TO THE ANTIPODES BY THE AMERICAN OVERLAND ROUTE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4305, 7 January 1875, Page 3

TO THE ANTIPODES BY THE AMERICAN OVERLAND ROUTE.

(From Land and Water.) The States, a gazette of American affairs, published in London, institutes a comparison between the Suez and American routes to the Antipodes, greatly, of course, and not perhaps without reason, to the advantage of the latter. The lengths of the two journeys do not differ materially, but both in time and cost there is a very considerable saving; in all cases as regards the former, in some cases only as regards the latter. Thus by the Suez route to Melbourne the distance is 11,439 miles ; by the American, 13,780 ; but the former costs £SS, and occupies fifty-six days, while the latter costs £B7, and occupies but forty-eight days. To Yokohama the journeys by the respective routes are 11,268 miles via Suez ; 11,382 miles via the American route ; but the Suez journey takes fifty-six days, and costs £lO3, while the American is accomplished in thirty-four days, and the charge is only £72. To Auckland the comparison is favorable to the American not only in respect of time and cost, but as regards distance likewise. Via Suez the journey extends over 13,259 miles, is completed in sixtytwo days, and costs £lO2 ;' via the American, the distance is 12,290 miles, the time occupied forty-four days, and the expense £B2. There is, cherefore, in this case a saving of nearly 1000 miles of distance, eighteen days of time, and £2O in money. Now, great as arc these advantages, do they by any means represent the whole of the benefit to the traveller. Nearly the whole of the journey, via the American route, is in every case travelled within the limits of tho temperate zone, so that hardly any change of climate is experienced. Via Suez the traveller gets the full enjoyment of the scarcely endurable heat of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. As regards conveyance and change of conveyance, the advantages likewise incline to the American rather than to the Suez routes. The steamers from Liverpool to New York, and from San Francisco, are among the finest in the world; while the Pullman Parlor and Sleeping cars on the American railways, which connect the Atlantic and Pacific, are quite as luxurious as the most exiyeant traveller can desire. As to sight seeing, there is as much of interest to be seen in crossing the States as at Suez or in the Indian Ocean. Altogether the States, we repeat, has some show of reason in sounding the American trumpet so loudly.