ANOTHER AND SHORTER ROUTE THAN VIA PANAMA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2568, 7 September 1867, Page 1 (Supplement)

ANOTHER AND SHORTER ROUTE THAN VIA PANAMA.

Me Ckosbib Wabd, who went home in the Mataura.in a letter to the LytUlton Time*, says:— , ■ The mention of Opara [the proposed coaling station of the Panama boats] suggests a subjebt well worth consideration by N ew Zealand and the colonies interested in the connection with American and Great Britain by this route. It is whether the line to Panama ought not to be superseded by one to San Francisco, almost before the present contract expires. There are two facts, one of nature and one of art, which 'seem to decide in favor of the change. The latter fact is the probable completion, within three years, of the Atlantic and Pacific Railway, which will connect New York with San Francisco, all across the great continent I have not the exact plans or figures by me, but sb all be able to gather them for yotur . use in New York. It seems, probable, however, that the journey will be made in six days by ordinary, and five days by express trains, and that the passage money acrosf the continent will be about £25. The works are known to be progressing vigorously at both ends, and ought to be finished by 1870. The other fact is, that the distance from Wellington to San Francisco is 5864 nautical miles, or seven hundred miles shorter than to Panama ; the navigation of the ocean which lies between is equally easy ; and there ia this great advantage,. that Tahiti lies exactly in the course, 2200 miles from Wellington, ready to form a most easy coaling place, and a most pleasant half-way halting station.' Then consider the postal and practical advantages of the Californian route, when complete. In the first place, the steamer from and to Wellington and San Francisco will take but twenty-five days, instoad of twenty-seven, and only twenty-three days from or to Auckland; then, if she be a day or two either early or late in arrival at San Francisco, there will be no .such thing as missing or waiting, for the mail will go across by the train of the day after arrival. At New York; also, there can be no delay, since steamers carrying British mails leave almost everyday. We can therefore calculate on sending the mails through in an exact number of days, as follows :— Wellington to San Francisco ... 25 days San Francisco to New York ' ...' .5 „ New York to London ... 12 „ Total ,42 days The return passage can be performed in the same time, and Melbourne and Sydney can accordingly be brought within 49 days of London for the bulk of their mails, a result hitherto undreamt of; and not to be equalled on (he Indian route until the Euphrates Valley railway shall have joined together the i Indian and European systems across Persia, Cabul, Asia Minor, and whatever other lands intervene.

As to passengers, it might be objected that a five or six days' railway journey would be most fatiguing— almost unendurable. But then there is nothing 'to compel them to go through with the mails, whether they like it or not, as is the case with sea travelling. And there will be wonderful and delightful stopping-places for travellers. Not to mention San Francisco itself, and the great cities of the Atlantic States, the rail will actually carry its passengers through the Salt Lake City, the capital of the Mormons. Incidentally, the adoption of this route will remove one of the greatest .postal diffi culties which we have now to look forward to. The Indian mail services are to be arranged by the week of seven days, instead of by the month. The Suez mail will there* fore arrive at and leave the colonies once every four weeks, and will not harmonise at all with tiie Panama service, which will still run once a month. The Pacific portion of the line, it is true, is within our control, and might be altered ; but the West India portion cannot be touched by us, and is not very likely te be altered for our convenience by the British Post-office. But the New Zea» land steamers can tuu to San Francisco, jutt as often and at just such periods as may bo required, without any consideration of tho other side. Consequently, we can not only carry the mail alternately with the Indian lines, but we can make the intervals between the arrivals and departures of the two mails exactly equal, which is at present impossible.