The southern press., 1851-03-31

Esrset f5em lStts~ Asm CePt. Henek sakaysl q
.Nt,o London. 70 Mssus. GdaneI, .hintHsn r
Co, Of tAis city.
NEw LoHpoS, 1lth Jan, 1851.
DEAR SIRs:--lt 10 settled principle that midi
vfduals are rarely willing 70 receive advice, and
that communities never profit by expaincs. |
should therefore be unwilling 20 inruds nay OBJ
eervasions and expsriencs but that the frequent
report Of loaaes and damage ii sea, well ~ the
haTdships and sufferings Of the voyagers across
the Atlantic every winter, seems 70 call upon ev-
cry one to contribute bis mite Of information up
on subject 20 much talked about and 80 little un-
derstood, as the westward or homeward passage.
There would be great saving to owners and
underwriters If public attention'could be awakened
to this subject 80 40 to induce navigstors general
ly to take Southern route from Europe in the
winter season. know this will be difficult to
bring about, because few have pro6ted by it. or
have paid sufficient attention TO the winds in diff
ferent attitudes to decide upon their course. Even
our ships Of war coming from the Mediterranean
Sea, believe, keep as near bee line toward their
port a. they can, instead of "running the trades
down." las they could always do in winter)-
crossing the gulf stream at Cape Hatteras.
From the lst Of March to the lst Of November,
e months,) vessels leaving Europe north Of
Cape Finsterre should make the best courss they
can toward theif port any where north Of Cape
Hatteras, in the United States; but from the lat
Of November to the lst Of March, "A months, } al
though no arbitrary rule can be laid down for a
sailing vessel, advantage may be taken Of the
winds, so that a boisterous winter passage may
be turned into pleasant trade wind voyage.
Vessels leaving the French or English coast in
winter, amer securing good ofing frog, the land,
in working westward, should not gain any to the
north. For although fn summer the voyage may
sometimes be shortened by keeping well to The
northward, in winter they will be exposed to
storms and damage, as we'll frequently to a
longer passage One rule may be strictly OBJ
served, l.. e., to carry sail hard with starboard
tacks aboard, and easy sail with larboard tacks
(when making northing-) 1t is well known (the
report of vessels every winter confirms ~ that
when the westerly gales are strongest and most
constant in the north Atlantic between lat. 80
and lat. SIS, they vary from w. S. w. to w, N.
W., back and forth, rendering it difficult to get
south without losing longitude; but the loss of a
few degrees Of longitude must not be regarded, to
escape from such exposure to loss Of life, as well
as damage to ship and cargo, az has been expert
enced this season. The navigator should not fear
to make southing in winter, even though he may
be as far west as Newfoundland; for supposng
HIM to be in latitude 46, on the banks, and the
wind should prevail five days from the west, he
might in that time get far south IS, or furth-
er, probably would find the wind veering round
to the north-easterly, tempting him to steer west
He must still keep his course south-westerly,
until he passes an imaginary line drawn from the
south side of St. Michael, (Western island } to
the south side of Bermuda, where he may expect
a steady fair wind which If very light, he must
continue to gain southiDg for stronger easterly
winds; in week he will pass Bermuda, and in
five days more, if he manages to get close in
North Of Cape Hatteras, he may be in New York,
making sixteen days, most of it pleasant sailing.
This is far better than to report % days west of
the Banks, with damage to hull, spars, sails, rig
gins, and cargo. as well as sickness and death
among the passengers; bringing in (as ships have
this season,) hundreds Of people in debilitated
condition, unfit for anything but to fll your aims
houses, instead Of arriving, as they might do, by
the southern route, with proper discipline and
cleanliness in good order to earn their living.
The imaginary line mentioned above ia about
the southern limit Of the calm latitude. North Of
this line westerly winds pevail, and south of it
eaeterly winds; at least have found it to be the
case in the twelve winter passages have made.
Without going into particulars Of each voyage,
will state that. in January, 1920, arrived in
New York from Antwerp in AZ days was with
in day q sail Of Newfoundland banks before
found it necessary to go South. went around
Bermuda. and brought English news in anticipa-
ton Of the Liverpool packets and ships from Lon
don by many days.
In 1921 left Liverpool in the ship Acasta, in
company with the packet ships Albion and Indian
Chief. Both of these ships greatly outsailed me,
and were out Of sight before night The Albion
crossed Newfoundland well to theWestward, and
had think IS days; the Indian Chief took mid
die course, and had sc days; the Acasta went
South after passing the Western Islands, passed
20 the Southward Of Bermuda, and had 80 days.
In 1927 left Havre Tin October,) in company
with the ship Sully. Meeting N. w. wind off
the chops Of the channel, we could but keep on
the same track to the Southwark and Westward,
but nothing of eachother until near St. Mich
ael. In the evening, the Sully came up with and
passed me. 1t had been very squally, with snow
and sleet, and continued to be so which is unusu-
al so early in the season. Having made up my
mind (being so far South,) to take the Southern
route, 1 bore up, and passed at daylight in sight
Of, and to the eastward Of St. Michael, the wind
hauling gradually around to the eastward. l
steered w. s. W., w. by s. and W., passed in
sight and close to the south side, Bermuda, cross
ed the Gulf at Cape Hatteras, and arrived in New
York nine or ten days before the Suy. | had
fine weather from the Western IslaDds. The Sui
ly had rough weather, and was well off as to
time and weather as the Liverpool and London
ships.
days, generally anticipating English news. On
one occasion the packet ships New York and Cor
tes left Liverpool lst and 9th Of Q believe) De-
cember. | left Havre the Oath of the same month,
and made the Southern passage in 38 days, and
usual on this route, came in with ship in good
Oruer, scrdped ana painted 10 the water, rigging
tarred, sails repaired, &c. The New York and
Cortes arrived long time after me, in q crippled
condition, the former with loss Of topmast, sails
yards, bulwarks, and other damage; the Cortes
with loss Of bowsprit yards, sails, bulwarks, &c.
requiring repair on each Of about $4,000. The
books OF the old line and Of Fish 4 Grinnell will
show.
write from memory, and with no other wish
or desire than to lessen the amount Of suffering
and hardships of Western passage in the winter
season. IL would be far the most comfortable
passage, too, for the Atlantic steamers in the win
ter. Their voyages would not be heightened in
proportion to the distance sailed, as they would
gain in speed. do not recolIect time when
could not have come with ease and safety in
small boat the whole distance from st. Michael to
Bermuda. But people only take medicine when
they are sick, and these fine steamers have not
suffered enough to be willing to give up two or
three days time for the comfort Of an easy and
safe passage Westward Men will be just
ready to laugh at any suggestion now as every
body did when it predicted in 1924, that we
should have steam navigation across the Atlantic.
The answer was, "Why, it is considered foohar-
dy to 60 round Point Judth--who would cross
the A tia ptic in ste ~