The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-03
WASHINGTON, February /, ls4o.


10 the Editor OF the Un10H'
have read the answer OF your correspondent 10 nv
second article, in reply 10 his first me- on the
subject of the distances between New York and Canton
by the Cape of Good Hope and the Panama routes,
stated in the tables annexed to the report of the Naval
Committee of the House of Representatives; and | am
sorry find that he, before confines himself to gene
ralites, without presenting any details or specific re-
marks on the definite statements offered by me. have
nothing to add to those Details which, with their results,
remain thus unconadcted except by the intimatons OF
your correspondent that they at variance with those
presented by Lieutenant Maury IN his Chart OF Winds
and Currents. and in his map accompanying report
upon steam navigation to China. ! have never exam
med either of those documents. nor they, believe,
accessible TO one person in one hundred OF those who
may read these present papers had stated the distance
from Panama to Canton, on great circle as being l43
degrees or $3.50 miles, which is only 20 miles less than
the sailing distance, $500 miles, given the tables of
the report; and the distances on the lines of shortest
possible navigation nearest to the great circle $500
miles, 4s0 miles than the sailing distance in the
tables and did expect IN answer, some distinct admis
sion, denial, correction of these details Yet none
has been made approached more nearly than by your
correspondents assurance that the distances from Pa
mama 10 Shanghae, Lieutenant Maury's map, are GER
tanly correct here again ask distinctIyls the dis
lance. great circle. from Panama to Canton,
rectly stated by me at $3.50 geographical miles Are
not the lines on great circles from Panama Cape San
Lucas from Cape San Lucas to the Bashee islands, and
from the Bashees to Canton the shortest lines of possible
navigation between Panama and Canton and do not the
distances these three lines together amount to at least
$500 miles,
Your correspondent says: In regard TO this other
route, via Panama must first remark, that this route
different from the other which is estimated for the sailing
vessels estimated solely for the steamer, which can
pursue the great circle course with Underwriting eXacness
or as near TO it as the coast lines permit" Now it is
impossible for to know under what circumstances or
with what views, the tables in the report OF the Naval
Committee were constructed but if the remark above
but deceptive; for the title of the table from which ali
the distances mentioned by taken, distinctly de-
cates that Inc v1yGges are supposed e 1e Only IN sailing
saw oil via
the isthmus OF Panama compared with the old routes
via Cape Horn and the Cape OF Good Hope to the places
therein named estimating the distance which common
trading ship will sail per day TO be hundred and
miles, and calculating for the voyage out and hsme The
report, moreover as your correspondent quotes it, de-
clares that the proposed railroad the sthmus
will actually. for all the purposes of navigation and
commercial intercourse bring the ports of the
of Mexico California, and Oregon, fourteen thousand
servation either express or implied in favor of any
means OF propulsion either route. should be sorry
be undeceived in my conviction that the assertion Of
your correspondent quoted at the head Of this paragraph
must be incorrect that statement nalliby leads to
conclusions which would be the last to entertain.
You correspondent is think. moreover. not quite cor
rect in saying that in his reply to my first article che
pointed out that made measurements upon he
1eous principle hat pesssta,ling from New Yorf to
G%n0 sos as to the cope Of Good
fact to that broad nearly three times to reach
that cape" certainly did not proceed on any such
principle in my first article, or IN any other stated the
making in all 1850 miles; and the sailing distance on
the whole route at $4,000 mes-thus allowing nearly
three thousand miles for deviation the whole voyage
and such still believe to be the ordinary or average dis
sailed by vessels in voes between the two ports
in each way though the voyages may be- and doubtless
often are. much increased in length by adverse Winds
by unskuness OF navgators, and especially by attempts
to sail new courses or on old ones, condemned by
immemoral experience.
With regard to the proposed railroad the shmus of
Panama have said nothing nor have the time the
inclination at present to enter upon broad field of
discussion have, however studied the subject of CON-
muncatons continent by canals or railroads
long and aitenvey. and have published the results of
my investigations many years since That subject is now
before Congress- where it will no doubt be examined in
all its bearings and my only end in the observations
which have taken the liberty to offer the public has
been prevent national councils from acting upon
data which believe to be erroneous. r. G.