The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-24
NATIONAL OBSERVATORY,

March 20, 1854.
SIR; The clippership .'Comer' IT, c. Gardner) is
one OF the vessels that cooperating with the
plan of observations for the Wind and Current Charts
She has Just performed famous run from California to
New York. II is the shortest thence record at this
office, and the abstract log OF has been received |
beg leave 10 make il the occasion OF special report
That ombinalion OF winds and sea, which, on the POI
lar side OF the parallel OF As deg SOUTH enables clipper
ships down their casting with such astonishing
speed, is not 10 be expected along route which, like
this crosses and recrosses the whole system OF trade
wind and calm belts OF the ocean.
Nevertheless, The SSH day out from San Francisco,
this ship had crossed five of these belts, made sixty
eight degrees Of longitude, ninety five of latitude, and
During the voyage she SIX days in Gains and
battling winds making the average during these six
days only rs knots per hour Her greatest speed for
any day was 81 statute miles, 1920 knos) From
the heads OF San Francisco to the bar Sandy Hook
she sevenlysix days Deductng for the six days of
Gains and battling winds she ram Tor the seventy, on
the average, 205 miles (knots) per day This s more
Ihaa steamships on long yoyages-as from England 10
the Cape OF Good Hope-usualy make,
Great skill and Judgment appear TO have been display
ed IN the navigation OF ihls ship.
One Of the draw backs with which vessels in The Cali
iona OF Australia trade bave 10 contend is The want OF
return cargo Heretofore they have been in the habit
OF going China for IL and occasionally from California
TO The Sandwich Islands for a return. cargo of oil
Bot since the publication OF the last edition OF Sailing
Directions, have begun to receive in numbers, abstract
logs OF vessels bound both from Australia and Caor
MIA 10 Peru for guano. Hence infer they 20 in ballast
for il.
The facility with which this passage may be made
from these rival lands OF gold wi both in America
and Europe, enter as an element in the question Of
ffeghts.
10 commercial point OF view, therefore, the relative
facility with which these guano islands may be reached
from the two Ophrs is calculated to have bearings OF
some consequence 10 the trade, both OF California and
Australia
From Australia TO these Islands The route for the hes,
winds comedies very nearly with OF the great
circle, and the way, therefore, is plain.
But from San Francisco the route appears be not IN.
derslood al all The most experienced navigators con-
fess themselves al fault with regard TO it, Aud as no
special sailing directions have been given for it, beg
leave offer few suggestions with regard 10 IL
The best route from California to The guano islands OF
Peru is the track from California 10 the United States
until the belt OF southeast trade winds be crossed or
until they will allow the gnano bound vessel 10 lay Up
Tor her port.
Though the guano islands are in IA deg south YES
sells bound 10 them from California will frequently have
10 20 far IS deg OF 40 deg farther south
before they can lay up for them
When vessel therefore, bound for Peru comes out OF
San Francisco, her beet is run down for the
equator abou, lis intersection with the meridian of is
deg, or l20 deg 23 deg is not too tar) and. with top
studdlng sail set, TO stand 10 the south until
The wind bsos, allow her to lay up for her pori
or when the winds fail to haul. she should keep on
south across the calm belt OF Capricorn, and, with the
west winds on The polar side of these calms run down
casting enough, 80 that when she returns 10 the s. r.
trades they will bead her into port
The usual passage from California these islands now
occupies from s'xiyhye TO seventy days. BY the route
here recommended il shoud not be so long
The way Is plain dash down from California not
caring 10 make casting until the winds are fair for Callao
Every homeward bound vessel from California crosses
the track OF the euano Traders from Australia
The Comet " 10 where she crossed IT, (lat 40 deg s
long io7 deg W. bad twenty eight days, and from this
crossing (Which is out OF the way from San Francisco 10
Caao) the guano trader from Australia has usually from
twenty TO twenty-five days TO Callao.
The passage from California TO the guano islands of
Peru ongh, not, on The average TO occupy than
hy-hye days.
Respectfully, &c,
M. + MAURY, It. U. SN
Hon j. G. DORM
Secretary of the Navy