The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-05-25 00:00:00

STEAM NAVIGATION ACROSS THE ATLAN6C.

The great feat so loug anticipated, and respecting the practi-
cability of which such opposite op►nions have existed, both
among philosophers and practical men, has at length been per-
formed. In spite of Dr. Lardner's calculations, the Sirius
steam-ship has twice crossed the Atlantic, having reached New
York on the 22d of April, and Falmouth on the afternoon of
Saturday last. The voyage from Cork to New York was per-
formed in eighteen days, and that from New York to Falmouth
in the same time. taking the distance from Cork to America,
at 3300 miles, and that front New York to Falmout at 3400, this
gives an average progreis for each of the thirty-six days of ra-
ther more than 186 miles, and fur each hour of about seven miles
and three quarters. It is a remarkable fact that the outward and
inward voyage should have occupied the same time. Supposing
it to be possible to perform the two voyages at these rates, the
saving of time ou the voyag,e to America will be at least twelve
days ou au average, and on the return voyage from six to
seven.

This greatsaving of time, amounting on the voyage to America
to more than a third, and on that from America to Europe to
more than a fourth, cannot fail to produce an immense effect
on' the iutercouse between the two continents, if the experiment
should prove profitable, and regular liueS of steam packets should
be established. For all purposes of business and communication,
the two countries will be brought more than 1000 miles nearer
to each other.than they have ever• yet been, and the utmost de—
gree of regularity will be produced in the intercourse. In every
point of view, the mit per iment is one of the most important ever
tried, and the events of every year will furnish additional evidence
of its impottance. • • ‘.
Owing to the large supplies of Coal -necessarily carried on such
long voyages as these, it is probable that the principal advan-
tage arising from steam navigation between this country and
America will be found to consist in the more rapid conveyance
of passengers and intelligence. In the former department there
will be a great increase, if the fares can be made reasonable,
both in the conveyance of mercantile men and travellers for
pleasure, and in the conveyance of emigrants. • In the latter
respect, it will produce one of the greatest social revolutions ever
effected, pouring the surplus labour of Europe' into America;
and ultimately conferring the highest advantages on the popula-
tion of both continents. _ _

We have occasionally heard disparaging comparisons, since
this experiment began to be tried, between the activity of Li-
verpool and -Bristol; the former being depreciated, and the
latter highly recommended, and it being even surmised that the
trade of Liverpool may suffer from the want of advantages
possessed by the merchants of-Bristol. ,We have no doubt
whatever that, the very, great spirit and enterprise recently
shown by the people of Bristol will prove very beueficiai to that
port, and -will enable them to turn almost all the intercourse car-
ried on by means of the London, and perhaps of the Havre
packets, through, Bristol, especially after the Great Western
Railway is finished all the way through. The cheapness of coal
at Bristol, as well as its position, gives it great advantages for
steam navigation civet London, Portsmouth, or Havre. It has
no advantage, however, iu that respect over Liverpool; and the
cheapness of coal in Lancashire, together with the fact of the
whole cotton trade of the empire being entered here, and of this
being the natural outlet for the trade of Lancashire, Yorkshire,
Staffordshire, and Warwickshire, will prevent this port from
being supplanted in the American trade by -any other port in
the empire. Up to the present time we have always had better
means of intercourse with America than any other place in
Europe, and it is the excellence of those means that has pre-
vented the adoption of any active steps to introduce steam
navigation.
Any considerable increase in the rapidity of the communica-
tion between England and the United States will have a material
effect in extending the vast commerce which already exists be-
tween the two coo,ptries, and in giving to all operations a greater
degree of certanty and safety than they already possess. - Bills
will arrive more rapidly (pethaps a questionable advantage),
and the.state of the markets and of public and private credit
will be known more speedily to those whoni they may affect—an
advantage about which there can be no question. Speculations
will be undertaken on both sides of the Atlantic with a fuller
knowledge of the circumsiances on which their success must
ultimately depend, and-orders which• it may he-poliqie to counter-
mand or modify will be countermanded or modified, in many
cases, before any serious mischief is done. During the late
panic, rapidity and certainty of communication Iwoitld probably
have saved many houses which fell.—Liverpool Times.

REPRESENTATION o 1 AYRSHIRE.—The conservatives of Ayr-
shire are about to have an,opportunity of manifesting their at-
tachment to the church and civil institutions of their country.
Mr. Dunlop, whose health, we regret to learn, is unequal to tbe
fatigue of parliamentary duty, it is said, is about to vacate his
seat; -but of to,urse .he cause to this determination without
previously arranging ivith his friends emir) the time and oppor-
tunity ; and a successor, Lord Dudley Stuart, has accordingly
commenced his canvass. We are not aware what connexioa
this nobleman has with the county of Ayr; but:judging from
the progress which Lord lielbourne made during his former
brief canvass, the talents and address which he then exhibited,
and his great popularity, we should imagine there can be no,
doubt, it he stand, of his being returned by a large majority.
Indeed, we should be rather astonished at the boldness of the
whig-radical party, in putting forward any one to oppose so ge-
neral a favourite.—ScottishGuardian.

DEATH OF TA ILEYEAND.—We are sorry to have to announce
the decease of Prince Talleyrand, which took place yesterday
afternoon, at four o'clock, in his hotel, Rue St. Florentin. Fur
several days the Prince's health bas been in u rapidly declining
condition, and a large boil, with which be was affected, and
which is generally fatal to persons of advanced age, caused
lively apprehensions as to. its rr sult. from the time of its first
appearance. Yesterday morning,. at half-past eight, the King
and Madame Adelaide honoured the illustrious invalid with ti
visit; and the inquiries of theinombers of the Corps Diploma-
tique and the nobility. were incessant. .The Abbe Dupanloup
it is said, remained with the Prince more than an hour. At
noon all hope,appeared to be lost, and the patient gradually
sunk till the. time of •his final dissolution. The Messayer states
that his .Majesty "was with the Prince a few minutes before his
death; and the Gazette de France maintains that a retraction
'was signed by him during the morning, in the presence of the
Archbishop of Paris, Counts Mole and St. Aulaire, 13aron
Barante, the Duke de ,Valencay, M. Royer Collard, and -six
other witnesses, after which he received all the sacraments of
the church. Prince Talley rand was in. his 84th year; hisdeathi
nO Tess than his life,'is an event of European importance..,-.
Galignani's Messenger, clay 18.