The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-03
wind and Current Charts-Ths Trap q the
Clipper Ship Cemet.
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. MAURY.


NATIONAL OBsxRvArosY March %, 1854
The clipper ship Comet, e. G. Gardner IL one Of the
vatons for the wind and current charts She has just
performed famous run from California to New York
II the shortest thence record at this oce and tho
abstract log of has been received beg leave 10 make
1t the occasion Of special report
That combination Of wind and which on the polar
TO run down their casting With such astonishing speed
ia not to be expected along route which, like this,
and the whole system OF trade wind and
Nevertheless the thirty fth day out from San Fran
cisco this ship had crossed Ave Of these belts made six
eght degrees Of longitude ninety OF latitude ana
During the voyage she was six days in Gains and bAf
days only siosh knots per hour Her greatest
speed for any day 81 statute miles, 320 knots
From the heads of San Francisco TO the bar at Sandy
Hook she seventy-sx days Deducting for the six
days of Gains and battling winds, she for the sew
enty, the average, 2O6 miles (knots per day This
Is more than steamships on long voyagesas from Eng
land to the Cape Of Good Hope-usualiy make.
Great skill and judgment appear to have been display
cd in the navigation Of this ship
One Of the drawbacks with which vessels In the Call
forna Australia trade have TO contend Is the want Of
cargo Heretofore they have been in the habit
to The Sandwich Islands for q return cargo Of oil
But since the publication Of the last edition Of Sailing
Directions have begun 70 receve IN numbers, 40,
California to Peru for guano Hence infer they 50 In
ballast for it.
The facility with which this passage may be made
from these two rival lands of gold WILL both in America
and Europe, enter as element in the question Of
freghts
In commercial point of visw therefore, the relative
facility with which these guano islands may be reached
from the two Ophrs il calculated to have bearings OF
consequence to the trade both Of California and
Australia.
Australia to these islands the route for the best
winds comedies very nearly with Of the great
circle, and the way, therefore, Ia plain.
But rsm San Francisco the route appears to be not
understood at all The most experienced navgators con-
fess themselves at fault with regard to It. And
special sailing directions have boon 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 the track from California to the United States
til the belt Of southeast trade winds be crossed or until
they will allow the vessel to lay up for her
Though the guano islands in IL deg south vessels
bound to them from California viii frequently have to go
as far as IS deg or 40 deg or even farther SOUTH before
they can lay up for them.
When a vessel therefore, bound for Peru out Of
San Francisco her best course is to run down for the
dcg or 100 deg 25 deg is not too far and, with top
mast studdng sase to stand to the southwark until
the wind haus to allow her to lay for her port
when the winds fail to haul she should keep
south the calm belt of Capricorn and with the
west winds the polar side of these cams down
casting enough that when she returns to the south
east trades they will head her into port
The usual passage from California to these islands
occupies from sixty five to seventy days BY the route
here recommended it should not be SO long
The way is plain: dash, down from California, not
caring TO make casting until the winds are fair for Cal
lao.
Every homeward bound vessel from California
the track of the guano traders from Australia.
The Comet, to where she crossed 1t, Cat 40 deg s.,
long 107 deg W. had twenty Eight days and from this
crossing (Which is out of the from San Francisco to
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 ought not the average, to occupy more than
Ivy ''' M.F MAURY, It. U.s.N
Hon. J. C. DoBBN, Sec. OF the Navy.