The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-05-05 00:00:00

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF TIME OCCU-
PIED AND EXPENSE OF PERFORMING A
MONTHLY VOYAGE BETWEEN -ENGLAND
AND AUSTRALIA, VIA INDIA AND THE
ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.

MR. WAGHORN'S PROPOSED ROUTE, VIA INDIA, PER

STEAM.

Time occupied between Southampton and
Singapore, according to latest returns,
about .. ...
Singapore to Sydney, from 25 to 30, say.2B days.
In all about
MR. WHEELWRIGHT'S PROPOSED ROUTE, VIA PANAMA,
Time occupied from Southampton to
Chagres, 33 to 35 days, say.. ..... ... 34 days.
Crossing of Isthmus
Panama to Lima •• • • • .
___ ... _ . ... 8 days.

Lima to Sydney, per sailing vessel, has
been accomplished in 37 days, but say.4s days.
In all about .......
EXPENSE.

Capital required under Mr. Waghorn's scheme, for 4
stcamers of 1,200 tons each, say £45 per ton, £216,000.
Working of the line at an expense of 225. 6d.
rer mile. Steamed, 9,000 miles per month, or
108,00 per annum, £121,500 ; wear and tear,
say 124 per cent., £27,000.... ........ ...... £148,500
Capital requird under Mr. Wheelvrrigbt's scheme. for
6 sailing vessels of 400 tons each, say £2O per ton, £lB,OOO.
Sailing expenses per month, £250 each, or per
annum, £18,000; wear and tear, say 10 per

cent., £I,BOO ..
The foregoing statements exhibit only the ac-
tual expense of working, and the deterioration
under the different schemes, consequently, to
give a sufficient return for capital embarked
(X 216,000 under Mr. Waghorn's scheme) 71 per
cent. (£16,600) must be added, thus requiring
gross receipts of ..
and it is presumed that the revenue in the outset
will be but little, an annual payment from Go-
vernment, of certainly not less than £120,000,
would be requisite to support the undertaking.
To give an additional 7i per cent. under Mr.
Wheelwright's scheme, would require gross re-
ceipts of.
and a corresponding payment from Government
of about £20,000 per annum, _ .

. .
Thus whilst only about five days more would be occupied
by Mr. Wheelwright's route, the favourable state of the
winds between Lima and Australia render the voyage per
sailing vessel nearly as certain as by steamer. It has also
the additional advantage of embracing New Zealand.
Without including this important colony, it is confidently
believed that the Government would not give their sanc-
tion or support to any mail or contract with Australia.
To include New Zealand under the route by India, would
involve additional time, and such an increase of capital
and annual expenditure, as even the strongest advocates
for a steam communication could not recommend.

Under these circumstances, agreeing, as all do, upon
the propriety of having a monthly communication with
New Zealand and Australia, it would certainly be advisa-
ble to take up Mr. Wheelwright's route via Panama.
The necessary sailing vessels could be put upon the pas-
sage between Lima and New Zealand and Australia, in
connection with the West India Mail, and the Pacific
Steam Navigation Company's steam-ships, within nine
months of obtaining the Government contract ; and even
should the estimated results not be realised, and at a
future period a steam communication considered requi-
site, the present outlay would be but comparatively small,
with a very large annual saving, and the sailing vessels,
being suitable for any trade, might either be continued
on the passage, in connexion with the steamers, or with-
drawn therefrom, at a trifling loss or inconvenience to
the owners.

We understand that a preliminary meeting of mer-
chants, ship-owners, and others interested, was held here
on Thursday, for the purpose of considering the plan pro-
posed by Mr. Waghorn and his friends, for a monthly
communication by steam with Australia, which meeting
broke up without coming to itny definite resolution on the
subject. An opinion prevailed, however, that the capital
required for the requisite steamers was very great, and
that the annual payment from government, sufficient to
support the undertaking, was more than could at present
be expected. The benefits to be derived from a regular
communication with Australia and New Zealand were
admitted by all the speakers, but the plan of performing
it with fast-sailing vessels instead of steamers was, on the
plea of economy, and as being likely to receive the sanc-
tion of the government, more favourably viewed by the
meeting. Reference was made at the meeting here, as
well as at the London meeting, to a scheme proposed by
Mr. Wheelwright, of establishing a monthly communica-
tion by fast-sailing vessels, between Lima and New Zea-
land and Australia, in connexion with the West India
Mail steam-ships, and the steamers of the South Pacific
Steam Company. As Mr. Waghorn's scheme is now
before the public, we think it but fair to give the fore-
going, which is the staple topic-of conversation by a party
whose only object is that of securing at the earliest period
the best attainable communication with these important
colonies. Before leaving the subject, it is but right to
notice, that there is some difficulty in comprehending Mr.
Waghorn, from the report given of the meeting in Lon-
don, for while, in his speech, he has not forgot New Zea-
land, his proposed scheme, if we understand it aright,
terminates at Port Jackson, thus leaving out the former
altogether.