THE TRIUMPHS OF STEAM NAVIGATION. [From the "Morning Chronicle."]

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 670, 15 September 1852, Page 4

THE TRIUMPHS OF STEAM NAVIGATION. [From the "Morning Chronicle."]

Thf extension of ocean steam navigation now forms one o( the most important features in the great commercial progress of the age. An almost uninterrupted communication between the United States and this country has been maintained semi-weekly during the year by the Cunard and American lines of steamers — a sei vice which has been also extended weekly to our North -American colonies and a portion of the West India islands. The vast increase of trade and intercourse with the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific, since the discovery of gold in California, has afforded full and remunerative employment for the ships of the two English companies navigating those seas. And both the Royal West India Mail Company, and the Pacific Steam Navigation Company has added several ships of increased power and tonnago to their service. With the same objects the Americana have established soveial lines of large steam-ships from New York and Now Orleans touching at Cuba and Jamaica, nnd a weekly communication with San Francisco will shoitly be opened by both the Panama and Nicaragua

routes. On the Pacific side both English and American steamers maintain a service between California and the several ports of Central and South America finding ample and profitable employment. To the Brazils nnd the River Plato the Royal Mail Company despatch a steamer monthly j but this does not meet the wants of the large and increasing trade of those counmes and two companies have deen formed in Liverpool to establish a weekly communication by steam- vessels of not leb3 than 1500 tons buiden, some of winch will be sent to sta during the summer. In the trade of (he Eastern and Mediterranean Spas the Peninsular and Oriental Company have largely increased ibeir fipfis; and they are now prepared for a cotisideiaMe extension of the mnil sei vice to India and China, in winch they are met by t\ rival body, the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, formed for cmrying out the same objects, but who have not yet commenced operations. The mail service to the Cape of Good Hope has been carried out under many disadvantages by the General Screw Navigation Company, with much greater regularity and satisfaction than had been anticipated; they are, however, now bringing ve-sels of a superior classinto the service. This Company also proposes to extend their operations to India and Australia by way of the Cape, with or without mail contracts. The Australian colonies hnve I een left another year without a postal service, but the Government have recently given a contract 10 n compiiny in course of formation, for the convpyuncn of a mail, in alternate months, by way of the Cape of Good Hope; and another contract lor a mail service byway of Singapore has also been advertised. If either of them are carried out, the merit will be due rather to the enterprize of the contractors than to the Government who bave proposed them. A mnil service to the several ports on the coast of Africa is also in contemplation by the Admiralty, as also a monthly service between the Cape of Good Hope and Calcutta, touching at the Mauritius and Ceylon, in continuation of the existing line to the Cape. These vessels are to be piopelled by the screw, and will piovide a cheaper steam communication with India, both for passenger? and merchandize, than by any other l'oute. The establishment of a packet service between New York and Galway, on the we&tern joast of lieland, will probably be opened eatly in the year by a line of American steamers ; and an English company for the same object baB been set on foot m London, Several other projects for the extension of sieam navigation ' have been laid before the American Congress, the most important of which is the establishment of a mail seivice between San Francisco and China, a proposition which h.is every chance of being adopted. The success which has attended the introduction of the screw propeller in steam vessels, especially when applied as an auxiliary power, lias l< J d to its adoption both in this country and tbe United States, as the most economical and advantageous application of steam power to vessels whose profits have to be derived from the transport of passengers and meichandise; and it is now the opinion of experienced practical men that, for these purposes, especially as regards emigration, they will be found superior to any other class of vessel?. The number of vessels upon the screw principle employed in the American, Mediterranean, and continental trades is already very great. Such are the leading features of the picgress which has been made in extending the intercourse of the world by the aid of steam navigation.