Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/33

 1st.—The difference in nautical miles between the proposed Krà route and the present Malacca Straits route, for English mail and other steamers passing through the Suez Canal and bound to China, is 256 miles; this measurement has been carefully made from a point off Dundra head, south coast of Ceylon, to a converging point in the China sea, from which all steamers by either route would have to steer the same course to Hongkong.

2nd.—The difference in distance between the aforesaid routes far the French mail steamers calling in at Saigon and bound to China is 383 miles, measuring from the some position off Dundra head.

3rd.—The difference between the aforementioned routes for steamers bound from Calcutta to Hongkong is 471 miles.

4th.—The difference between the aforesaid routes for steamers from Madras to China is 381 miles. From this it is evident that no saving in time could be effected, as from one to two days' detention would surely be incurred in the canal before a steamer could pass from one sea to the other. Independent of this, there is risky navigation to be encountered, with heavy canal expenses, pilotage, and light dues into the bargain. In addition to all this, it is more than probable that marine insurance companies would raise their premiums in proportion to the extra risks steamers would run in taking the Krà route. Sailing vessels could never attempt this passage if it was opened, for besides the ordinary heavy expenses, they would have to pay for seventy-three miles of towage—the distance in nautical miles from Spiteful rock to Chumpon bay. This at the present rate of low freights would scarcely leave enough to pay wages. It should not be forgotten also that every year produces new and faster steamers. Indeed, looking at the proposed canal scheme from a mercantile point, I fail to see how it could answer any useful or profitable purpose; on the contrary, my conviction is that it would be ruinous to all who had anything to do with it. A merchant in Singapore remarked, "Why, instead of steamers paying to go through the canal, the canal would have to pay steamers for using it." This remark would