The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-25 00:00:00

STEAM COMMCNICATION WITH THE PACIFIC.

It was announced lately that Cunard's Company
were about to run a line of steamers to Australia by way of
New York, Panama, Tahiti, end New Zealand, and that
the arrangements were nearly ansplete. Some surprise was
felt at this announcement, on account of such a gigantic
undertaking having been kept a profound secret, until the
extensive arrangements necessary for carrying it into effect
were nearly completed. The scheme of the Australasian
and Pacific Steam Navigation Company started some time
since, in connexion with the West India and Pacific Mail
Steam Packet Companies, fell in public estimation, in con-
sequence of the announcement, because it was considered
such • scheme would have • powerful competitor in the
scheme of Cunard. it turns out, however, that the
only thing Cunard's company are going to do is
to run a line of steamers between New York and
Chagres to feed the Australasian and l'acific Company's
line, and to secure some of the traffic between Central
America and the United States, now monopolised by the
Americans. The new enterprise of Cunard is, however, of
some importance, as it will enter into rivalry with the West
India Mail Company for passengers bound from this country
for the Pacific, whether for California, the south-western
coast of America, or Australia, and vise recur. Owing to the
numerous departures from Chagres for New York, and from
New York and Boston for Liverpool and Southampton, news
reaches England occasionally quicker from the Pacific by way
of New York than by way of St. Thomas, from which place
then is only a communication with England once a fort-
night, added to which also the Reamers for England are
detained at St. Thomas considerably, waiting for intones
lonial packets. The distance between England and Chagres
via the United States is about 5,200 miles. There will be
, a transshipment at New York and • call maee at
L Jamaica by such a route. The distance between
England and Chagres via St. Thomas is 4,700 miles.
There is • transshipment at St. Thomas, and calls mado at
Santa Martha and Carthagena. As far as distance is consi-
dered, the advantage is in favour of the St. Thomas route ;
but unfortunately the. stretch is so great Wiwi a that
island and England that it cannot be traversed so propor-
tionately quick as the shorter 'stretch between New lork
and England. The steamers on the St. Thomas line will
shortly, however, run the Atlantic voyage in
thirteen or fourteen days, and the voyage between
Chagres and St. Thomas can be easily accomplished in four
or five days. What must be done, therefore, will be to
shorten the waiting time at St. Thomas. Ina month or
two the homeward steamer will wait at St. Thomas for the
Mexican packet only two days, but unfortunately it will
have to wait • week if necessary for the lhme rata steamer.
If two steamers instead of one were to start from St. Thomas
WIC to deliver the mails to all the islands between St.
Thomas and Barbadoes, and the other to all the islands be-
tween St. Vincent and Demerara, the time occupied on the
Barliadoes and Demerara routes would he shortened. The
only way to shorten the stay at St. Thomas is to employ
more steamers on the jute r-colunial routes. The direct
route by St. Thomas to and from England and Chartres will
then fairly be able to compete with the indirect rout, by the
tided States, and stand some chance for the Pacific trade
at Chagres against the almost daily arrivals and departures
there of American and English steamers to and from New
York, which will shortly take place.

l'onTsmorrir, Juxe 24. The Edinburgh, 58, II
screw-steam gunnery ship, Capt. ileulett, returned to
Spithead to day from her trial cruise in the Channel, which
we are informed was very satisfactory. She went down
Channel as far as the Land's-end under sad, and returned
up under steam. Under both she has pruned herself a
good seaboat. Under steam her average speed was be-
tween 8 and 9 knots per hour. During her cruise her crew
were well drilled at the great gun exercise, and other prac-
tice. The Gladiator, gleans-frigate, has been taken up the
Isarboor to-day, preparatory to being taki n into the steam
basic for repairs. The Grampus, 60, has been taken to her
nswing, up the harbour to-day.