The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-23 00:00:00

THE PANAMA ROUTE.

(From the Times City Article.)
The following letter calls attention to the advan-
tages of the Panama routelor the mail and passer
ger traffic to Australia. The disregard shown not

only by the Government but also by the commer-
cial public to the demonstrations constantly pre-
sented in its favour has for years been a subject of
comment in the Times, and probably the only ex-
planation that can be suggested for it is the pre-
ponderance of the East Indian interest in this
country, which prevents any question connected
with the American coasts of the Pacific from being
taken up with vigour or impartiality. Even in the
existing state of affairs Australian despatches by
the clipper ships are constantly anticipated by com-
munications received via the Isthmus and New

York ; and at this moment the latest papers from
Sydney in the hands of our merchants are such as
have been received through that channel, owing to
the accidental arrival of a Failing vessel at Callao :--
" Sir,—Painfully, impressed, both as a private individual
and as recently the chief magistrate of a colonial comma'
Pity deeply interested in the subject, with the conviction
that little practical consideration has been given by the
Imperial Government to the Australian steam question, I
venture to offer the results of my own experience of the
comparative advantages of the only two routes that can
really occupy] the attention of competent judgee---vlO..
Suez and Panama. Lately arrived from Port Philip, after,
a residence of 18 years, I learn with surprise, which I
know will be shared by those I have left behind me, that
the Treasury has decided upon the former. The reasons for
this preference I am at a loss to discover, the advantages
being, to all qualified eyes, so clearly in favour of the lat-
ter, as I hope very briefly to render apparent to your read'
era who may not have considered the matter.
"I made the voyage from Melbourne to Valparaiso in a
• •
sailing vessel, from the latter port to Panama in a steam?r,
thence across the Isthmus by the railway, and from AsPle"
wall to Southampton by the West India Mail packet. MY
railway trip convinced me of the fallacy (now happily ex:.
ploded, I rejoice to hear) of all opposition on the score 01
web
insalubrity..;
" Not only did neither myself nor any one of some hen;
dreds of fellow-paesergers experience the slightest
effects, but I was soured by a medical gentlenian that the
Isthmus is now so healthy that the services of his prefer
sion are seldom in requisition. This truth was emphati-
cally corroborated by the appearance of all the emploYe'
along the line and the residents at either terminus, esPee'-'
ally on the Pacific side, to which objections as to mimes'
&c., chiefly applied in the early history of this extraordi-
nary enterprise of joining the two oceans by a transit 0f
two hours with punctuality, safety, ease, comfort, and olvl-
lity to all making the run. Doubtless, the Isthmus before,
being cleared produced malaria, and the construction 0,
the railway was attended with considerable mortality, eoPe"
cially among the Chinese and Coolies, who were so ill pro'
pared to withstand the noxious influences which then
abounded. But there is au end of all that now, and every
day diminishes the possibility of its returning.
So far as I can possibly ascertain from inquiry or ob-
servation, no person who has ever made the Anglo-Austra.
lien journey home or out by way of the Pacific would dream
of attempting it by the Indian Ocean if there were on the
former waters that reasonable certainty as to arrival and
departure which steam would afford. Anti for very obvi-
ous reasons. Sailing on the Pacific, particularly between
Panama and New Zealand, which important colony,
be it
borne in mind, can only be directly served postally by Iveyof the Isthmus, is like sailing on a mill pond, Calms.are
the only impediment to speed, or rather to punctuality
the one thing needful to the greatest uniform raps"
dity and consequent punctuality is screw-steamers on the
Pacific, but judiciously managed, and not with such crude
Quixotism as justly discredited the American experiment
by the Golden Age, made under most disastrous circura
stances, in the fever of the nugget mania, with provisions,
fuel, wages, and every incidental expense at rates that
would prevent any imaginable traffic from leaving a divi-
dend on the capital employed. All that is now
wholly
altered, and the example cited becomes merely a warning
of ignorant rashness to be avoided, instead of a
precedent
of prudent boldness to be repeated.
" Very different is the case as regards the tempestuous
Indian Ocean with the run (dreaded by underwriters) slog.
the stormy Cape Leeuevin, saying nothing of frequen"transshipments. These must ever render Suez alike ex"
pensive and inconvenient to passengers, wholly imPrac.
ticable for heavy merchandise, and even unsuitable for the
enormously bulky mails which Australia now requires,
including newspapers and Parliamentary publications,
while, moreover, considering what we colonists will be
forced to pay, and what we would willingly pay for proper
accommodation, we have a right to insist on the full benefit
of the book-post being included in this service. All?:
tralians are peculiarly sensitive to a first false step in t 1.11:
direction now. Eager as they are for the rapid recap
and despatch of their letters, and knowing that the Panama
route would give them that desideratum, they know Aso
that it would give another, scarcely less important, which
Suez will not—viz., a direct, expeditious, and (because °f
the postal subsidy) reasonably economic means of their
two great staples, bullion and fine wool, reaching the home
market.
" Australians read with astonishment in ;.he American
papers of coals, lighthouses, guano, &c., making nearly the
whole circuit of the United States frontier, from Maine to
Oregon, across Panama, of course at a profit to those
engaged iu the transport. Why do not the British public
if the British Government will not—act upon so or
gestive an example? Already about one-half the whole
distance--namely, from Southampton to Aspinwall-1°
traversed by the Atrato, La Plata, and the rest of the
magnificent 'paddles of the Royal West India Mail Coin'
pany. Why is not that company empowered to complete
the other moiety of the undertaking, and so bring Mel"
bourne and Sydney within 50 days of London, New Zealand
thereby participating in suchlcelerity ? Sooner or later
this will have to be done, for in no other way can the
objects of the colonists be attained. Why it is not done
at once —why the British public do not insist on its being
done, or at least on knowing the real reasons for its not
being done, is a mystery the elucidation of which is desired
with exceeding anxiousness by many thousands of English
subjects at the antipodes, in whose behalf you are now
addressed by,—Sir, your obedient servant,
" W. H. BAYLIE,
" Cork, June 19." Ex-Mayor, Geelong, Victoria,

DESPATCH FROM GENERAL PELISSIER

AND ,stiISECEI OF LORD GOUGH.

The French Minister of War has just received
the following report from Marshal Pelissier, dated
the 6th inst. :
Monsieur le Mar&hal—The ceremony of the investi-
ture of the Order of the Bath took place to-day, at the
headquarters of the English army. At balf-past tea
General Codrington did me the honour to call for me'
and, accompanied by the general and other officers who
were to be decorated with the order, I went to the Beg-
mented with the colours of the two nations,
lish quarters. There, under a large marquee, "ea-
Gough, formerly general-in-chief of the army in India'
who had been delegated by the Queen of England to Pre-
side at the ceremony. The English infantry and art".
lery were drawn up to form three sides of a square OP-
posite the tent. After reading the decree of her MajestY
Lord Gough delivered an address suitable to the occasion.
His lordship then decorated me with the insignia
Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, as well as Genera
lai
de Salles and de M`Ma.hon. Next came the turn of tbe
knights commanders and the knights companions, to each
of whom Lord Gough addressed a flattering comPlireeell:e:
The investiture was followed by a review of the Ens
troops, whose appearance was then, as on all occasions,
was Lord
remarkably fine. At the close, as at the commencement
of the ceremony, salutes were fired by the at' v
tillery, and were returned gun for gun by the French
artillery, stationed at some distance. When the salute°
were terminated the troops withdrew to their quarters,
and we partook of a collation offered by Gen. Codrington.
Toasts were drunk to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and
the Emperor Napoleon, in the midst of expressions Of
the most cordial esteem. These sentiments, whichlluite
the English and French emits, and which have•been
only strengthened by a prolonged daily intercourse, were
never more clearly shown than on the present
occasion.
I experienced the most lively satisfaction, and I ate
happy to express it to your excellency. PELISSIER.
The Moniteur appends to the above report the
following speech delivered by Lord Gough on die.
tributing the decorations :
Toe Queen, my august Sovereign, having at heart 0
confer the highest military honours upon the officers °f
'
the French and English armies in the Crimea, as a test'
mony of her high approbation and as a mark of her i.en-
tire admiration of their distinguished services on the field
of battle, and the Emperor of the French having gra"'
ously acceded to her Majesty's wishes, I have been de",
puted by my august Sovereign, and I have receivea
from Prince Albert, the Grand Master of the Order, the,
necessary powers to come here, upon the actual theatre es,
your glory, to confer, in the presence of the two armless
the dignity and the insignia of the Most lionouraha
Order of the Bath upon his Excellency the Mars oh
Pelissier, the Commander in-Chief of the Fren
army, upon General Salles, and General 3"aht":l.
The absence of General Morris deprives me of the
satisfaction of investing that distinguished officer 'NI,
a similar mark of her Majesty's consideration.
is also an agreeable duty for me, in conformity with the=
orders of my Sovereign, and as a testimony of :
royal approbation, to invest with the insignia of Spiel°.
Commanders of the Most Honourable Order of the
Bath, Generals Thiry, Herbillon, Bonat, and Aureliej
The absence of Generals Carnou, Autemarre, ee
d'Allonville, deprives me of the satisfaction of conferring
upon them the same distinction. I need not express to
you, my comrades of the English army, all the pleasure
and pride which I feel in having been commissioned to
confer upon yoa, Lieutenant-General Dacres, Dr. 1/14111
Inspecter-General of Hospitals, Lieutenant-General
Barnard, and Lieutenant-General Lord Rokeby, the
well-merited honours which are so graciously accorded'
by our august Sovereign and mistress. May you long
live to enjoy the just reward of your valour and loyalty.
Although I am much flattered by the gracious choice,
of my Sovereign, I cannot help saying that the ,tot '
able mission I now fulfil would have belonged nitleu.?•*:
rather, had it pleased God to spare him, to the brave
and noble soldier who victoriously led the English '
armies upon these battle fields, and under whose
orders you gained these honours. However, I rave
myself commanded considerable forces of the English
army, and have learned the anxieties and respon-
sibilities of such command. I may, therefore, be
permitted to appreciate at their just value such distill!'
tinguished and brilliant services as pure. I will U
attempt to describe the glorious services and brilliant
feats of arms of the Frenob and English armies is this
terrible struggle, which has been so happily terminated
by heroic efforts against an enemy worthy of suclh ad'
vert.alies. These armies have, the pride and sati4factioa
of knowing that it is to their valour and devotedness.
that Europe owes a peace honourable for all parties, and
on that account, in all probability, the more durable.
The soldiers of France and England have fought side by'
side in this grand struggle without any other rivalry'
than that of striving which should best serve their sr?'
vereign and their country. May this union and th. 1.5
friendship, engendered by an admiration for great 10/11,
tary virtues and cemented by the prodigal sacrifice a
the two greatest military nations of the world.
the beet blood of the two peoples, remain ever dear to