GREAT BRITAIN ONE EMPIRE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 128, 18 June 1853, Page 6

GREAT BRITAIN ONE EMPIRE.

By Captain Willington Henry Synge, Royal Engineer. Captain Synge has published this book in order to advocate the construction of a railway through the dominions of British America, from Halifax to Nova Scotia. In the following passage the advantages of this route are pointed out: — " As a mere question of means of communication, the features of the route are such as to involve interests of the utmost magnitude, and require that comprehensiveness of view which can alone justly, or successfully, deal with the internal or external relations of the whole empire. •' It has been already stated that it is the shortest route to the Pacific and the East; this is the case both geographically and practically. Thus the distances and time are as follows :—

" The time by the Britsh American route is reckoned at the rate of 10| knots the hour upon the oceanic, and of 30 miles the hour upon-the land portions of the route; rates less than those of steamers now plying to British America, and of those of railway speed respectively. Two full days are allowed for coaling in the Pacific. The times of the three old routes are those tendered for at the time of the competition for the first steam communication with Australia; and they suffice for a basis of comparison, though framed upon less moderate .data than those of the proposed route. The time to Sydney only is given, but it is evident that the other distances being relatively even more favourable, would be performed with a proportionately greater economy of time. " Moreover, in the comparison of length, the longer rather than the shorter distances of the three older routes, compete with those by British inasmuch as they offer other attractions outweighing the disadvantages of greater length. Thus the Select Committee of the House of Commons gave the preference to the route by the Cape of Good Hopjs, by which the distance to Sydney varies from 12,634 to 14,655 miles.

" With a paddle-wheel steamer at eight and a half knots, and a land transit at the rate of only twenty miles the hour, the distance to Sydney by British America would be performed, in fifty-two days, again allowing two full days for coaling in the Pacific. Excepting by the British American route, the distances would be very considerably increased for sailing vessels by those routes which are open to them. " For example, supposing a ship-canal to be .constructed in Central America, the best sailing course from Sydney to England would still be 15,848 miles long, on account of trade winds and currents. " From China to England by the same route, a vessel would add the distance from Vancouver's Island to Panama, in the Pacific, and on the Atlantic that from Panama to Halifax, to .very nearly the same course as one proceeding by British America. "By the Cape of Good Hope, the sailing course to Sydney would be 13,566 miles, and to China 14.530, and the return voyage 13,330 miles long. " Between Vancouver's Island and every important port of the Pacific, the trade winds afford a wind either fair or favourable, or which can be crossed on a wind. Since, moreover, these advantages can never be affected by any future employment of the auxiliary screw-stea-mer, however general it may become, Vancouver's Island will ever retain the superiority^ derives from its numerous harbours, aud from its position both with regard to trade winds currents, and great circle sailing.

" The electric telegraph, also, for the purpose to which it is applicable, would practically annihilate 3,000 miles of the shortest of the distances that have heen named. Thus, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan are brought within 8,490, 8,600, 8,058, and 7,090 miles respectively! " Asia, besides, points out the means, either northwards in continuation from St. Petersburg, or along its southern coast in prolongation of the line to Calcutta, by which the whole habited earth may be girdled by the electric wire ; the only unexecuted submerged portions being across the Straits of Constantinople and the Behring's Straits! " The superiority in point of salubrity scarcely needs demonstration. Hot climates, long sea voyages, and transhipments under a tropical sun, are injurious to man, and destructive to products. The climate of British America guarantees the preservation of the latter, and is admitted to be highly favourable to the most healthful condition of man;"

The Captain developes, in detail, the mode in which he proposes that this vast scheme should be carried out. For this we must leave our readers to consult the work itself, which would have been more generally useful if it had not been disfigured by a very faulty and ambitious style.— Weekly News.

To Sydi iey. To New; Zealand.; To Hong Kong Miles. !Days. Miles. ] I Miles. By Central f America. 1 i 12,491 to 13,924 63 to 65 11,336 to 12,764 13,720 to 15,760 I By Cape of f Good Hope. | 12,634 to 14,655 70 to 80 13,789 to 14,530 13,330 to 14,530 By the Indian J route. 1 11,727 to 13,425 62 | to 66 12,882 to 14,580 15,590 By British A-) m erica. j 11,600 11,058 11,490 44