The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-17 00:00:00

LON DON, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 17, 1853.

GOING THE WRONO WAY.

(From the Times.)

A glance at the railway map may satisfy us that our
vocation does not lie in the direction of a lucid and com-
pendious arrangement of the means of transport from
place to place. Lines deviating in every possible way
from the right direction, the shorter and cheaper course
avoided, and a more circuitous and more difficult one
preferred, the want of accommodation at points where
it appears most important, and its redundancy at others
where it is not important at all, all point out that some-
thing very different from an enlightened and single view
to the public interest has framed the meshes of that iron
network which is cast over the face of the country.
Really, one would think that in great undertakings of
this nature the last thing considered was the interest for
those for whom they are designed, and that blind chance
or reckless animosity were left to determine the highways
by which this kingdom shall for all time to come be in-
tersected. Our follies on the water furnish a too lively
and faithful parallel to our follies on land. Most happily
there are no sea railways, and a few moments smooth°
over the track of the most mis-directed vessel and oblite-
rate the symptoms of our disgrace. Happily, also, on
this element our blunders are not irretrievable ; they are
not stereotyped as soon as committed, as on the land.
Those who have watched the course of our steam com-
munication with Australia will see ample reason to con-
gratulate themselves that this is the case.
As early as the year 1846 the Legislative Council of
New South Wales addressed the home Government on
the necessity that existed of including Australia in our
system of steam navigation. Their-proposition was to
dispatch a vessel from Singapore, through Torres Straits,
to Sydney and Melbourne, in connexion with the over-
land mail. Had this plan been adopted as soon as pro-
posed it is impossible to estimate the amount of good
which might have resulted from it to the colonies and
the mother country. With a speedy and regular com-
munication by letter many of those grievous mistakes
which discredited the administration of the colony in
this country might, and probably would have been
avoided, and the discovery of gold, when it burst upon
us, would have found the connexion between the two
countries so organized as entirely to obviate the dis-
tressing want and irregularity of information under
which we have so long laboured.
In the year 1851, just at the very time of the dis-
covery of gold, a committee of the House of Commons
was at length appointed to investigate this subject. We
may venture now to say, without fear of contradiction,
that the evidence taken before that committee most
clearly established the following propositions. First,
that in point of expedition and regularity, no route
could at all compare with that by the Isthmus of Pa-
nama, and this notwithstanding the unfinished state of
the railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the
slow and irregular manner in which the Westl India
Mail Company performed their part of the service. The
advantages of passing by New Zealand, and of making
the voyage from Sydney to the Isthmus through calm
seas, swept over by a steady trade wind, equally avail-
able for going and returning, could not be disputed, and
the speedy arrival of letters and passengers carried in
sailing ships from Australia to Callao gave the support
of fact to the deductions of theory. It appeared very
clearly, in the second place, that the next best line to
that by Panama was the one recommended by the Syd-
ney Legislature—that by way of Torres Straits and
Singapore. This was not adapted for the carriage of
passengers from its great expense and frequent trans-
shipments, but offered a speedy and certain means of
postal communication, and promised to open up a much
more extended intercourse between Australia and our
Indian Empire. The third best course would have been
to follow the route now taken by sailing vessels—pro-
ceeding to Australia by the Cape of Good Hope, and
home round Cape Horn. The voyage is long and
stormy, but the westerly winds which prevail in those
southern latitudes would have rendered it easy without
the aid of steam, and with that aid would have insured
a speed considerably greater than any hitherto obtained
by sailing vessels. The fourth, and far inferior voyage,
was that with which the public have become so familiar
by the disasters of the Adelaide, the Melbourne, and
other vessels—the plan of going and returning by the
Cape of Good Hope, which exposed the steamer to
headwinds and adverse currents, and rendered anything

like speed or punctuality in the homeward voyage im-
possible. Bad as it was, this route had at any rate the
advantage of avoiding all transshipment, and offering
at least some apparent facilities for the conveyance of
emigrants. The fifth, and worst plan, was to dispatch
a vessel from Singapore, which should coast along the
western side of the continent of Australia, double the
stormy Cape Lewin, and pass by the Australian colonies
at times varying exactly in the inverse ratio of their
then relative importance. The select committee, made
up of members interested in different companies, put
aside as utterly unworthy of their notice the first
three routes, and recommended the fourth, in coin-
, plianee with the wishes of members interested in South
Australia, Western Australia, and Port Philip, and
thought, no doubt, that the question was laid at
rest for ever. The Government improved on this
suggestion, and, by way of mending the matter,
divided the contract between the company which was to
go and return by the Cape of Good Hope and that
which was to reach Singapore by way of Cape Lewin.
Thus were the inherent deficiences of these routes aggra-
vated by this preposterous arrangement, and the
greatest possible amount of irregularity secured by
trusting the postal communication to two different
lines, whose speed and duration of voyage were not
likely to be the same.
The result has been what everbody who understood
the question foresaw, and what we have frequently
pointed out in these columns. The steam communica-
tion so long desired, and so tardily obtained, by the
Australian colonies, became an intolerable nuisance.
They could not calculate when their letters would arrive
or their orders be executed. We knew something of
the course of comets, but these eccentric steamers
baffled all human calculation. Sometimes one would
make a good passage ; but this only increased the con-
fusion by bringing news, the occurrences previous to
which had not been received. Thus the colonists re-
ceived news up to the middle of October last ; November
and December were unaccountably delayed ; and the
next information that reached them was a list of the
present Ministry, without any account of the occur-
rences through which they came into power. If this
be embarrassing in politics, much more so must it be
in commercial matters. The whole arrangements of
business were disordered simply because
,A Govern-
ment chose the very worst route for sending the
letters, and the colonists found themselves infinitely
worse off than they were before the introduction of
steam. They sighed for the old system, which they
once deemed so bad ; and in this respect their prayer
has been granted. Government has returned to the use
of sailing packets for the conveyance of letters, and all is
as though no steam-packet had ever smoked on those
southern waters. In the meanwhile the Panama Rail-
way is advancing towards completion. The Americans
have built, and are sending round South America,
splendid steamers to occupy the trade between Panama
and Australia, and, as if to make the thing complete,
the Peninsular and Oriental Company have at length
discovered that the line by Cape Lewin is a mistake,
and are about to send their vessels by way of Torres
Straits. Nothing that we could say would make more
complete the picture of ignorance and wrongheadedness
which we have drawn. The past is irrevocable ; but we
do trust for the future that we may escape a series of
blunders so palpable and so degrading, and not again
be subjected to the reproach of giving the preference to
sailing vessels over steam, merely because we had so
arranged matters as to neutralize every benefit which
could arise from the employment of this most potent and
manageable agency of nature.

Bonham, and that at a very early date, so that no time
may be lost in entering upon negotiations for a new
treaty with China, and at the same time ample pro-
vision be made for a much more extended latitude to
our trade than hitherto has been accorded to us. We
confess to being sceptical upon the point of the reli-
gious principles of the rebels ; not that we do not give
every credence to the established fact of the present
body being imbued with certain religious views, but, on
ascendancy to power, it is very problematical whether
such views may be continued, or, at all events, wheiler
the little leaven that at present exists will: be di.tfused
throughout the nation or not. We should be glad, in-
deed, to learn that the spirit of Christianitywas spread-
ing rapidly through the country, as the prOspect of the
most friendly intercourse with all Christian countries
would be then not far distant ' • and happy will the day
be when we can proclaim that China is opeliecl—China,
that most incomprehensible of all countries on the face
of the earth—that region of pride and arrogance,
subtlety and deceit, intermingled with the most atro-
cious barbarity and excessive corruption—the country to
which we look for the supply of our most social bever-
age and many other necessaries and luxuries of life—
the country to which we may hereafter have to look for
a supply of silver adequate to the daily-increasing de-
mand for that precious metal, and to which we may
look for an enormously increased consumption of our
cotton manufactures.
" That the present movement in the Celestial Empire
will be productive of ultimate good to this country we
4 ri
see very little reason to doubt ; but, in t meantime,
we much regret to hear by each mail that 'yes a con-
firmation of the reports of a very short supply of tea this
season. The crop of congou is only estimated at the
most at 850 chops, while last year it exceeded 1,200 ; it
is to be inferred, therefore, that if such prove to be actu-
ally the case, the export to this country will not be more
than 35,000,0001 b., while the consumption in 1852 was
45,000,0001 b., and this year will probably be 46,000,0001 h.
In estimating the export to the United Kingdom, we are
supposing that America and the Australian colonies will
take off nearly a similar quantity to last year—viz.,
10,000,0001 b. between them. Should the anticipations
of a short supply be realised, the consumer of the leaf in
this country will derive no benefit from the reduction of
duty, except in so far that under existing eireumstan.ces
he would have had to pay very much higher than. will
actually be the ease had there been no reduction.

" Tliere appears every reason to anticipate that the
supply of silk procurable will be quite sufficient for our
demand, provided the merchants can find- the where-
withal to pay for it. In the present state of affairs,
neither the tea nor silkmen will consent to dispose of
their merchandise for any other medium of payment than
money or specie ; and, notwithstanding that in ordinary
times sycee silver is procurable in large quantities, at
the present moment it is very scarce and dear, in conse-
quence of the withdrawal of capital from the trade, and
the fact of all the money that is paid for produce being
locked up by the natives from fear and distrust.
" The exchanges on London had reached the unpa-
ralleled figure of 7s. 3d. in Shanghai, and ss. 10d. in
Canton ; and in India to 330 and 275 respectively. It
was not supposed that such rates could be long main-
tained, but until political matters had developed them-
selves more fully it was impossible to form a correct
opinion for the future."

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

CANTERBURY AND DOVER.

A numerously attended meeting of landowners and
residents of the district between Canterbury and Dover
was held on Friday at Canterbury, to consider a project
for the formation of a railroad from Dover to Canterbury,
with a branch to deal. The chair was taken by Sir W.
Brook Bridges, Bart. The resolutions proposed were
unanimously carried. _ _ .

..
In the course of the proceedings the following charac-
teristic letter from the late Duke of Wellington, written
as far back as 1849, was read to the meeting by the
Right Hon. Mr. Lushington :

"Walmer Castle, Nov. 3, 1849.
"Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his
compliments to Mr. Taylor.

"Be received last night Mr. Taylor's letter of the 2d
November, and map enclosed. _

"The Duke entertains no doubt of the advantage
which the public would derive, in which the town of
Dover will largely participate, the establishment
of the proposed line of railroad direct from Rochester
and Chatham to Canterbury and Dover and Deal.
" He has heretofore expressed an opinion in Parlia-
ment in favour of this line, for reasons, stated at the
time, connected with the interests of the public. But,
however anxious the Duke may be to see this line of
road established—however much he may prefer it to
all others—he must decline to be one of the commis-
sioners to carry into execution this work, and to direct
the details of its management.

" The Duke is nearly 82 years of age. He has much
public duty to perform and public business to transact ;
and, although in strength and in good health, he cannot
undertake to do more. He knows nothing of the con-
struction and management of railroads. There is no
man in England who has travelled so little upon them—
scarcely at all in a railroad carriage—besides the Duke
is unfortunately deaf. The business of the supposed
commission for the construction and management of the
proposed railroad must be transacted at meetings of
three or more commissioners, at which, with all the
attention that he could give, he would not be able to
hear one word of what would be said in discussion.

" He is therefore under the necessity of declining,
positively and distinctly, to be one of the commissioners
for carrying into execution this proposed work."

CHAIRMANSHIP OP THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.
—At the monthly meeting of the board of this company,
held at the Euston station, on Saturday, the 15th inst.,
the Marquis of Chandos was unanimously elected a di-
rector of the company, and subsequently the chairman
of the board of directors, which, it is said, is an unpaid
office.

WARRINGTON AND STOCKPORT.—The portion of this
company's line from Warrington to Altrincham is ex-
pected to be ready for public traffic on the Ist of No-
vember. The length of the line is rather more than ten
miles, and it passes through a fertile and populous
country. It has been constructed for about 18,0001.
per mile, being considered a very moderate cost for the
district, and the line is expected to have a good local
traffic, as well as a considerable through traffic.
MIDLAND AND LEICESTER AND HITCHIN.—A nume-
rously signed memorial of shareholders in the Midland
Railway has just been presented to the chairman and
directors, setting forth their conviction that, in the pre-
sent depressed condition of Midland property, the doubt-
ful state of foreign political relations, and the condition
of the money market at home, it is absolutely essential
to the restoration of their property to abandon or sus-
pend for a time the prosecution of all new undertakings,
and especially the line from Leicester to Hitchin, not-
withstanding that land may have been purchased, and
contracts entered into for the latter. The memorialists
also call on the proprietors to permit the introduction of
a biil next session either to annul the act authorising its
construction or to postpone operations to more prosper-
ous times.

NEWCASTLE AND MAITLAND (AUSTRALIAN).—At a
public meeting just held at Sydney, resolutions were
passed for the formation of a railway between the towns
of Newcastle and Maitland, in the Hunter river district.
It is stated that the capital of 20,000 shares of 51. each
has been subscribed for.

SOUTH WALES.—No date has yet been fixed for the
opening of the extension line to Haverfordwest, the
period depending upon the completion of the railway
bridge at Carmarthen. The line will be opened on a
single line for the present, until the development of the
traffic and completion of the docks at Milford Haven
render the second line necessary. The permanent way
has been laid, and nearly all the stations have been
finished, with their sidings, &c. Great progress has
been made on the line to Neyla,nd._

NORTH AND SOUTH WAits.—The proposed main
line will start from Llanidloes by a junction with the
railway already sanctioned to that town ; thence it will
pass by Llangurig, Yspytty-Ystyvyth, Tregaron, on to
Lampeter ; from this town the line is to proceed along
a valley to Penybout and Llandyssil. From this
town the line is to pass on to Milford Haven, by a route
apparently not yet determined. At Lampeter a branch,
by the valley of the river Cothi, will be made to Llan-
dilo, thence to run into the line leading to Lianelly.
By means of these projected lines, coal and lime will be
procured at a very moderate cost. With the Liandilo
branch, the length of the proposed line is 121 miles.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA.
By the arrival of the royal mail steam-ship Africa
at Liverpool on Saturday, Harrison commander,
we have advices from New York to the sth inst.
The United States' mail steamer Baltic, Com-
stock commander, arrived at New York on the 3d
instant.

The Africa has brought about 600,000 cols. in
specie on freight.

- The steamer Crescent City had arrived at New
York with the Californian mails, 708,235 dols, in
gold dust on freight, and about 250,000 dols. in
the hands of passengers. 40,000 dols. of the gold
dust was from Australia, having been brought by
Adams's express by way of Callao and Panama.
A violent gale was experienced on Lake Erie on
the 4th instant, which did great damage.
Mr. M'Kay's monster ship, the Great Republic,
of 4,000 tons register, was successfully launched on
the 4th instant at Boston, in the presence of 30,000
spectators from all parts of the conntry.
theThpeosliattioenst aocfcmouinntiss from W
Minister
Chainshainhgadtobn tateesnoeffethreadt
to the Hon. George M. Dallas, and awaited that
gentleman's acceptance.
The following information, in relation to the
value of -United States' gold coin in England, had
been issued from the State Department at Washing-
ton :

" Information has been received at this department
from the United States' Consul in London, that by
Royal proclamation the gold coins of the United States
herein mentioned shall circulate and be received in pay-
ment in the British West India colonies as being of the
full value and equivalent to current money of the United
Kingdom, at the rates hereinafter specified, that is to
say :—The eagle at the rate of 41s. sterling ; the half-
eagle at the rate of 20s. 6d. sterling ; the quarter-eagle
at the rate of 10s. 3d. sterling ; the gold dollar at the
rate of 4s. id. And in all payments to be made in the
said colonies tender and payment in the said coins, or
either of them, at the respective rates aforesaid, shall be
deemed and taken to be a lawful tender in the same
manner as if such tender had been made in the current
coin of the United Kingdom."
Telegraphic accounts from Richebucto state that
the heaviest gale which had been known for up-
wards of twenty years in that region was expezi-
enced on the 29th ult. Ten English and Norwe-
gian vessels went ashore and remained. Great
damage had likewise been done on shore.

The yellow fever was very fatal in Galveston and
the neighbouring towns. Upwards of 200 persons
had died from the disease in Galveston alone.

Telegraphic accounts from New Orleans state that
the deaths from yellow fever on the 3d inst. were
only six. The Board of Health had determined to
discontinue their daily reports, considering the
epidemic at an end. The fever was also rapidly
abating at Mobile. The deaths from it on the 4th
inst. were only two. On the Mississippi the epidemic
still continued its ravages. There had been up-
wards of 300 cases of yellow fever at Grand Gulf,
59 of which proved fatal. At Port Gibson all but
17 adults belonging to the place had been attacked
by the scourge, and upwards of 60 cases had proved
fatal. The epidemic was also spreading on the
plantations, 73 deaths had occurred at Lake Pro-
vidence, out of a population of 120 inhabitants.
The fever was raging fearfully at Vicksburg, Nat-
chez, and Yazoo City, and at every place on the
Mississippi river between Princeton and Belize.
Havannah advices, of the 27th ult., mention the
failure of Messrs. Diago, planters of that city, with
liabilities amounting to $1,250,000. The health
of Havannah was good. It was reported that a
cargo of 580 slaves had been successfully landed at
Trinidad. The Captain-General was using every
effort to detect the persons concerned in this viola-
tion of the law. The proceedings against M.
Julian Zulueta had. been abandoned. With regard
to the speculation of Don Francisco Marty for im-
porting and enslaving some hundred Yucatan In-
dians, the Captain-General had caused the strictest
inquiries to be made, which had, however, been
suddenly terminated. The Diane de la Marina of
September 14 published a notice on the same sub-
ject, emanating from the Government, and com-
manding that all persons who had assisted in
the importation of these Indians, or who had or
did have at that time any of them in their em-
ployment, should appear before the mayor of the
city, the alcalde, or the judge of the district, on
pain of a fine of $5OO, and give an account as to
'how and where such Indians were obtained. On
the 20th, in accordance with this notice, several
persons appeared at the place appointed, when
they were informed by the Government Escribam
that, the process having been withdrawn by supe-
rior order, the proceedings were at an end ; and
that, therefore, all persons who had these Indians
in their employ—all persons who had enslaved free
citizens of Yucatan—could keep them in their em-
ploy, and they need fear no further molestation
from this cause ! Therefore, it would seem that
the proceedings against Marty have been stayed for
the present, at any rate, and that the honest in-
tentions of the Government have " faded" alto-
gether, and melted beneath the effulgence of his
doubloons. The kidnapped Indians are yet to re-
main hired out slaves, which makes them slaves in
reality ; and a certain Don Francisco Marty is to
go on as he has been going, and doing as he has
been doing. The privilege for a submarine tele-
graph from the island of Cuba to the United States
had been granted to Mr. S. A. Kennedy, Don
Francesco Noy, and Don Felipe Nunez, by his
Excellency General Canedo, with the unanimous
approval of the Real Junta and Telegraphic Com-
mittee, for a term of 131 years.
Advices from the city of Mexico to the 18th ult.
state that a report had reached that city of the
breaking out of hostilities in the Mesilla Valley
between the United States troops and the Mexican
forces. The report had created great excitement,
and the Supreme Government had demanded of
General Gadsden, the American Minister, an im-
mediate explanation of the intentions of the United
States Government in sending out additional forces
to occupy the Mesilla Valley and vicinity. It is
rumoured that a coup d'etat for the restoration of
the empire will take place in Mexico as soon as
Santa Anna's plans are organised and his army of
80,000 men under arms. The Mexican press was
completely muzzled, and under the strictest censor-
ship. Energetic measures were adopted to seize
upon and banish from the country all persons sus-
pected to be averse to the Government or to Santa
Anna's imperial project. Santa Anna had delivered
a very flattering address to the army on the 11th
of September, the occasion of the anniversary of
the victory gained by him over the Spanish inva-
sion of Tampico in the year 1829. An exclusive
grant had been made by the Government to Messrs.
Ayllon, Bonilla, and Co., for the steam navigation
of all the lakes, canals, and channels opened in the
valley of Mexico. The privilege is to last for 15
years. Santa Anna had issued a decree regulating
the manner in which foreign missions were to be
filled, and the salaries.
Accounts from Chili of the 10th ult. state that
the Executive had laid before the Congress a bill
for the reduction of the duties on silk goods
from 25 to 15 per cent. The question as to the
best means of subjugating the Indian tribes
who occupy the southern provinces of Chili was
under the consideration of Congress. Mr. Joshua
Waddington had undertaken the construction of
the immense canal for the purpose of conducting
the waters of Quillota River to Valparaiso, and
had offered $lOO,OOO to the corporation for the
purpose of constructing public fountains.
The latest intelligence from Peru records a se-
rious disturbance that had occurred at the Chincha
Islands between a large number of masters of Ame-
rican vessels and the commandant of the island.
It originated in the arrest of two seamen belonging
to the American ship Defiance by the police and
confined on board the guardship for shooting a
pelican. The captain of the Defiance was supposed
to be mortally wounded. Mr. Clay, United States
Minister at Lima, forthwith chartered the Bri-
tish Pacific Steam Navigation Company's mail
steamer Bolivia, and went to the Chinchas to
investigate the affair. Recent surveys have
proved that the guano on the islands was almost
inexhaustible. More vessels were loading there
than ever before. From a Panama journal we learn
that the British and French Ministers in Peru bad
made application to the Government for permission
to send each a duly qualified commissioner to the
Chinclia Islands, for the purpose of reporting
upon the state of the islands and the quantity
of guano, but that the request was refused. The
Bolivian port of Cobija was still blockaded by
Peru, and a proposition by Chili for mediation was
likely to be rejected. The Bolivian President
Belza was constantly enc.-aged against revolutionary
movements at home, arid could not attack Peru.
Business was paralysed throughout the Republic.
Most exciting stories have reached Santiago de
Borja of the discovery of gold in the Amazon and
its branches. The washings extend for 40 leagues,
and 25 pounds per day is said to be the average of
one man's labour. From Chacapogas to the gold
regions is 36 leagl,es a foot journey of four days.
Advises from Venezuela of the 19th ult. report