The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

l

THE UNITED STATES AND THE

PACIFIC.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—In your number of Thursday last- you notice a
project for the improvement of the communication be-
tween the United States and the Pacific, and, connected
with this, you refer to a branch which is to unite Cali-
fornia with the Sandwich Islands and China.
With regard to the latter project, I have before me an
official communication with which I have been honoured,
in-compliment to the service I have-re—trderiid by bringing
into more general use the practice of great circle sailing,
by means of the tables which the British Admiralty have
honoured me by publishing.
The above-mentioned document shows that the Sind.
wich Islands are altogether unsuited for being made an
intermediate station between America and Chins., Al.
though on the chart of the Pacific it appears to be" on
the wayside of this route,. by reference to the gldbe we
find the direct track to be very different, for on this
chart, as on all others, the surface of the earth, which
is a sphere, is represented us a plane, and is therefore
distorted; thus, by the chart, we find that the Sandwich
Islands, which bad been selected as the best intermediate
station, bear S.W. s N. from St. Francisco, but the true
course to Chusan is N.E. 4 E. The following are the
distances:--
By Mercator's sailing from St. Francisco
to the Sandwich Islands
From thence to Chusaa

... 1,870 miles.
... 4,966

Total ... ... 6,836
By the great circle route to Chusan ... 5,500
Thus it appears that a vessel, after sailin. 1,870 miles,
will be only 534 miles nearer China than she would have
been at the commtncemcnt of a voyage conducted on
the track of a great circle.
But there is another equally important consideration
in connexion with this great circle track across the
Pacific for steam navigation. From the Sanaret to the
Japanese Islands, a distance of 4,500 miles, there is no
intermediate station for coaling, and this distance is too
great to work a steamer profitably. But about midway
on the great circle track are situated the Fox or Aleon-
tean Islands, just about midway between California and
China, and not more than 2,800 miles from either the
place of departure and that of destination, a distance
which has been proved by the Cunard line to be a very
practicable distance for steam communication.
The Aleontean Islands belong to the Americans, and
it is on one of this group that the coal station is intended
to be established. The ran from St. Francisco to China is
estimated at twenty-six days, including the stoppage of
one day for coaling at the Fox Islands.
When we take into consideration the fact that about
three-fourths of the population of this globe inhabit the
islands and countries which are washed by the Pacific,
we can scarcely overrate the value of every circumstance
calculated to increase the communication across this
ocean. For the accomplishment of this no means could
so greatly contribute as the occupation of California by
the thrifty inhabitants of the United States. But the
Rocky Mountains appeared destined to postpone the be-
nefits we anticipate, by preventing that rapid immigra-
tion which has been witnessed in other newly-founded
states. But the love of gold defies all obstacles. The
rapidity of the occupation of California bids fair to be
without precedent. To that country thousands are
flocking in search of gold, and riches, we believe, will
ultimately crown their labours—not that we anticipate
that these florid dreams of gold-finding will be literally
realised, but that greater riches than the gold soil of the
Sacramento are in store for them in the virgin
prairies of California, and in the safe and capacious har-
bours of Monterey and St. Francisco. Like the Whit-
tington of the nursery tale, although disappoietment may
await their dreams of becoming rich by gathering gold
from the soil, still I have no doubt they will establish
for themselves a more enviable wealth by industry,
through the instrumentality of agriculture, manufactures,
and commerce.—l reman your obedient servant,
Devonport, Jan. 15, 1849.

J. T. T.

CITYPIIAN ASYHUM.—The annual meeting of
this Institution took place yesterday at the London
Tavern; G. B. Harrison, Esq., in the chair. The pro-
ceedings commenced with an election for eight children
out of twenty-six applications (all eligible), which had
been submitted to the directors since the last meeting.
After the poll, the Rev. R. Bickersteth read the report,
from which it appeared that the average number of
children in the asylum is ninety-four, and was on the
31st of December, ninety-one—fifty-seven boys and
thirty-four girls. Applications bad in two instances
been made for the admission of British orphans expelled
from an asylum in Paris during the late revolution, bat,
owing to certain requisites not having been complied
with, neither was successful. The income for the past
year bad been-- Life subscriptions, 554/. ; annual,
1,1331. 18s, 6d.; sermons, 211/. Ss.; admission children by
rule 31, 4401.; dividends on 3,8501. stock, 109/. 105.9 d.; a
portion of a legacy, 161. 2s. 10d.; total, 2,4641 15s. 3d.—
The expenses were:—Food, 1,1324 12i.; clothing, 3144
Be. Bd.; medicines, 231. 12s. 4d.; salaries, master, matron,
&c., 308/. 135.; repayment of a loan 300/. purchase, Go-
vernment securities, 316/. Bs. 4d.; collectors' commission,
671. 16s. 6d., with other items of less importance, making
i►► all 2,135/.45. 9d , and leaving the balance in hand on the
31st Dec. last, 74/. 2s. Ild. The report was unani-
mously adopted, after which rewards for good conduct in
service was given, with a suitable exhortation from the
chairman, to Emma Miller, Elizabeth Scannel, Ann Pom-
roy, James Lieppenstal, Charlotte Cook, James Latter,
John Crowther, and Joseph Needham. The proceedings
terminated with the declaration of the poll, the successful
candidates being—Simpson, 2,745; Currie, 2,418; Chap-
man, 2,406; Seaward, 2,371; Forbes, 2,357; Hood, 2,276;
Haines, 1,966; Craddock, 1,752.

ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.—The quar-
terly general meeting of subscribers to this institution
took place yesterday at the Thatched House, St. James's-
street, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm in the chair.
The honorary secretary, Commander Dickson. read the
report, from which it appeared that the charity was in
a flourishing condition. The receipt% for the quarter
amounted to 1,171/. Bs. 6d., and the disbursements, in-
cluding grants, to 4561., leaving a balance of upwards of
7141. in favour of the institution. The new subscribers
of all ranks, including one marine officer, numbered
160, and their subscriptions amounted to 601. 7s. 6d.,
while they had lost by death 85 subscribers, whose con-
tributions amounted to 33/. 17s. 6d. The annual sub-
scription of the society to the Adult Orphan InAitution,
for educating the daughters of clergymen of the Esta-
blished Church and of officers of the army and navy,
raised from 20 to 22 guineas. A vote of thanks to
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle for the successful efforts he
had made to restore harmony to the quarterly meetings
of the society was moved by Commander Jay, seconded
1.). Captain T. Dickenson, and carried unanimously. The
proceedings then terminated.

WESTMINSTER REFORM SOCIETY.—An adjourned
meeting of this society was held last evening, at the
York Hotel, Covent-garden, to take into consideration
the lollowing resolutions, which were passed at the Free
Trade- hall, Manchester, on the 10th inst. :—" That this
meeting resolves to co-operate with the Liverpool Finan-
cial Reform Association, and other bodies, in their
efforts to reduce the public expenditure to at least the
standard of 1835, and to secure a more equitable and
economical system of taxation.—That although a com-
bined effort throughout the country may, and will suc-
ceed in effecting a large reduction in the public burdens,
yet experience has shown that economy will not be-
come the ruip of Government, nor the necessity for con-
tinued agitation be done away with, until the tax-pavers
obtain a more direct and complete control over the
House of Commons, by the amendment of our system
of representation.—That, whether with a view to the
speedy success of the efforts now snaking to reduce
taxation, or to secure, by means of a real represen-
tation, a guarantee against future attempts of Govern-
ment to return to the present extravagant expenditure,
the most effectual mode of proceeding is that
adopted by the late Anti-Corn-law League, viz., the
extension of the franchise by the 40s. freehold qualifica-
tion, and a careful attention to the registration in
boroughs and counties; and the chairman of this meeting
is requested to take the necessary steps for the formation
of an ass( elation to carry out this object, in conjunction
with such constituencies as may be willing to unite with
it." Mr. Louis having taken the chair, Mr. J. Bull
moved the first resolution, and after urging the necessity,
on general as well as special grounds, of reducing the
expenditure of the country, expressed it as his belief
that they could not do better than follow in the wake ot.
the Liverpool Association, and bring about that great
desideratum which the commercial men of ManchestereG gson
had so well defined in the resolution. r
Maie Cobden
(churchwarden), in supporting it, eulogised Mr.
Peel and Wellington
for his acuteness in selecting the year 1
for the guidance of Government,
I:: also due to Mr
being then in office. Great praise l: isesdas a
eted upon which to
Cobden for the items he had
nso
a d windows. lie was
reduce the tax—on maltm,
atdcsie,;
adebtor and creditor ac
quite certain that if they
count, placing the navy, and ordnance on one
arm
y+
and windows on the other, that the
side, and malt, tea, an a strong opinion in favour of the
country would express • seeonded the resolution,
latter. Mr. Towle.]
df r I hoping
I,e,v peutione o a ess ex •
that, while -Tht ot the greatquestionenditure, they
would not lose sig. A •
of parliamen-
Wright, in moving
tary reform: "
d that, (had it not been the second re-
solution, sal for the Reform Bill,
ht have been r Eogiana migrecently in a convulsion from
end to the other. There was
One therefore great virtue
in timely concession. Mr. Tonalins was so pleased with
the terms of the resolution that he begged to be permit-
ted to second it also. It was supported by D. Mannock,
Esq , M.A.; and the third resolution, moved by Mr.
Le Brand, having been
meeting separated.
THE CASTLEREAGH LETTERS AND DIsPATCLIRS.
—The third and fourth volumes of this important work,
completing the Irish Rebellion and Union, aro pub-
lished this day by Mr. C lb o urn, and may be had of all
booksellers. Also-2. The Conclusion of King Arthur ,
by Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, author of "The New Timon."
3. The third part of Chateuubriand's Memoirs of his
Own Time, price 2s. 6d. 4. Sans Slick's new work,
"The Old Judge; or, Life in a Colony, 2 vols. 21s.
5. Mr. Burke's Anecdotes of the Aristocracy and Epi-
sodes in Ancestral Story, 2 vols. 6. Vol. 4 of the new
edition of Pepy's Diary and Correspondence, to be
completed in one more volume. 7. The Midnight Sun,
a Tale, by Fredrika Bremer, translated by Mary
Ilowitt, 1 vol. 105. 6d., and 8. Adventures in Borneo,
dedicated to his Excellency Sir James Brooke, 1 vol
7s. 6d.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]--CARRIAGE FREE.--FaMllies
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