The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-08-31
Short Time to Australia.

The line of steamships between Australia
| and California has now been established for
a sufficient length of time to enable parties
| most interested to form some estimate of the
results and of the probable consequences
hereafter The Philadelphia Inquirer says
that the time between Auckland and San
Francisco was, on the occasion of the first
trip in May last, thirty-one days, and in six
teen days more it was estimated that pussen
gers and light freight could be carried TO
London. Forty-seven days from Australia
to England is shorter time than can be.
made between the same countries by the
Suez route, which occupies, on the average,
about fifty five days, so that fully week
would be gained by taking the American
route; but the time has already been reduced
between San Francisco and Auckland, ard
the Australians believe that the trip to Lon
don, by way of the Pacific Ocean, the Central
Pacific Railroad, and its congeners and the
Atlantic Ocean can be made in forty-one
days, thus actually saving two weeks. Tele
grams from England by the way of San
Francisco, they yet hope to receive in twenty
DAYS which would be a vast advantage. be-
cause there is no Geographic communications
with London except through Mediterranean
pvrss, and .hc time saved will not be near so
much. Thus by railroad and telegraph we
have the advantage in this country, and that
| is q matter of the utmost importance to trade
as well as to passengers. To the latter is
| also to be offered a much more pleasant pas
sage than they can obtain from Australia by
any other means. If they navigate the In
| dian Ocean and the Red Sea the entire voy-
age is fraught with discomfort in consequence
of the great heat, and likewise the want of
| needful accommodations on the steamers.
If they go by tile Panama route the disad-
vantage is equally great, and the danger from
fevers in crossing the Isthmus is not to be
despised. But by the steamships which go
| to California there is more comfort, a cooler
atmosphere, and the monotony of the trip is
varied by an excursion across great CONT
nent, which is rcplete with objects of the ut
most interest and curiosity to Il stranger.
Passage by the Atlantic steamers is also of
| great importace to one who likes Comfort
and heath. They arc finely managed, and are,
| in fact, floating palaces. The result of this
new means OF communication to Australia
| 1, - hoe bitharto
been the most througly English of all the
British Colonies. 1t has been SO isolated
from the world that it has been walled off
from improvement, and if it had not been
for the gold discoveries there, it would to-
day have been in no better condition than
when its most important station was at Bot
any Bay. 1t only wants to be walked up to
| American ideas, to he indoctrinated in the
spirit of American progress; to throw off lis
British notions and to become ambitions and
prosperous. Australia is by nature so far
out of the ordinary line of commerce, and so
little attractive naturally, that, as British
colony, she could never occupy other than q
semi-commercial position. Her productions
are only of value in proportion to the facilli-
tics by which they can be sent to those parts
of the world where they will command good
prices. She Is so far distant from Europe,
Asia and America that tits doubly important
to her that she should have facility of COM
munication. Hence steamship advantages
with the United States arc to her of mex
pressible value