The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-14 00:00:00

THE NEW ROUTE TO AMERICA.

An examination of the map of the world will
show that the points of continents and islands which
stand to each other in the nearest relations of
proximity have been selected as the highways of
their intercourse and commerce. Ever since the
invasion of Caesar Calais and Dover have been sta-
tions of embarkation between Great Britain and the
Continent. Cape Suniutia was the point of concentra-
tion for the trade of Greece, because it was the near-
est to Egypt. The Appian Way was extended from
Capua to Brundusium, on the Adriatic Gulf, be-
cause in that locality existed Vie nearest good har-
bour near the narrowest spot in the Adriatic Sea,
in the most direct line from Rome to Constanti-
nople. In our days it has hem ascertained that
the shortest route hetwE en the old and the new
world would be from the west coast of Ireland
to the east ern coast of • Nova Scotia. From
Galway Bty to, Cape Canso the distance is
2,000 miles, and ti little more to Hal fax, while the
distance _from New York to Liverpool, on the
shortest line, is 3,100 miles • the route usually tra-
velled being over 3,300. When the European and
North Americtn Railway WAS contemplated in
1850, which proposed to extend a line of railway
across the state of Maine and the British provinces
of. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia down to the
nearest available point of connection between
North America and Ireland, the saving of time and
distance was carefully computed. It was calculated
that by taking the, railway from New York to Ha-
lifax or Canso, employing the swiftest steam packet
from thence to Galway, crossing the Great Mid.land
Railway from Galway to Dublin a distance of
about 120 miles, from thence to Holyhead Har-
bour, a distance if 63 miles, and from that port
onward to London by the Chester and Holyhead
and London and North-Western Railways, a dis-
tance of 263 miles, employing about 1,200 mites
of railway, and 2,000 miles of steam navigation,
the passage from New York to London might be
reduced to seven days' time at all events, and pos-
sibly to six, within a few years at furthest. It
should also be remembered that the most danger-
ous part of the voyage between New York and
Liverpool ii in approaching either port. Steam
ships after leaving New York or Boston Harbour
for Europe, sail alung the American coast for some
800 or 1,000 miles, often in the thick fogs which so
frequently prevail, and these dangers, to a certain
extent, are encountered in approaching or leaving
LiveiToel. ' It is on this part of the voyage that
most of our disastrous shipwrecks occur.
In September, 1851, a report was presented by a
commission to both houses of parliament, pointing
out the advantages of a direct communication be-
tween Galway and America ; but it led to no prac-
tical result. The only obstacle which at that time
presented it elf was the want of a break-water
or landiog pier, which has now been overcome
by placing at the disposal of a company recently
formed- a small steamer of 80-horse power as a
tender for landing goods and passengers ; as is` the
case in the Mersey, when the Cunard steamers are
anchored in the Sloyne. The bay and port of
Galway posy S 3 many natural advantages, long
neglected, bat now, we trust, to be successfully
utilised. A safe roaelstead, fine floating docks,
excellent anchorage free from tidal influences, seve-
ral unrivalled entrances or approaches, sheltered
from storms and the swell of the Atlantic Ocean by

ho Arran Islands, it may b; tiTuTy—said to have
been formcd,by the cunning hand of nature as one
of the most capacious and conveniently situated
ports of Europe for despatching and receiving
mails, pa-sengers, and goods, especially the two
the
trhoead
tide
d of
ea assured
waysere idn
former, between the old and the new world. V( s'
eels of the largest claes can arrive at and depart
fromet anyin a
stateof
f
of
fll
swaefeatahneronaonrdag-
a
depth of water varying 24 to 36 feet. As we have.
no des're to colour this statement, or excite extra-
vagant hopes that might not be fully realised, we
would observe, as the result of experience, that
steam-vessels designed for crossing the ocean with
speed should be relieved of all load not requisite to
steadiness and good carriage, and it is known that
bulky merchandise will 'always be conveyed more
cheaply in sailing ships than in steamers.' Of course_
this rule applies to every-pert, and Galway is not
an exception.
Twenty years have now elapsed since, on the oc-
casina of the first meeting of the British Associa-
tion held in Dublin in the year 1836, Dr. Lardner
startled the public by announcing that the day was
at hand when a railway across-Ireland frompulan
to Galway, or some other western port connected
with a line of-Atlantic steamers, would render Ire
land one stag) un a great highway connecting Lon-
don with New 'York, and this prediction is now
about to be fulfilled.
The Government has, shown its sympathy with
this enterprise by directing that mails shall be for-
warded by this route ; and the first will be des
patched from Galway to Halifax on Friday, the
18th of June.,,and the United States Governim nlr
have been solicited to send a return mail by the
same channel. Letteri posted and marked " per
Indian Empite" (tiele name of the pioneer ship of
the before three o'clock on Thuntclay,
the 17th instant, in London, will be sent on by
the five o'clock expre-is trains from Loudon, via
Holyhead.
The Indian Empire made her second trial trip on
Wednesday from Southampton, having on board a
distinguished company, in order to test her engines •
and speed, preparatory to her first voyage On the
government measure ground in Stokes Bay the 1'
speed was tested, and resulted in the knot of 2,0261'