The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-02-10
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 10.

81 CRDA I GAR1 III.
\ telegram in our last paper informs us that
the new steamer now building in New York for
the China mail service, is to be of fce thousand
tons measurement, and the largest wooden steamer
in the world. 1t is likely that the company
who have the contract, have determined TO put
on vessels of the largest class, for two reasons,
increased safety and speed, as it is found that
such vessels are safer in stormy weather, and
that greater speed is obtained in proportion TO
size. And secondly, TO enable the vessels to
make the entire trip of 1000 miles across this
ocean, without stopping to coal, if that plan
shall be found best. Now TO compete sue
c~essfully with the Oriental Steamship Line via
Suez and India, the Pacific mail steamers, in
order to obtain China freight and passengers,
must devise some way to shorten the time from
New York or London to Hongkong. By taking
the northern or 80 circle-sailing' route, the dis
tance is shortened $50 miles, or between three
and four days, over the southern route. Now,
if, in order to succeed in this great ocean race,
these steamers have TO run against time, il may
be found that success will rest solely ON the
question whether they shall be compelled to stop
for coal at intermediate points between San
Francisco and HongkOng, and thereby ~lengthen
the trips, from three TO six days. We Opine
that this is the reason why such large vessels are
being built. And here is the point which We
took up our pen to refer specially tO,-the proba-
bility that these new steamers will be Of q size
that will shut them out from our harbor alto
gether, if left rs it now is. OF course it is uncer-
tain as yet how much water they will draw, but
steamers of that class generally draw from 20 to %
foot onl ,ha. nIarcas n-a n,,a 1"T e 30, -In,
when fully loaded a five thousand ton steamer
will not be able to cross our bar at all tides,
twenty-five feet being the most we can allow.
In this event one of two things must be done,
il they still purpose calling at these islands.
Our bar must be dredged to admit of larger
vessels, or We must sit still and see the ships
stop at HilO-which port they can enter at all
seasons and tidcs,-or pass by our islands al
together. The expense of dredging the bar
will be considerable, but we presume con-
tractors can be found somewhere willing to
introduce Il suitable machine, and clear it 10 the
depth of twenty-five or six feet for fifty or sixty
thousand dollars. The largest ship we ever had
i'll our port, If we are not mistaken, has not
been over three thousand tons, nor drawn over
81 feet. The Sovereign Of the Seas, which load
ed here in 1852, was 242l tons burthen, and
drew lS1 feet in, and 20 feet out, leaving port
with only part of a cargo. The T.. S. steamer
Merrimdc, which was about four thousand tons
burthen. was compelled TO anchor outside.
These facts should be considered by the Gov
eminent in it's plans for the future, and if there
is any possibility of making our harbor access
ible to ships OF the largest class, which, in a
few years at the farthest, will be stopping here,
some provision should be made TO receive them.
IL would be notifying to us TO have the Pacific
Mail steamers come here and find that they could
not enter our port, though anxious 10 do so.
We should not begrudge doing all we can, and
making all reasonable efforts to meet the re-
quirements of steam. England, France and
America are all engaged in I laudable rivalry
to supply this ocean with steam lines. The San
Francisco Call alludes TO the coast enterprises TO
facilitate travel in the following paragraph:
TRAVEL on THE PACIFIc-A glance through the
pages Of Holdridge's Guide Book of the Pacific.
affords an interesting insight into the magni-
tude of preparations for travelling which exist in
this State. aud all along the coast from Victoria TO
Valparaiso. For the Panama trade. there are ten
steamers. with 4 total capacity of $4,000 tons.
For the trade 10 Victoria. Oregon. and northern
ports of this State and Mexico. there are five
steamers. with a capacity of 5000 tons. The Cali
fOrnia Steam Navigation Company have three
ocean steamers of 800 tons capacity. The Cen
trail American Mail Steamship Company of Panama
has three steamers. Of 1000 tons aggregate capa-
city. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company
(Engiish) trading between Panama and Valparaiso.
have seventeen vessels. with 1900 tons capacity.
Thus. saying nothing of the AjGr just started in
the Sandwich Island trade. the trade of the Pacific
now employs thirty-eight steam vessels. the aggrc-
gate capacity of which Is a little over sc, 700 tons.
The total length Of these routes over which they
travel Is upward of 10000 miles. Within this
State there are upwards of 500 miles Of steamboat
routes. employing constantly twelve steamboats,.
There are $50 miles of railroad in operation. and
of 5000 miles of stage lines. to say moth
ing of those which lead ont of the State. IL would
be curious to know how much coal and wood are
by the railroads and steamers, and how
much hay and barley il takes 10 supply the 5000
miles of stage lines. That 4 vast sum of money is
annually expended To keep up the stage lines is
evident from the fact that the expenses of the line
from Marysville to Portland, Oregon. 700 miles in
length. are S22. 900 4 month. At that rate the ex-
penses of all the stage lines in the State are not
than 81 100000 annually. The expenses of the
steamships. steamboat and railroads are at least
double that sum. or $4,000. 900. Thus. simply to
keep our wheels of travel III motion. the sum of
: 100000 must be counted down every year. This
sum has to be earned before the stage and steam
boat companies can begin TO hope for 4 realization
of profits. To place it in another shape. every
man. woman aud child in the State must ride at
least nine dollars worth each. merely TO grease the
wheels OF our travelling vehicles