The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-01

boltS of Gains absolute cans must be crossed par
culary in the Atlantic, which barrow space swai,
voyages cited by Mr.. Wise from three to fifteen days.
In the 1874 days mean passage to India, 1854 days
are occupied in Gains and light airs; 63l days in
fair winds and l22 days In foul winds. By the use
Of auxiliary steam, the calculation is that by slight
auxiliary steam power the Indian voyage may be
shortened to IS days, or by steam up to better
track to even So days.
In the Pacific the winds are comparatively light
and perhaps, as a mean, would not command more
than seven eight knots in sailing vessel. Suppo
sing, therefore, that auxiliary steam is used to make
mp the speed to ten knots much even OF this ia neu
tralzed; for supposing the ship to be propelled with
this velocity, and the wind is abeam with strength
equivalent to eight knots, she will shift the wind two
three points ahead and cause 1t to be still more
adverse with lighter breeZes. II may be, even that
very light wind aft, may with quick speea come out
dead ahead that sails worse than useless. This
renders consideration 10 the currents Of much greater
The progress of steam in the Pacific will depend
on the abundance of coal. Fortunately nature has
been as bountul in this respect here as elsewhere
For the Australian route it must be taken to the
intermediate station, and Talcahuana or New Zea-
land affords ready sources In the north we have
more convenient Sites 1t has been said by DR..
Coulter that he found it in the Galapagos, but this
must reasonably be doubted. It has been found up
the Columbia river In Admiralty inlet and in Van
couvers Island it is very abundant and excellent 1t
probably abounds, and certainly exists, in Cooks
Inlet. 1t has been worked in Alaska. 1t is found
is worked in Japan and in the Philippine Islands;
and with q ready and certain market it might be
worked in all these places. Wood has been pro-
posed and tried. 1t may be had for cutting in the
north and south; but its weak powers, | hear, can
not make it to be depended on for steam fuel q
slight addition of coal greatly increases its strength
and it ia here suggested that bitumen might be
available as an adjunct. There is bitumen spring
near Sta. Elena Point in Ecuador, Gloss to the sea.
It has been noticed by Damper and still exists as
found by Lieutenant Wood in II. M. S. Pandora.
Another is found between Point Dune and at Point
Vicente in Upper California. and 1t becomes an in
feresting question whether these and others might
not be used in improving fuel.
A few words as to the commerce it will open up
and bring to our own country. There is not richer
mineral part in the world than the west portion of
Ecuador and Peru. The great distance it is from
Europe, around Cape Horn precludes anything but
the most valuable Of its products reaching MS; but
there can be doubt but that shorter transit will
confer great value upon many natural products which
are now most abundant and worthless One very inn
portant item will be thus greatly increased-the vast
deposit of guano on the Peruvian coasts from which
millions of tons may be brought here The alkaline
compounds which cover the plains OF Bolivia may be
brought into service, and the immense metallic de-
posts will thus be made one-half, or rather two
thirds, nearer Europe.
All the products Of south. western America will
bear proportonately increased value, and outlet for
industry and speculation. In the north, our Amer-
can brethren are vigorously pursuing commerce 10
their new region Of California, and one fact will
prove what openings there are for increase Of com.
merce. In the month Of January, 1853, there were
cleared from the port Of San Francisco rs vessels
of the aggregate burthen Of AZ l94 TONS Five years
since, few stray ships found their way here annu
ally in search OF water from the poor and destitute
Spanish occupants. A new expedition is now to be
fitted out ut New York for the exploration and ad-
vancement of the capabilities of the north west coast
American colonies are being founded all along the
coast to the northward pioneers OF future industry
and wealth. Our own territories to the n0rthward
yet untried and unvsited but possess all the
NJ Annn RIA
is terra tncognitd-its capabilities are unknown.
1.-THE Americans boast the commerce OF the Pacific
will be their INTERCHANGEABLE Us zee what it is.
chart with its array Of names gives very exagger-
ated notion of the lands between the Eastern and
Western worlds They are with the exception Of
the few volcanic groups mere specks or narrow
strips of land, even with the waters edge, and are
immensely populous. The entire insular population
Of the Pacific has been rated at 20 900 000 but from
careful summary it does not much exceed
100000 to 1750,000, and this including New
Zealand and Australia. The area of the Caroline
Islands does not exceed that Of the town Of Liver
pool, yet the population amounts to above 500 per
square mile. This is the with all the coral
islands So that the whole care Of the natives must
be in procuring food The only articles as yet
gathered is beche lie mar, sea slugan aphrodisiac
for China the pearl oyster SHE'LL aud tortoise she'll
The two first might probably be cultivated like
our own oyster fishery, the latter is nearly
extinct. Arrowroot aud cocoanut oil might be
had in small quantities, but would not pay
as yet. CT the larger Islands in the Western
Pacific we know little. Their capabilities quite
nndeveloped, and are now only being awakened.
Thus there can be no commerce at any time in the
open ocean. except that to be made in its western
part; but its boundaries open to oil the world,
and Englisbmen will not be backward in availing
themselves OF it. One branch alone is American, or
scarcely be called American, 1t is only small
section of New Englanders who SO vigorously and
exclusively pursue the whale fishery, and bring i'm
mense wealth annually TO their country. But they
were almost exclusively whale hunters "a the Allan.
tic, and seem to have dstanced all competitors even
OF their own nation. That many new sources of pro-
ftable enterprise will be opened there cannot be the
slightest doubt and the present greatly increased
and increasing importance Of our Oriental commerce,
OF our Australian emigration and the progress Of
civilization on the western shores of America, mpe-
ratively demand that this long required interoceanic
canal should forthwith exist; and it was considered
chat 1t was especially the province of the society
discuss the merits of this important question, bear
ing it does upon the arts manufactures, and COM
merce Of our own country.
The Rev. DR.. B00TH, who occupied the chair, said
there were some points on which he was not quite
clear Colonel Lloyd stated that the level Of the Pc
cifc was higher than the level OF the Atlantic. This
he should not have anticipated. 1t ong suppos-
Mediterranean, but by uster observation it had been
covered that they were the same.
The Rev. Mr. NIcHoLAY, of Kings College, remarked
that it was said that large portion Of the
Of the Pacific would be monopOlized by the United
States He believed that would not be from any advan
tage position but because they had stabbed the sub
ject more. The government OF the United States
bad sent out expeditions and employed officers
for the purpose of collecting facts and observations
in reference to the science OF navigation. and it
would not be difficult to SHOW that the whole course
of their diplomacy had been directed to this cons
Iteration. He differed from Mr. Fndlay with regard
to the uses of canal across the Isthmus of Panama
He saw clearly that the results to the United States
would he very beneficial indeed He did not think
the difference in the voyage from this country would
be great as was supposed, and Captain Seabridge
was decidedly in favor the route by the Cape OF
Good Hope. He thought mariners had lost great
deal by the use Of Mercators projection, as they
measured by the straight lines, which, when applied
to spheres mised them. Circle sailing was no mys-
terry. II was known to Cabot who proposed to apply
it in following Columbus to America.
ECaptain Iammone, II. N, pointed out one or two
instances OF the immense advantage to commerce
by the opening of canal across the isthmus. It
would shorten the passage of the guano ships thirty
or forty days. and also h ps laden with copper ore.
Mr. Alexr. Doue observed that In taking the ord