The New York herald., 1870-11-19
A STEAMER FROM THE ORIENT.


Direct Commsnication by Stcam Between
China and New York-The First Steamer
from the Land Of Pig Tails, with q Cargo
Of Tea for Gotham.
certain number Of merchants abroad who hold
commercial relations with shippers In this port took
IL into their heads, on the opening Of the Suez
Canal to try the experiment OF having tea brought
BY steamer from China direct to New York via the
canal and few months ago Messrs. Turnbull, Sal
vesen Co., OF Lcith, put the idea into
force by giving an order for the construc-
tion Of several vessels Tor this especial pur.
pose. The first steamship OF the lot ordered was the
Magdaa, and as soon Us she as got In shipshape
she left Lelth for Shanghae to take OH board full
10th of August last she lett shanghae, under the
command OF Captain Davidson consigned to Messrs.
Charles l.. Wright Co., OF No. Sc South street, this
city, the agents OF the owners OF the vessel.
THE MAGDALA
arrived at Hong Kong on the 2oth, where she
coaled, and left the following day. Singapore
was reached on the Goth OF the same month. the
next day she put to sea again. arriving at Gale
on the Sth Of september which port she left on the
9th, arriving at Alden on the 22d. On the 23d she
left Aden Up TO her arrival at the latter port she
had favorable passage, but she encountered very
severe weather in the Red Sea, and owing TO this
circumstance, which, OF course could not have been
avoided, she did not reach Suez until the sth OF Oc
tober. Had the weather continued as favorable after
she had left Alden as it had prevailed previous to her
leaving that port she would have accomplished tho
distance TO Suez in five or ak days As 1t was she
took sixteen days On the l4th OF October snc LETT
Port SAID Tor Malta. where she coaied on arriving.
she Afterwards put into Gibraltar, where she also
coaled, leaving thaJ port on the 2sth. The MagCaa
Is expected " arrive III this port early this mornng.
II s = wen known TACT that previous 10 the open
emma by sailing vessels, ana that most OF the car
goes, alter hayMg reached san Francisco were sent
East by the overland route II is claimed by many
experienced tea merchants In this city that teas
suffer from being
KNOCKED ABOUT
the way all freight must necessarily be- to certain
extent, on the railroad ana the repeated loading
and unloading tina. tney nave to undergo irom place
10 10 psSs - that aa,s 10 Iaq they could
from the time the packages were slowed away
IN the vessels they would be much better and give
it was this idea OF getting the tea TO this port IN
better condition, II possible, that first prompted
Messrs. Turnbull salvesen L Co. to make the test
they have made with the Magdaia. They also had
III mind, as o matter OF course,
THE QUESTION OF PROFIT AND LOSS
ny tne ordinary route. overland from San Fran
cisco, teas nom China reach this port about sixty
i've Gays, weather being favorable throughout the
voyage The Magdala had the misfortune TO encoun-
Ter HeaVy gales and unlayolable weather Tor ten
whole days IN the Red Sea, and thus lost considerable
valuable leeWay. 80 that after all the long time she
has taken to reach this port cannot be considered
u crltellon OF Wnat the average trips from China
VIII be by the new route The owners OF the vessel
have mad The pluck to make an experiment which,
II successful Dotn in point or profit to them and
safety to everybody concerned, VIII be OF meal
cuable benefit 10 the tea trade between this country
and China, and 1t woalo be great pity indeed II
they should lil IN then enterprise Ii it turns QUO
that the direct steam communication with China i5
success new passenger route may be opened, by
winch the ''heatnen Chinee" may reacn New York
with his countenance ''childlike and bland,' unrul-
ned ~ single railroad journey.