The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-05 00:00:00

Amongst the more remarkable improvements of
recent days, there are scarcely any of so great im-
por:ance as the increased facilities given to travellers,
the comparative speed with which journeys are per-
formed, intelligence communicated, and time and
space practically annihilated by :the various disco-
veries of modern science. The more valuable have
been the results of the improvements already effected,
the greater the demand on the part of the public for
an extension of similar accomodation ; and that public
will not rest satisfied with things remaining in statu
quo under the old and exploded system when it is
made perfectly manifest that great amelioration is
still practicable. We now, without hesitation, un-
dertake a journey, perhaps, fur a few days pleasure,
at which our forefathers would have shuddered, and
would only have been induced to attempt on the
mast urgent reasons—the most pressing con-
siderations. Within a short period the en-
terprise and judgment of an individual
have effected a reduction in the time consumed in
communication with our Eastern dominions to less
than one-third of that formerly required for the same
purpose. And all connected with that vast empire,
either commercially, or from having friends or re-
lations therein, will bear testimony to the great benefit
thereby conferred on the nation. Had it not been
for that improvement we should still be ignorant of
the happy termination of hostilities in India, and the
minds of thousands of our countrymen would be
Agitated and disturbed or: account of some near and
dear friends. The same intelligent and active person
is now busily engaged in effecting a similar improve-
ment in the intercourse with our Australian colonies;
and, judging from the success which has hitherto
attended his exertions, we feel every confidence that
they will now be rewarded with an equally happy
result. While so much has been done in an Easterly
direction, it is really astonishing that so little has
hitherto been attempted for the amelioration of our
intercourse with the Western Hemisphere, where we
are in possession of vast and important colonies, and
with a neighbour, so powerful for good or evil, as
America, with mercantile and commercial relations of
such magnitude, and with a dark cloud lowering in
the political horizon, threatening war and the inter-
ruption of that peace, so highly prized, so justly
valued; but which, we trust, may be preserved by
mutual forbearance, and mutual concessions, honour-
able to all parties. It is little to be wondered at, if the
public mind should be impressed with the absolute
necessity of immediate steps being taken to effect that
amelioration. The KNIGHT or ICEnar, a Gentleman of
considerable talent and experience, who formerly re-
presented his native county in Parliament, and was
one of the Lords of the Admiralty, has recently pub-
lished a letter to the Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, setting
forth the great advantages of Valentia Harbour as a
packet station, and citing the authorities of many and
distinguished persons for that opinion. Indeed, we
can scarcely conceive that the question admits of argu-
ment, and yet it has been stated that the First Lord
has pronounced a decided opinion in favour of Cork,
giving it the preference over Valentia or Bantry.
The Right Hon. Gentleman desires, and we think with
justice, that the question should receive that delibera-
tion and impartial investigation which its importance
deserves.

There are two points of view in which the question
must be regarded before a sound conclusion can be
arrived at; first, in its peaceful character as a packe
station, as giving the greatest rapidity to intercourse a
every kind; and the second, and not less important
one, of a defensive naval station—a preferable point
for the embarkation of troops, whether for general
or colonial service. And in each of these respects,
there are great advantages on the side of Valentia.
It would appear almost a self evident proposition
—an axiom in geographical science—that the
most favourable position for intercourse with
the west should be from the most westerly
port within our own territory with which easy
intercourse could be established. That principle
has long been admitted and acted on, and it is owing
to its adoption that Falmouth has been selected, and the
Government establishment transferred thereto. If
one degree of westering entitled Falmouth to this ad-
vantage, an additional five and a half degrees west of
Falmouth, and two degrees west of Cork, is surely
no inconsiderable advantage, and should form an
important element in the calculation.
In respect to the time consumed in receiving intel-
ligence, there is little doubt that there would be a
saving of at least four or five days. The same class
of vessels now employed for transatlantic communi-
cation would easily effect the passage from America
to Valentia in six or seven days; from thence ime
portant news might be transmitted to this metro-
polis, to the seat of Government, by means of the
electric telegraph, in an incredibly short space of
time ; but the general correspondence of the country
might, on the construction of a railway, easily be
conveyed, in twenty-four hours, to London, thus
enabling letters from America to be delivered in little
more than a week, or about half the time
now required for the purpose, the great im-
portance of which must be at once obvious to
every man of business in the kingdom ; but, secondly,
and if possible more important, is the great addi-
tional safety to life and property which would be at-
tained by the selection. Every person in the slightest
degree acquainted with shipping affairs must be well
aware of the great additional risk incurred by the
neighbourhood of the land; a very large proportion
of the casualties, which unfortuately take place, are
owing to the dangerous character of our own coast,
or to the crowded state of navigation in narrow seas.
We have recently had a melancholy instance of the
effects of a collision, by which many lives were
lost, and much property destroyed. Indeed, one of
the best tests of the increased dangers of channel
navigation, is to be found in the higher rates de-
manded by the underwriters, when about to
effect an insurance on a vessel. Probably the
most dangerous coast in the British domi-
nions is that lying between Cork harbour
and Cape Clear; and there is no place of equal
length in which so many wrecks have taken place. By
the selection of Cork harbour as the packet station,
a vessel starting therefrom would have to work
against the prevailing winds and currents, along a lee
shore, of the most dangerous character, for more than
seventy miles; when, with the same wind, from
Valentia, it would be in the open ocean in less than
half-an-hour, without any lee-shore whatsoever. The
sar
me
vuepts Prevailing Valentia
o rwind
Cork
h;a
harbour, which
ri,n
witVhooeullllwdd
obsrhestitat
possible
free
es
itbvhl
ieen
cdsa
safinel
should there be a necessity for the aid of a steam-
tug,
it would, in threemiles from Valentia, place a
vessel so as to enable it to take its northern or south-
ern course in the free ocean; while no less than sixty
miles would be necessary from Cork to effect the
sumo purpose. These are considerations of immense
magnitude;authorities
and scarcely requires
ires
the imposing
array of names
it
andseal
quoted by
the
Right Hon. Knight to convince the public mind
of its great advantages--of its vast superiority. We
cannot, however, refrain from bringing forward the
testimony a gentleman to whose sound u gment
and oincial
e ofr skill judgment
and experience much ght •
justly attached
in this country. We allude to Mr.
i
COBDEN, who, in his valuable pamphlet, " England,
commercial
weight
states t.hat a decided opinion
favour of Valentia,
ls in the United States
plrreevlaaind, and America,"
and who powerfully recommends the selection of that
harbour, and the formation of a railway to th• point;

Ito aspersive bittertesb, and a cordiality in
the Acceptance of an explanation. In the present in-
-1 stance, for example, we behold the Noble Lord the
Member for Lynn irritated by the utter powerless-
ness of his oratory, and showering the acidity of his
disappointment upon the Earl of DALHOUSIE. On
the other hand, we perceive the acknowledged leader
of the agriculturists in the Upper House volun-
tarily affording the Noble Earl the earliest
opportunity of exculpating himself from the charge,
as far as the public were concerned, by asking for the
production of the Canadian documents, upon the arri-
val or non-arrival of which, within a specific
interval, the whole of the imputation rested. As
a mutual example to each other, the possession
of two legislative assemblies would alone be
of inestimable advantage to the community ;
and as it would be desirable fur the Commons to imi-
tate the rational brevity of the Lords upon any sub-
sequent discussion, so are we proportionately san-
guine that the Lords will vie with the majority of
the Commons in their final division upon the com-
mercial policy of the Prime Minister.