The New York herald., 1850-06-07
Ocean Mall Steamers.
TIE ENGLAND, SOUTH AMERICA, WEST INDIES, AM
IsTIlMUS LINE.


IsTuMUs LINE.
From the London Athen@um
The long-pending scheme of the British govern
ment Tor the organization OF complete system
Of steam communication with the West Indies,
Mexico, Brazil, and the Pacific, to which we have
already alluded, has just been brought to con-
cusion. The main features are as follows:-l.
There is to be great trunk line Of steamers-or,
as the Times wei calls it, a "great steam bridge"
direct from Southampton TO the Isthmus of
Panama. Every fortnight, frst-class steamer,
making from twelve 10 fourteen knots an hour, is
sail from Southampton by this line stopping first
at the Island of St Thomas, which distance il
will accomplish in about twelve days. In st.
Thomas's Bay three branch steamers will be
waiting; which, receiving their respective mails,
will instantly proceed on separate routes-one to
Havana and the Gulf Of Mexico-another to
Porto Rico, Hayi, jamaica, San Jago de Cuba,
Honduras, Nicaragua, &c; third to the Wind
ward and Leewsrd Islands, as far as Demarara
The main lne-steamer, having thus disposed of
its branch mails, will steam on from ST. Thomas's
Isihmus Of Panama. Here it will disembark its
Pacific mails for transmission across the isthmus;
and, receiving in return the homeward mails
from the Pacific, will be ready for its return
voyage. SteamDg back TO ST. Thomas's, il will
there find the three branch steamers, whose return
voyages from the three above mentioned routes
will be so arranged that they shall always (except
in case Of accdenp arrive in time TO give and take
mails with the trunk-steamers; then IL will proceed
direct TO Southampton, bringing the Pacific mails,
and the mails of the three foregoing West Indian
routes. Ii is calculated that, by this system of di
rect Atlantic steamers, an accelerated communi.
cation Of from twelve TO sixteen days will be
secured for all the ports concerned. z. To cor
respond with these arrangements for the Atlantic
side OF America, II is in contemplation by the
Admiralty, "to agree with the Pacific Steam
Navigation Company for fornightly mail to and
from Panama and Valparaiso, in place of the
present monthly steamer" This will bring
Chagres, and consequently England, into much
closer approximation TO the western coast of
South America while il is possible that, ut-
mately, similar arrangements may be extended to
California and The North American coast of
the Pacific. 3. There is 10 be a monthly mail
TO Brazil, with an independent line of packets.
"Starting from Southampton, the steamers will
proceed TO Funchal (Madeira), Santa Cruz Crene-
Iifs), Porty Ppya tCape verde), Pernambuco,
will be a branch packet to Monte Video and Buenos
Ayres." The admiralty have not sanctioned the
proposed touching at Lisbon; which is TO be re-
Portugal and the Braziis is thus los, to the con-
tractors. II is supposed, however, that there will
be branch packet between Lisbon and Madeira,
which will partly serve the purpose. The distance
between England and the Brazilian ports, accord
ing TO the preceding arrangements, will be as fol-
lowss- Penambuco eighteen OF nineteen
days;-Bahia twenty or twenty -one days;-Rio de
one great feature Of this Brazilian line is, the
possibility Of its future extension so as TO reach
western and southern Africa. Porto Praya is
but 40 miles distant from Sierra Leone,
N. ls
branch steamer; while another branch steamer
from Porto Praya 10 the Cape, would bring our
South African possessions within thirty-fiye days
Of England. As regards the period when the fore
going extensive arrangements are 10 be carried into
effect, much depends on the time that must elapse
before the necessary preparations in the way Of
building new steamers end repairing old ones can
be complete. II is hoped that the Brazil line may
be ready by August or September next and though
II would take year TO get the steamers ready for
the puposed West India and Pacific route, IL is
not unlikely that even with the existing vessels
something Of the plan may be carried into effect
soon. The sum Of G2lO,0O0 per annum now paid
TO the West India Mail Company for the convey
snce Of the West India mails alone, will, IL is un-
dertcod, suffice TO cover the expenses ofthe whole
proposed system besides which, there will be a
of 10000 year now spent in main
tanning Her Majesty's briggs between Falmouth and
Brazil. All this, we may soy in conclusion, in
across Panama, which will sweep the little town
OF Chagrcs out Of its present impudent littleness
into noihingness.
mT COLLINS AND crNaRD STEAMERS
[Liverpool Correspondence Of the Manchester Bx.
sminer
The new steamship Asia, under the command OF
Captain Judkins, takes her departure for Halifax
and Boston tomorrow MAY lS,) about noon Let
ed at the Liverpool post office before 10 O'Clock, A.
Nj. They will, however, be forwarded, II received |
before twelve o'clock payment Of the usual late
fee. She has very large number OF her berths |
engaged. She is expected to make the shortest |
passage on record, and bets being made that |
lhe arrives in Boston and lands her mails before
noon, on Tuesday, the 2sih Of May-ten days |
II, m the time she starts from the Mersey. |
she landed her mails at 2 II. M. on that day. |
Touching these mail steamers, there is a report |
current here, that their owners Cunard a. CO., are
not orposers Of the Collinss line Of which the At
sntic is the fret 10 the ocean from America
but that on the contrary, some OF the company are
said to be holders Of shares in the line TO some cx-
ent II is further reported that, should Collins's
Inc prove az swift and successful in their voyages
he is expected, an effort will be made to get both
he West India and Brazil mails forwarded by the 4
United Companies, the American steamers bringing