PANAMA VERSUS SUEZ.

West Coast Times, Issue 308, 18 September 1866, Page 3

PANAMA VERSUS SUEZ.

(to the editor of the west coast tikes.) Sir — Ifc has been the continual attempt of the newspapers of thia colony to .establish the superiority of N the Panama Mail Service over the old Suez Hue. It will be. shown that the former is very far behind the latter in bringing late European intelligence, which, at the present time, is of such importance to all the Australian colonies. By the arrival at Bluff Harbor, on Sunday, August 19th, of the English mails, the inhabitants of these colonies were in receipt of telegraphic news from London to - July 17th. The mail steamer left Panama on July 24th, bringing London dates of July 2nd only — thus a clear gain of fifteen days for the old route. When, however, it is remembered that the mails by this line were delivered' six days before the 'arrival of the Panama Bteamer at Wellington, we find the Suez route gains twenty-one days on the'new line ! In Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, the advantages of^ the Suez route are far more apparent — the intelligence from Europe being only twenty-five^ days old' when delivered in those colonies, and but-thirty-two in Now Zealand. Whereas, the latest European intelligence via Panama was fifty-four days old when delivered at Wellington. Letters by the Suez line left London June 26th, and were delivered in New Zealand August 19th, being fifty -four days 'from time of leaving London. By the Pauama line, letters leaving on July 2nd, were received in Wellington on August 25th, also fifty- four days. Where is the great advantage this colony was to gain for the heavy subsidy it is paying ? If merely to make Wellington a starting point for a line of ocean steamers, I think that for less than half the amount now paid, the P. and O. Company might have been induced to make that port their terminus, thus saving the expense of the present Melbourne mail service also. I am, Sir, &c, Economy.