Washington sentinel., 1854-03-25
Report by Lieutenant Maury to the Secretary
Of the Navy.
NATIONAL OBSERVATORY,
1I,,,b O0 1S5A

March 20, 1854.
SIR: The clipper-ship t" Comet" (E. c. Gard
ner) Is one OF the vessels that are cooperating
with US in the plan of observations for the
Wind and Current Charts She has just per-
formed famous run from California to New
York. 1t is the shortest thence on record at
this Office, and the abstract log of it has been
received. beg leave to make it the occasion
of special report.
That combination of winds and sea, which,
on the polar side of the parallel Of As deg.
south, enables clipper-ships to run down their
casting with such astonishing speed, is not to be
expected along route which, like this, crosses
the whole system of trade wind and calm belts
of the ocean.
Nevertheless, the 35th day out from San
Francisco, this ship had crossed FIVE of these
belts, made sixty-eight degrees of longitude,
ninety-fve Of latitude, and doubled Cape Horn.
| During the voyage she was six days in calms
and battling winds, making on the average,
during these six days, only 2.8 knots per hour.
Her greatest speed for any one day was 37l
statute miles, 1920 knots.) From the heads of
San Francisco to the bar at Sandy Hook, she
was seventy-six days. Deducting for the six
the seventy, on the average 205 miles (knots)
long voyages, as from England to the Cape of
Good Hope, usually make.
Great skill and judgment appear to have
been displayed in the navigation Of this ship.
One of the drawbacks with which vessels in
the California or Australia trade have to con-
tend is the want of return cargo. Hereto
fore they have been in the habit of going to
China for it, and occasionally from California
to the Sandwich Islands for Il return cargo of
oil.
But since the publication of the last edition
ofthe Sailing Directions, | have begun to receive
in numbers abstract logs of vessels bound both
from Australia and California to Peru for
guano. Hence / infer they go in ballast for it.
The facility with which this passage may be
made from these two rival lands Of god will,
both in America and Europe, enter as an ele-
ment in the question Of freights.
In a commercial point of view, therefore, the
relative facility with which these guano islands
may be reached from the two "Ophirs" is cal
culated to have bearings of some consequence
to the trade both of California and Australia
From Australia to these islands the route for
the best winds comedies very nearly with an
arc Of the great circle, and the way, therefore,
is plain.
But from San Francisco the route appears
w NC uOI uuutTslOOu dl Ill. J. ue IDOSC 6xDe-
rienced navigators confess themselves at fault
with regard to it. And, as no special sailing
directions have been given for it, / beg leave
now to offer few suggestions with regard to
it.
The best route from California to The guano
| islands Of Peru is the track from California to
the United States, until the belt of southeast
trade-winds be crossed, or until they will allow
the guano-bound vessels to lay up for her
| port.
Though the guano islands are in II deg.
south, vessels bound to them from California
will frequently haye to 60 as far as 35 deg, or
40 deg, or even farther south, before they can
lay up for them.
When vessel therefore, bound for Peru,
comes out Of San Francisco, her best course is
to run down for the equator about its intersec-
ton with the meridian Of l5 deg, or 120 deg.
(l25 deg. is not too far,) and, with top-mast
studding-sail set, to stand on to the southward
until the wind hauls, so as to allow her to lay up
for her port; or, when the winds fail so to haul
she should keep on south across the calm belt
of Capricorn, and with the west winds on the
polar side Of these Gains, run down casting
enough, so that when she returns to the s. E.
trades they will head her into port.
| The usual passage from California to these
islands now occupies from sixty-fve to seventy
days. BY the route here recommended ii
should not be so long.
| The way is plain: Dash down from Calfor-
MIA, not caring to make casting until the winds
are fair for Callao.
| Every bomeward bound vessel from Califor.
MIA crosses the track of the guano traders from
Australia.
| The "Comet," to where she crossed it, Cat.
| 40 deg. s. long l07 deg w \ had twenty
eight days, and from this crossing (which is out
of the way from San Francisco to Callao) 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 ought not, on the average, 10
occupy more than ffty-fve days.
Respectfully, &C.,
NJ. F. MAURY, 1t. U. S. N.
Hon T r. nnppIN