Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/47

 3rd—The saving therefore which would be derived by commerce and the travelling world, by establishing a communication across the Isthmus of Kraw, (provided it be quick and efficient) by the mere calculation of saving of fuel and establishment of running steamers, will be represented by the sum of rupees (91,800—50,200=41,600 per mensem, or rupees 499,200 per annum, which sum at 5 per cent, would give a capital of 100 lakhs, or one million sterling.

4th.—The tables do not show, however, the vast further saving which would accrue, by running two lines of steamers instead of three in the Bay of Bengal, and one line instead of two on the China side of the Siamese and Malay Peninsula; the reduction of the number of steamers lying idle while not running, the concentration of coal depots, and many other incidental expenses which of course increase according to the number of lines running.

5th.—The tables again do not show what a vastly more profitable undertaking it would be to run one through line from Calcutta via Akyab and Rangoon to the Pakchan, and thence to China, instead of one with a terminus inland at Maulmein, getting no traffic as compared with that which would open up to the through line, and another line direct from Calcutta to China, only touching at the Straits Settlements.

6th.—The twelve millions trade (if positive, but which is probably only a transit trade) of Singapore, Malacca, and Penang, and fourteen and a half millions of Netherlands-India, could easily command a steamer of its own, to run alternately on either side of the Malayan Peninsula, communicating with Kraw, on the one side of the Bay of Bengal, and Tayong, on the Gulf of Siam, on the other, for China and Europe, as shown by dotted green line on the general sketch map. It may occur to some that the cost of this steamer should be deducted from the saving calculation in the third clause. We think not, but there is much more than sufficient for it; and we may place this cost against that of the other private steamers, between Calcutta and Hongkong via Singapore, not included in our calculations.