The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-09 00:00:00

4., 7 SEPTEMBER 9, 1850.

allowing the distance from Singapore to Sydney and
New Z-aland to be accomplhed at a speed of eight
knots, with a proper allowance for stoppage, the
through voyage could not be accomplished in less
than 80 to 82 days from Southampton ; thus sbowing
a clear saving of—say 18 to 20 days in favour of the
Panama or western courie.
Before examining into the most prominent objec-
tions to this latter, the shortest and quickest method
of approching our Australian colonies, or the argu-
ments used in favour of the Suez s,:leme, we should
premise that in this great national enterprise the in-
terests of Great Britain and Australia are not pre-
cisely identical, but that in some respects they are
conflicting and antagonistic; and a close di.crimina-
tion of what should be the action of the mother
country is necessary to guard against an in-
jury to the British public upon whom the burden of
the expense will principally fall.
Mail:. giving to Australia the much desired and
repeatedly promised boon of steam communication
with England at the expense of the national exche-
quer, it is only reasonable and fair that the home in•
terests should be protected, and that no one-sided
bargain shall be struck, the effect of which will be to
impede very much, rather than to facilitate' the grow-
ing intercourse between Great Britain and her distant
possessions! _ _

The merits of the two rival routes may be roughly
classed thus :—The Indian or Singapore plan would
establish a regular monthly mail to Sydney and New
Zealand in from eighty to eighty-two days from
Southampton, and would besides, in connexion with
the Peninsular and Oriental Company's lines of
steamer from Singapore, maintain a similarly regular
inter-communication between Sydney and India and
China, the latter advantage being publicly held up
as the principal reason why this route should be pre-
ferred.

On the other hand, the Panama route would effect
a more rapid and equally regular communication in
from sixty to sixty-five days between Southampton
and Sydney ; would maintain .a monthly mail to and
from New Zealand; would connect New Zealand
with Australia by a monthly mail ; would open up a
communication between Great Britain and the islands
of the South Seas (Otaheite being a port of call);
and in addition would connect California and the west
coast of North and South America with New Zea-
land and Sydney—an advantage not to be lost sight
of, inasmuch as at present a considerable trade has
sprung up and is likely to increase, chiefly for agri-
cultural products, between Sydney and California.
Why, therefore, should the solitary consideration of
a merely intercolonial intercourse between India and
Sydney be allowed to preponderate in favour of the
eastern plan against that marked out by way of Pa-
nama, which offers to Great Britain such great poli-
tical as well as commercial inducements ?

The traffic between Australia and India is, no doubt,
of much importance to the former, and the establish-
ment of a line of steamers to promote such traffic
would doubtisss be of considerabls advantage to the
colonists ; but this traffic can only be regarded here
as a local one, and it is too much to expect that the
British Government should be called upon to devote
a large sum annually to maintain such a line of
steamers, which in point of fact, so far as regards the
main question of steam from England to Australia,
would complete a system the longest and most cir-
cuitous—one that will prejudice greatly the passenger
traffic between Great Britain and the antipodes, and a
scheme, moreover, possessing other grave disadvan-
tages and drawbacks to our commerce, as we shall
presently take occasion to show.

The idea of the propriety of crossing the Isthmus
of Panama with the Australian mails has latterly
assumed a greater degree of importance and feasibility,
from the fact of the Government having just pro-
vided for a much more rapid and perfectly direct com-
munication between England and Central America,
by means of the new West India mail steamers,
which next year will bring Panama to within nine-
teen days of Southampton. By the time this very
desirable change can be effected a more speedy way
of crossing the Isthmus will have been got into opera-
tion, and the way made clear for the extension of a
straight trunk line of steam-ships from Panama to
Sydney, via Tahiti and Now Zealand.
It will not be denied that next to a method for
securing to our possessions in the South Seas a
regular mail to and from Great Britain, the colonists
ardently desire, and it is indispensable for the mother
country to obtain, a speedy and certain mode of per-
sonal or passenger communication, at a moderate
expense, to travellers having occasion to vi.it the
antipodes.

This is clearly one of the most important points of
view in connexion with the matter, and it will be
found on examination that the Singapore or eastern
plan, if ever carried out, instead of hiving a ten•
dency to create and promote, will altogether prohibit,
a passenger traffi c between this country and Austra-
lia, and vice versd. This will instantly be made ap-
parent on reference to the scale of fares adopted by
the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the convey-
ance of travellers using their steamers from S iuth-
ampton to India. The latest publication of revised
fares imposed by this company on wsengers from
Southampton to Singapore (the point whence it is
proposed the Australian steamers should join the line)
is as follows :

For a gentleman occupying a berth in
one of the general gentlemen's cabins £142
For a lady occupying► a general ladies'
cabin 152
For a gentleman and his wife occupy-
ing a whole cabin throughout
For European servants • • •••
For children five years and under ten
years of age ...
For children two years and under five
years of age.. ..• ... 55
As Singapore is 8,488 miles towards Sydney we
presume that for the remaining 4,800 miles to Syd-
ney (the termination of the voyage) a proportionate
tariff would be proposed. The probable fares (put-
ting them at the lowest) would then work out as
follows :

... 350
57

Southampton to Sydney via Singapore.
For a gentleman occupying a berth in
the general cabins ... ••• ...£2OO
For a lady occupying a berth in the
general cabins • • ••• ... 210
For a gentleman and his wife a cabin
throughout ... ..• •.• 480
For servants
••• 85
For children of fire years and under
... 100
For children of two years and under
five ...
85
Let any of our readers likely to depart for Aus-
tralia put to themselves the question how such fares
as these would suit their circumstances or idea., and
Set they are the very lowest that could be proposed
in conformity with the existing scale of the Penin-
sular Company. Tae Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany's Indian steamers do not carry and have no ac-
co:nmodation for inferior passengers. Passengers to
New Zealand would have to pay 151. each extra on
the above.
Against these comparatively exorbitant and prac-
tically prohibitive rates should be placed the rate of
fare that would most likely be adopted by the western
course. The Royal Mail Company charge by the
West Indian steamers from Southampton to Chargres
(first class) 351. to 501. each passenger. From Pa-
nama to Sydney (adopting a proportionate scale) the
pricy for each first-class passenger would be 601. and
701., making a total, from Southampton to Sydney,
of 1001. to 1201. against 2001. to 210/. charged by the
Singapore route, or little more than one-half.
Passengers to New Zealand would have the advan-
tage of paying about 101. less than the above, making
the rate of passage to this part of the world less than
one-half of that which would be imposed by the Sin-
gapore route.

here, however, should be mentioned that it is pro-
posed to carry second-class passengers by the royal
mail steamers to Chagres, and no doubt provision for
this numerous class would be made by the steamers
on the Pacific side. Assuming 201. to be the price
from Southampton to Chagres, and 251. or 30/. from
Panama to Sydney, it would be possible to perform
the voyage from England to Australia fo-, say 451. or
50/. at the highest rate, including a plain but good
dietary, but of course no wines or spirits.
After a comparison of these two probable scales of
passenger fires on the respective routes, it must be
conceded the,' so far as the expense of personal com-
munication are concerned the Panama plan has all the
advantages. ,one but rich persons could possibly
afford to go by the Indian line, whereas by the
plan travelling to and from Australiawestern would be
brought within limit of the means of the respectable
middling and trading classes. The Singapore
steamers would effectually prohibit the emigration of
the latter from this country, while the Panama line,
by the dessened time occupied on the voyage and the
immense difference in expense, would promote it.
With the amount of money required by a passenger,
his wife and family to pay for a Passage to Sydney, via
the eastern route, it would be curious to calculate
how many acres of land, with a proportionate work-
ing stock of implements, horses, and sheep could be
purchased in Australia—enough of each certainly to
set up a beginner in a moderate way;
while a settler
with the same extent of capital, by way
could 'reach his destination in at least a
of Panama,h
fortnight

[PRICE SD.

quicker, if by first class at about half the cost, and
by t,cend class at less than one-third, iu each case
posse,sing a considerable balance of capital available
on arrival for trading operations.
We should state, however, in regard to the rates
of fares thus charged to Indian passengers by the
Peninsular and Oriental Company that, large as they
may nppear, and undoubtedly are, and although they
excel d an) thing like what is charged on other lines,
they are generally cheerfully paid, and are not per-
haps in the main exorbitant fur the nature of the ac-
commodation afforded; considering also, that they
comprise the amount charged by the Egyptian Tran-
sit Administration for crossing the Isthmus from
Alex andria to Suez, and cons idering, also, that the
company has the entire monopoly of steam naviga-
tion from England to India and China. Then,
again, the classes of persons conveyed are wealthy
people—rich East Indians, superior military officers
on furlough or returning to resume their duties, all
loving comfort and good cheer, anxious to save time,
and therefore submitting to pay almost any sum to
escape the tedium of a voyage round the Cape of
Good Hope. Nevertheless, a similar tariff of prices
applied to Australian passengers would most certainly
and effectually debar any but the most wealthy (and
of these but few are likely to travel to Australia) from
using the line, while the western plan would as cer-
tainly bring the benefits of steam conveyance within
the reach of all but the labouring classes.
A line of reasoning similar to that applicable to
passengers might be followed in regard to the mer-
chandise traffic. The lowest published scale of freight
for goods from Southampton to Singapore by the Pe-
ninsular and Oriental steamers is 20s. per cubic foot,
or 40/. per ton measurement. If we add to this 51.
as the probable rate per ton from Singapore- to Syd-
ney, we have a result of 451. per ton measurement
through to Sydney. This would, as a matter of
course, prohibit a merchandise traffic on the eastern
line for any description of goods, save valuable articles
of small bulk, samples, jewellery, &c.
The present rate of freight by the West Indian
steamers to Chagres is 51. per ton measurement, then
allowing 2/. per ton for crossing the Isthmus (by
rail the charge will not be so much), and adding 8/.
per ton freight from Panama to Sydney, it will be
found that the total is 15/. per ton, a rate exactly
one-third less than that charged on the eastern line,
and one by no means so high as to prevent the ship-
ment of superior and valuable merchandise for transit
by steam to a quick and ready market. Of course
the conveyance of heavy or coarse merchandise or
produce by either route is out of the question.
With regard to the expense of carrying out a mail
service for Australia, it will be found, on consulting
the table, that the distance from Southampton to the
Isthmus of Panama is 4,722 miles, and from Panama
to Sydney, calling at Tahiti and New Zealand, 7,968
miles; from Southampton to Singapore is 8,488
miles, and from Singapore to Sydney and New Zea-
land 6,000 miles, leaving a balance of distance of
1,968 miles, which would have to be performed by
the western route over that to be traversed by the
steamers from Singapore, supposing the service to be
carried out by the eastern plan to both Australia and
New Zealand. Steam epmmunication is, therefore,
advanced from Southampton eastwards 8,488 miles,
and westwards 4,722 miles.
On account of the increased distance necessary to
complete the chain of postal communication by way
of Panama, contractors could not engage to carry
the mails thence to Sydney for so small an annual
remuneration, as would be the case on the part of the
contractors undertaking to carry them from Singa-
pore to their destination, and the Exchequer would,
therefore, have to pay a greater amount (by pehaps
one-140 for carrying out the western in preference
to the eastern plan. We believe the plan proposed by
parties tendering for the eastern route comprised only
the delivery of the mails at Sydney, thus dropping
the New Zealand service altogether, leaving that to
be performed under an additional contract which
would have to be entered into, tenders for which
were advertised for in January last by the New
Zealand Company. One of the peculiar merits of
the Panama plan is, therefore, that it includes a re-
gular mail to New Zealand without any detour or
detention whetever.

The question now, therefore, narrows itself into
the simple consideration, should the cheaper but
longer distance for connecting these important parts
of the world with Great Britain be preferred over
the shorter and more expeditous, but probably more
expensive one? Seeing, first, the hinderance in the
way of completing the Singapore route before alluded
to, and bearing in mind the many advantages of the
western plan, which fully counterbalance the increased
expense, such a question must unhesitatingly be an-
swered in the negative, ns the interests of thin coun-
try would seriously suff r, and its commercial and
political affairs incur material detriment by a choice
of the first plar.
The eastern plan has the grave disadvantage of being
at any.moment liable to interruption at many points
in the event of a war. The western plan is totally
free from any such eventuality.
The only tangible argument that has beer, or that
can be, brought forward in favour of the Singapore
plan, we have already mentioned to be the fact that it
will create a line of steamers between Australia and
India, but we ask is the measure to be delayed for
some years? anti is the Exchequer of this country to
be burdened by the payment of an annual suns for
the purpose of establishing such an intercummunica-
tion which, in many essential particulars would serl-
ously jeopardie, the home interests and disjoint the
main line of direct communication, which it should
be the aim of the G,tvernment as soon as possible to
tidvt ? If a line of vessels from Singapore to Sydney
will be of a ivantage to the colonists and to
Indi the parent country should not be
expected to provide it Ifor the establish-
ment of a purely local traffic, but it should be started
by the enterprise and capital of the two places most
interested in maintaining it, and India and Australia
(the former with its wealth, the latter with its
energy) should establish a project that will alike be
beneficial to both.
Supposing a contractor would be willing to carry
the mails between Singapore and Sydney for, say
60,0001. per annum, and thus to place in operation the
eastern scheme, it would he better, so far as this coun-
try is concerned, to reject altogether such proposal,
and expend 100,0001., or even more, to perfect the
western route, which a glance at the map will show
to be the straight and natural highway to the anti-
poles, compared with the uncertain and zigzag route
v;ii Suez. Supposing, further, that it is intended to
devote 60,0001. a year to the Singapore and Sydney
steamers, and that the western plan be rejected, then
the British public, whether as merchants, traders,
travellers, or emigrants, will suffer serious injury, not
only by the additional time to be occupied on the
voyage, but also by the enormous fares fur passage
and rates of freight fdr merchandize that will be
wrung from them by the great monopolists of the
eastern scheme'.

It is true that in the year 1846 the Legislative
Council of New South Wales authorized a select
committee to examine into and report upon the
various routes for effecting steam communication with
England, and that the committee after obtaining a
great miss of valuable evidence on the subject, re-
ported as follows on the 27th of October, 1846 :--
"That the least expensive, the most expeditious, and
the most convenient and advantageous plan would be to
join the China line at Singapore by the inner route
through Torres Strai', calling at the projected settle-
ments of North Australia and at Port Essington, and by
supported by nearly all
the
~ uas,hu
ea Ie rl
iogui tbei l teni ht
y o thence t thoi sSI ii nn ge ai ps ore.
thecommittee
"
ges examinedderivable
this
to Australia from con-
nexion wish advantages
Indian possessions
and other parts of
the East would be greater than
an
l'ihtenaistdeh:
any direct
adv swage
from postal communication with the
mother country."
By the latter paragraph it will be seen that the eastern
route was then preferred because
rivable to Australia from con the advantages (1,:!-
nexion with our Indian
possessions would be greater than any direct advan-
tage from postal commun* • t ichation with the mother
country ; thus desirin t row the expense upon
Great Britain for estagbrsoh. mg the proposed indirect
line, solely because of its advantages I,s advantages to Australia.
We argun, in reJ' • oinder to this, that circumstances
have since 1846 materially altered ; and that the in-
tercourse to and across the Isthmus of Panama has
been materially facili'ated and is to experience still
further improvements; and also that the interests of
this country, as the originator and supporter of the
scheme, should first be consulted, and that it should
be a sine quii non to adopt only the quickest, straight-
est, and most direct plan for reaching Australia. It
is very much to be doubted, too, if the colonists were
themselves to be appealed to in this juncture, if it
would not be found that their views and feelings have
undergone considerable change in reference to this
subject, and that taking the increased advantages of
which the route by way of Central America is suscep-
tible with the accompanying merits of a communica-
tion with New Z:.aland and California, that thsy would
gladly accept the one which the interests of Great
Britain should alone prompt her to carry out.
No one will deny the superiority for the travelling
public of the western route—take the crossing of the
' Isthmus of Panama, for example, to be performed by
railway against a sixty hours' journey up the river
Nile in tug boats and across the desert in caravans. i
i Upon passengers And werohtudize on the Isthmus of '