The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-21
The Shortest Way from England to the
Wet Indies, Ausfraiis, &c.

West Indies, Australia, &c.
The scheme OF communication established ana
kept up by the West l0dla mail steamers 10 not a
mere semi monthly mail TO and from the British
ultra marine possessions, but comprehends a vide
spread Atlantic communication between Europe
and the French, Danish Spanish, and Dutch West
India colonies, with the island of Hayu, Mexico,
the Central American States OF Nicaragua, Yucca
tan, Costa Rica, Ventzu ela. Columbia, and via
Chaeres and Panama with New Grenada, Caltor-
MIA. Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chill
The lsihmus OF Panama Is now becoming the
great high road for traffic 10 and from the whoe
Of the western coasts of both North and South
America.
Assuming that from the Isthmus of Panama to
say from Chagres 10 Southampton, we hnd the ex-
isting routes as follows
Miles. Steamer stops.
Chagres to Carthsgera. ....... $50 l day
CaItbsgena to Kingston Uamaics) 40 ~ days.
Jamaica 10 Jscmel (iayti)...... 1855 = day.
Jacmei to San Juan Porto Rico).. 3sS q day.
Porto Rico to st. Thomas. % days.
St Thomas to Fayal. .2,2is day.
Total distance, lsthmus to Southampton, $3.50
miles, occupying 30 TO 30 days, including the stop
pages above referred to.
One glance at this statement of the indirect route
and frequent stoppages of the royal mail steamers,
will fully account for the reason why American
steamers taking direct route, as follows, are ena-
bled TO anticipate them-
Cbsgres to Jamaica mies. ................ 3
Jan area 10 New fofh.
New York to Liverpool. ........ IL
q
Add for detention 1T Jamaica. ................ l
Average detention at New York by reason of inter-
mediate arrivals. .'''..''.'..''. ''.'.'''. .
Total, Cbssres TO Liverpool RIA New York. 20
or saving in time OF from seven to ten days
II cannot, therefore, be astonishing that the New
York route is preferred. What passenger would
not wish to shorten his sea voyage week or ten
days!
average freight of 100000 dollars Frequently
more) for England This amount may be expected
shortly 10 be very much augmented by the supplies
OF gold from the Californian mines. Can It be ex-
pected, therefore, that the merchants owning such
valuable remttances will permit their treasure TO
be shipped by the West India steamers, which,
with these large Sums on board, stay idlng by the
way day at Carthagena; two, three, and some
times isur days at jamaica; quarter OF a day at
Hayt and Porto Rico; two days at ST. Thomas,
and so on, when the insurance risk Is greatly in
creased! And is 1t not natural to expect that the
New York route, so much shorter and more rapid,
Will completely supeTsede the present West India
plan of intercourse with the isthmus, unless an al
teration be speedily and eiiectusly applied
A remedy may be devised whereby the whole of
these evils might be removed, and the traffic now
almost entirely lost to or leaving the West India
steamers completely restored, if they were per-
mltted 10 take direct route as follows
Cbagres to st. Thomas. miles. Il 100
st. Thomas to Fayal. Observation-Disclosures. .2249
Fayal to southampton. ....l 3T3
The total distance from Chagres to Southampton
"outu uc' soy
And the distance saved thus
ChaQres to Southampton. via jamaica Jacmel,
Porto Rico, St Thomas and Fayal.. $3.50
Chagres to Southampton, via st. Thomas and
FeyH. ........... ........... .47s2
3SS
BY employing steamers Of the Cunard class,
fortnight or ten days would be the real saving in
time, while the New York route would be sur
a ard 10 fnno tAI
The only alteration in the present arrangements
necessary to guard against a arrangement IN the
intercolonlal service, would be the necessity of
having a branch steamer TO bring up mails from
TO 81. Thomas, there TO meet the direct steamer
from Chages -
The route outward to the lsthmus pursued by
these steamers is stlll more objectionable and
lengthy, and If pricked out on the map, will pro-
baby excite smile; IL is as follows;-