Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1862-09-06
Steam 20 China. &c.

The English Nears, alluding to the projected
Steam Line to China and Japan, UiG San Francis
CO, gives the following statistics Of that and other
routes ' The passage to Shanghae through the
Straits of Matsmai is estimated at q l 2 days
being at the rate of $50 miles per day 1t is not
stated at what places the steamers are to call at
route for coal ; we assume that Kanagawa, in
Japan, will be one. San Francisco being in steam
communication with England and the United
States, tia Panama, it follows that the new line
will give postal facilities and also for the transit
of valuable freight. The time occupied from
Shanghae to Southampton will be as follows:
From Shanghae to San Francisco say % days.
Detention at San Francisco 2 IS
From San Francisco to Panama IA
From Panama. across the Isthmus, to Aspin-
wall, including detention
From Aspinwall to Southampton, per West In
dia mail steamer, via St. Thomas 20 L"
Total 60 days.
The service performed BY the P and o. Company
from Shanghae to Southam pton, ria the Isthmus of
Suez, occupies 81 to 55 days, including all stop
pages. To New York the case stands very differ
emily, being only 40 days from Shanghae to AS
pinwall, as above enumerated, and from that port
to New York the passage is only 9 days, or 40
days in all. The present mode of conveyance for
correspondence from Shanghae is ria the Isthmus
of Suez and Marseies to London, which occupies
4S to so days, thence by steamer from Liverpool
to New York, say ii days, in all SO to 81 days. Ii
often occurs, however, that the mails arrive in
London just after the departure Of the steamer for
New York, and in such cases they are detained
several days for the next packet. The valuable
freight for New York comes ria Southampton, and
is usually five days longer than the mail route just
described, ria Marseilles.
As medium OF communication with japan,
the route, ria Panama and San Francisco, has al
ready been demonstrated. Our readers will re-
member that some time since we published an
extra, giving details of the celebrated Moss case
several days in advance of the regular mail, ria
Shanghae. This intelligence, be it remembered,
was conveyed from Japan to San Francisco by
sailing vessel, so that with the now established
steam line we may look for our news by this route
as regularly by the overland mails ria Suez
We are now led to notice another scheme which
was detailed in our number of the 9th of Decem-
ber, 1858, and which is the route through our own
territory of Canada and British Columbia, to
VancOuver's Island on the Pacific. This route is
now to be familiarized by the establishment of a
Company entitled the British Columbia Overland
Transit Company which offers to book passen-
gers from London TO Fort Hope, Fraser River, at q
cost OF t42. The mode OF conveyance and estima-
ted time for the journey is as follows
England to Montreal, IA days.
BY steamer up the Red River to Fort Garry
From Fort Garry by spring Wagons and
horses to Fraser River, Is
Total As days.
The Company have booked and dispatched thirty
passengers already. Arrangements are in progress
for building suitable steamers to run on the Red
River, Lake Winnipeg, and the river Saskatcbe-
wan, which is stated to be nayigable to within
about 200 miles of Fraser River. An efficient staff
of superintendents, express riders, horses, etc.,
for the various stations route are now being en-
gagged by the Company and it is expected with
these facilities the time will be next wear reduced
to thirty days; to this we have to add six days
from Fraser River To San Francisco, and twenty
| IA,rl, Inrr "a, &I.,u.