The New York herald., 1850-01-28
Arrival OF the West India and Pacific Halls
I'm EngIand-Ocean steam Navigation.
From the London Times, Jan. III


West India mails
The Avon also brings mails from the west coast
OF South America, received at Panama the 2ith,.
OF November by the Pacific Steam Navigation
Company's ship New Granada, which vessel also.
landed treasure, value $72S 1876, for conveyance,
across the Jsthmus, and Transmission to England.
Inc Avon brings the following on freight
i99,3io, or $3.50 sterling, on merchants ac-
count; gold coin, value $40 AS, E50S3 sterling;
gold dust, value $53l, ,SS5 or fIO6, ,s77 sterline:.
bars OF SILVER, value 100000, or $4,000 sterling;
British coin, value S3,i20, or E6Si sterling; pla-
tina, value $4,000. or 960O sterling; precious
stones value IS, 900, e600 sterling; and IL $50
in irancs the total value of specie being 81 7ls,
or say about G2l4,5ii sterling. The freight list
also comprises 81 stroas of indigo, 4 cases Of Sc
gars II casks and 2 tierces of coffee 25 casks OF
preserved ginger, l57 packages of pimento,3 3 cases
of tortoise shell, l3cases OF succades, and 40 pack
ages of sundrles.
The present arrival furnishes fresh instance of
the entire and complete lnadequacy OF the system
of steam communication now maintained with the
Pacific and West Indies, by means OF the steamers
OF the Royal Mail Steam.packet Company. The
Avon left Chagres for Southampton about the same
time the American steamer Crescent City for
New York; and. whereas the former vessel jhas
only reached her destination the 10Th of January,
the advices by the Crescent City were received at
Liverpool on the 9th OF December, thus erhibtting
a difference il time Of at least sirfeen days. II
therefore follows. that il the 81 25O 900 brought by
the Avon had been shipped by the Crescent
City for New York. and there transferred to
the Liverpool steamer, an equal saving in the
time occupied by the transit of. these remit
tances would have been effected, and a vast
deal of anxiety avoided by both merchants and
underwriters interested In the arrival of this vaua
bic freight. The cause of such Inconvenient re-
suits has been frequently alluded to aud explained
in this Journal and il has been clearly shown 10 be
produced solely by the extraordlnaryIrouts adopt
ed from the lsthmus OF Panama TO England, as
well by the repeated aud vexatious stoppages Of
the steamers to take up intermediate mails. Ca
theSpresent occasion, we had that the Avon, after
leaving Chagres, called, usual at Carthaeena Ja-
maica, (where she remained four days with the
tHsytI,) Porte Porto Rico, and St Thomas. u" No won.
der, therefore, at the fact Of the Avon's advices
from the American continent having been fore
stalled by few merchants possessing the fore
sight to direct their correspondence by way of New
York, or at the significant passenger list of this
steamer, showing about 25 cabin passengers from
"A ports of call 1t is cesrt hat faras the Pacific
ports, Jamaica and the Havana, are concerned, the
whole OF the passenger and specie traffic must
speedily leave this line for the expeditions one
from Chagres and Jamaica to New York. We trust,
however, that some steps will be speedily taken to
stay the evil before II shall have become impossible
and irreparable, and that the government will
accede TO overtures which have been made for a.
change Of route of the steamers. On the other
hand, the success, nay, the very existence, of the
Royal Mail Company, depends upon the speedy
preparation Of steamers of much greater speed,
with which to perform the Atlantic VOYAGES with
increased regularity and rapidty. The present
position of this company, In regard to the ener-
getic and powerful competition which has recently
sprung up on the part of the Americans is tar from
credilsble to the enterprise of great British COM
mercial association, or favorable to that develOpe-
ment Of British commerce which ought at all
events to keep pace with .he events OF the times
be they ever so rapid or unexpected. Tire company
once possessed fourteen steamships Of 800 tons
burden, but now, from repeated losses, there are
but ten, and although the, latter number is the
number prescribed by the terms of the contract
with the government, yet If another ship were to
be wrecked, the company would not have sufficient
vessels to work the contract, for which so large a
subsidy is annually devoted by the public ex.
chequer. II the company had regularly replaced
ITS lost ships by others, those vessels would now
have been available to meet the opposition of the
American steamers; but, II Is, the interests os
the British merchants must continue to suffer I'LL
ships OF greater speed have been built, and more
than year will necessarily clapse ere suitable
steamers can be got ready for the service We
make these remarks because we ndrrstand that the
new steamers, of 2 500 tons and 800 horse power,
intended to be constructed fortne Royal MailCom-
pany, have been held In abeyance from some cause
or other connected with indsposition Of the eo-
vernment TO promise a renewal Of the contract
which expires IN 1852 Should the company wait
till 1852 ere deciding upon the necessary steps to-
safely predicted that by that time the necessity for
any British line of steamers at all TO the West In-
dies and South America will have entirely ceased.
for the whole OF the traiic will have been diverted
into American channels. Two years more Of steam
navigation on its present footing will eiectually give
the Americans such preponcerance and advantage
efforts of the West India Mail Company to recove.
their lost position. With judcious change OF
route, and more rapid commune alton, quickly
decided upon and carried into effect, the traffic
from the whole OF Spanish America, the Pacific,
and the West Indies To Europe, will be retained in
Its legitimate channel; and prosperity and success
can only be anticipated tor this company, T line
of policy be adopted equalng IN energy and enter
PRISE that displayed by our American rivals in the
important and vastly increasing commerce Of the.
west.
We have received by this steamer or accoun,s
from Nalparaiso, which extend to the 10Th of Oc-
tober. The steamer New Granada arrived at that
port from the northward on the 18th, with specie
value $3.50 sol in silver from Copiapo and gold dust
rom San Francisco.
From Santiago, Chill, we learn that considerable
sales OF British goods had been effected. In poll
ties little Of importance had occurred The Pres,-
dent convoked the Chambers IN an extraordinary
slttlngon the 18th Of October, for the investigation
and approval OF the financial estimates and for
other matters. The Senate approved every item
and granted an additional supply in several BRAN
ches OF the expe pendture The budget for the iute-
nor had also been approved, and would probably
pass the Cnamber OF Deputies, who, however, were
reserving an attack ON the government respecting
the budget Of the war department. discussloo
had arisen In the deputies concerning the mert of
new law on public. schools, founded on a plan
adopted IN the United States in the state Of Nassa
chusstis, and the proJec was returned 10 the com
mittee for reconsideration. The country was IN a
prosperous position, Railroads are to be con-
s"us'eo, ono hnes " eiegrapn made, besides other
public works earned out, which II was expec,eS
would give tne republic an impetus fully a half
century IN advance OF her present position.
The British and other merchants in valcar,iso.
were very anx lous for more frequent and randi
steam communication with Great Bri,arn. and.
IN the event OF not being able to ob,a,n such
Isc'lues, were proposing to memonalize the
government ct the Uaited States to establish
me OF msil steamers between Valparaiso aud
Psnama. Should. however. the new scheme
OF steam communication between Southampton
and the lsihmus OF Panama, (mentioned In m.
Iimo OF the 10Th Of December last. and now
under consideration hy the Roverameo ot) be carried
out. II ls probable that the requirements of The
mercantile community IN the South Pacific port.
viii be fully met. ss the new plau embraces.
three.weeklv mai! to aud from Valparaiso and the
nfermedlaie ports 10 Psnpms. and to and from tbe
Spanish Nam, Mexco. and Havana. ins,eld o.
with Europe. f''e