversity of languages and cultures. Bates pays particular attention to the Trans-Siberian Railway, which, in his opinion, will become a key factor in economic growth and transform Russia into a center of world trade. This article is a publication of the original essay in English with the author’s translation into Russian.
