The New York herald., 1851-12-20

| curing the mole period IN the transportation OF
this vast amount OF treasure, the total loss BY theft
highway robbery, accident, or otherwise does not
| exceed ten thousand dollars. No better evidence
can be required to exhibit the perfect security of
tho route for the transmission Of treasure, Of how
II is estimated that the goods shipped from tho
Atlantic ports and conveyed across the Isthmus,
average, in value five hundred thousand dollars
per month. These shipments are made from the
United States, West Indies, Atlantic, South Ame-
rican, and various European ports. The amount
of transportation Of goods from the Pacific ports
across this route to the Atlantic is comparatively
ther improvement of the facilities for transporta-
ton, the completion Of the railroad no in pro-
gress. suppose, however, that they are not less
than one hundred and twenty FIVE thousand dollars
per month, amounting to one and half million of
dollars per annum. Admitting this to be 80, We
will sum up the total amount of value nsported
across this route annually
TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION
OF GOODS AND TREASURE OVER THE IsrHMUs OF
Gold and silver from South America. $I2, ,OOO, 900
Gold from California, Oregon, and l..
Mexlco. .............. $4,000 900
Total amount of treasure. ... :. $62, 900, 900
Goods and N nerchandise from the Allan
tic to the Pacific ports. .:...:..... s6,oOO,Ooo
Goods and merchandise from the Pacific
to the Atlantic ports. ts................ 100000
Making sum total Of ........ $69, ,5OO, 900
am sure that, in this estimate, the value Of
goods and merchandise il below, rather than above
the actual amount. AS it is, we have an annual
transportation of goods and treasure across this
route, of nearly seventy millions of dollars exclu-
sive Of very large amount in the hands of travel.
lers-an amount Of sufficient importance, one would
naturally suppose, to render the route one of un-
usual interest to the public at large and especially
to the commercial world, which any inter oceanic
mmunication must most materially affect.
Upon the opening of free intercourse between
the Atlantic ports and California, and the estab-
lishment of line of steamers between the former
and Cha9res, connecting with another between
San Francisco, the government of the United
States selected this route for the conveyance of its
mails. Since the contract for conveying the mails
went into operation, there has been about four
hunured thousand pounds of mailsble natter trans
ported ever this route annually. The average
weight, per month, is from the Atlantic side about
twenty thousand pounds, and from the Pacific side,
q little more than half that amount. The impor-
tance of route for the safe and speedy transmits
sion Of these mails, is too apparent for comment
| That the expedition which has hitherto charac-
terized the transmission Of the from point to point,
has secured the appreciation Of the govern uen, We
have the surest evidence in the continuance of the
| contract, and as may be found in the recent mes.
sage Of the President the arrangements just entered
into y with the Panama Railroad Company, to con-
| vey 1t onthelr toad as far as it is completed.
The foreign travel across this route amounts to
more than sixty thousand persons per annum, and
It is constantly increasing. During the month Of
October Of this year upwards Of six thousand per-
between the two oceans This gives an average
of nearly twelve hundred per week, and very large
majority OF these are olrown countrymen-c citizens
of California, or other States Since the disco veries
of the enormous mineral wealth of California, and
the abundant facilities which the enterprise of our
countrymeD, and others, have furnished for GROSS
ing the lsthmus, passages around Cape Horn have
seek this route far preferable in ali respects The
merchant in New York holds monthly correspon-
deDce with his agent in Valparaiso, or any other
of the South American ports on the Pa,ife; and
US, by means of the Intercourse sustained through
this channel, as TO make them our next door
neighbors.
tion which have suddenly sprung up with the en-
terprise and discoveries Of the age, between the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans, enlisting, as they do
the investment of millions Of dollars, annually,
and the enterprise, talent and industry Of whole
nations is the discussion of the most feasible mo
thod Of facilitating the operations for uniting the
| commerce OF the two oceans, for reslaiming the
vast territories OF the Pacific coast, and rendering
them productive Of almost boundless wealth to the
world, for populatRg and cvilizing her innu mers-
BILE islands aId developing their resources and for
| opening q direct communication and trade with
China and the East Indies, matter Of indifference
to the people Of the United Statesl IL appears TO
me that the magnitude Of its Importance is incon-
ceivabe; and that, too, without reference to the
future, or the great results which must inevitably
follow the success Of this enterprise, but simply in
regard to the actual amount Of business now trans
acted, and its influence upon the various interests
| of the trade and commerce of the world.
In regard to the relative facilities and advantages
of the Panama and the San Juan routes, permit
| me to add few additional remarks.
The Panama route has the benefit OF no less than
| twenty-three large steamers, whose aggregate
amount Of tonnage is twenty thousand seven hun.
dred and thirty-sx. The following table will ex-
hbit the names and the tonnage of each steam Of
| the Panama route