IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 1^ 112.5 11 m ^ m % ^- "/} ^ ^ .'■^ ^*' ? ^m /A '"^^^^ /m O^A Photographic Sciences Corponition 73 WIST MAIN STRIil WEBSTER N Y USBO (716) irj-^soa ^^ iV \ \ \ '^V ^t^** "<^<^' ^ ^ £<' CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1 (c)1987 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notas tachniquas et bibliographiquas The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in tha reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meillaur exempiaire qj'il !ui a iti possible de sa procurer, i.es details de cet exempiaire qui sont peut-^tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reprrduite, cu qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthode normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. a LJ n D D D D n Coloured covers/ Couverture da couleur Covers damaged/ Couvetture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ at/ou pellicul^a Cov . title missing/ Le ti'i/e de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes gAographiques en couleur Coloured ink lie. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur lie. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations an couleur Bound with other material/ RaliA avac d'autres documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior maroin/ I areliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion I* long da la marge intAriaura Blar>k leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAes lors d una rastauration apparaissant dans la texte. mais. lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n ont pas *t* filmAes. [~~j Coloured pages/ D Pages da couleur Pages damagod/ Pages endommag^s □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaur^es et/ou pelliculAes f~~p Pages discolotired. stained or foxed/ \^2 Pages d^colorees, tachetAes ou piquees [—7 Pagai U/i Pagas Page I detached/ d^rachees 0Sh Tr D Showthrough/ ansparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality in* inAgale de I'impression □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplimentaire □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc . have been refilmed to ensu. 9 the best possible image/ Las pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d errata, une pelure. etc . cnt m filmtes k nouv<>au de facon a obtenir la meilleure image possible n Additional comments / Comment'ores supplAmentaires This Item is filmed at the r'»ducrion ratio checned below/ C* document est filmA au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous 10X MX 18X 22X 26X XX I 1 > J ! ! ! ! ! ! ■ 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy fiimad h«r* has b««n raproducad thanks to tha ganarosity of: Mvmorial University of St. John's L'axampiaira fllmi fut raproduit gr^ca it la gin^rositA da: Memorial University of St John's Tha imagaa sppaaring hara mt9 tha baat quality possibia considaring tha condition and iagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spaciflcations. Laa imagas suivantaa ont AtA raproduitaa avac la piua grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da l'axampiaira filmA. at on eonformiti avac laa conditiona du contrat da filmaga. Original copiaa in printad papar eovars ara filmad baginning vwith tha front covar and anding on tha lest paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. Ail othar original copiaa ara filmad beginning on tho first paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion. and jnding on tha last paga with a printad or lllustrstad imprasslon. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microflcha shall contain tha symbol ^^^maaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la eouvartura ar papiar aat imprimAa sont filmte an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darniAra paga qui comporta una smprainta d'Impraaaion ou d'llluatration. soit par la sacond piat. saion la eaa. Tous laa autraa axamplairaa originaux sont film^a an commandant par la prami4ra paga qui comporta una smprainta dlmpraasion ou d'lllustratlon at an tarminant par la dami^ra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un daa symiiolaa suivanta apparaitra sur la dami^ra imago da chaqua microficha, salon la caa: la symbola — » signifia 'A SUIVRE", la symbola 7 signifia "FIN". Mapa. plataa, charts, ate, may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thoaa too larga to ba sntiraiy includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad beginning in tha uppar laft hartd eomar. kft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagrams illuatrata tha mathod: Laa cartea, planchaa, tablaaux. ate, pauvant Atra film4a A daa taux da rMustion diffArants. Lorsqua la doeumom aat trop grand pour Atra raproduit tn un saul cllehA. il ast film* « partir da I'angla supAriour gaucha. da gaucho A droita. at da haut an baa. an pranant la nombra d'lmagaa nAcassaira. Laa diagrammaa suivanta illuatrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■M w # ST. JOHN'S, NBWFODNOLAND, A» A POST OF CALL f9* TRANSATLANTlfc STEAMEES. i 'H ^ STATEMENT NT- id. or SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES ATTEXrjAM' UPON MAKING ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, PORT OF CALL FOR TRANSATLANTIC STEAMERS. LONDON: M. LOWNDS, PRINTER, 148i. FENCHURC:!! STREET. IS")'-. STATEMENT Of some of the Advantages attendant upon making St. John's, Newfoundland, a Port of Call for Transatlantic Steamers. By a slight examination of a chart of the North Atlantic Ocean, it will be seen that Newfoundland occupies a very important position between Europe and America, not only in reference to its south- eastern terminus, Cape Race, the point which all steamers desirous of making short passages endeavour (o sight, but to its commanding position at the mouth of the gulf of St. Lawrence, and its con- sc(picnt value to the nation contioling its vast and hitherto only partially known resources. That portion of its eastern shore which extends northwards from Cape Race to Cape St. Francis, being more particularly interesting in reference to Transatlantic Steam Navigation, requires but a brief description to prove its advantages over any other part of the American seaboard as a point of ap- proach. This part of the coast throughout its enure length has a tine bold shore, without rocks or shoals of any descri])tion to endanger vessels making the land, while the existing lightliouse on Cape Spear, and the superior one to he erected this year on Cape Race, can be seen at a great distance — and in clear weather light the entire coast between the two Capes, The evidence of experienced mariners proves the eastern shore of Newfoundland to be much moie free from fogs than most parts of the North American coast. It is only when the wind varies in the un- usual quarter between cast and south, that the heavy sea-fog from the great banks drifts in upon the land, and then it is so common to find clear weather within a mile of tlie shore, that persons well acquainted with the navigation near Newfoundland run boldly through the fog, the safe nature of the coast justifying the practice. May, June, and July, are the months when fogs prevail, and they are notoriously more fr(Mj[uently encountered south and west of Cape Race than north and east of that point. Halifax Bay is par- ticularly subject to them, and although the entire coast of No\ a Scotia is beset with reefs and hidden dangers, the Cunard steamers have hitherto experi- enced no difficulty, and but little delay, in making port in consequence of thick Aveather. There are eight harbours between Cape St. Francis and Cape Race, a distance of about fU) 5 miles, into which vessels of any size cpn enter easily ^.nd anchor safely; St. John's, the most northerly, with a population of about 27,000, being the chief commercial depot and capital of the colony. The harbour of St. John's possesses the advan- tages of being ample and land-locked ; cf having great, depth of water, with very little rise and fall of tide; thus enabling the largest ships to enter and leave at all hours. The entrance is free from rocks or hidden dangers, and so shcit that a steamer can reach her whari' within half-a- mile of the broad Atlantic. There i". an excellent harbour light, and during the present year a wharf will be constructed, ar 1 machinery erected for the express purpose of coaling ocean steamers in the most rapid manner. There is also an 18-pounder gun fired every half-hour at the harbour's mouth when the weather is foggy. In the months ot March and April, the northern ice floats past the eastern shores of Newfoundland, frequently reaching 40 degrees of north latitude, equally obstructing vessels bound to Halifax, Boston, and St. John's; in fact during April, it not unfrequently happens that vessels making the southern passage meet with great obstruction, while the ocean north east of Cape Race is free from ice, the floes having gone rapidly by to linger 6 in lower latitudes, where the southern currents detain them, often for a considerable time. The Custom House returns show the arrival and de- parture of vessels to and from St. John's during every month in the year, and in the memory of the oldest citizen, the harbour has been known to freeze entirely over but on two occasions, thus proving the comparative mildness of the climate, which is in fact less severe b\ several degrees than Halifax or Bostci, consequont upon Newfoundland being entirely surrounded by salt water. The great circle sailing line for ocean steamers between the English Channel and New York, when drawn across the chart, almost intersects the har- bour of St. Jolm's, and in the event of vessels ever being prevented from approacliing this port in con- sequence of floating ice, the harbour of Tre])assey. eleven miles south west of Cape Race, would be available, as it would be freed from obstruction by tlie same wind which would block the eastern shore ; it is therefore proposed to have equal facilities for coahng steamers in this latter port, that Captains may rely with confldence upon being supplied at either place during any season of the year. The average detention of a steanur in the har- bour of St. John's would not exceed two hours, in cons(Miuen(e of tlie perfect arrangements for rapid coaling, and the extra distance to be run in A Vih makins^ port would not exceed twenty miles in and out, or two hours of time additional, making four hours — a trifling period compared to the gain in speed, which would ensue from steamers departing with less coal and in lighter trim, und to the in- creased amount of income from extra freight room. Nothing, however, can add more to the import- ance of St. John's as a port of call, than the esta- blishment of the line of electric telegraph between St. John's and New York, which will be completed this summer — supplying news, both poUti-al and commercial, between the American Continent and all Europe, from .nree to five days in advance of any other present means of communication ; and thus enable *'ie British Government to exchange telegraphic des])atchrs in cypher with its colonies of NcA/foundland, Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Canada, and with its Minister at Washington at least twice a week several days in advance of the mails. Th(» Ameri- can Government can also by these arrangements very materially anticipate its present means of com- munication with its llepresentati> es at the Euro- pean Courts. The steamers belonging to existing Transatlantic lines, already pass Cape Race no less than 41() times during the year, independent of incidental passages, as per following list : — "rt -*-» •* (N (M (N c^ w e^ CO O Eh o «o lO O o lO »c < 1 11 ^ < jj 6 o H C 1 CO V •. ^ r> ^ CO > o •< 72 o 03 si CO ■*^ OJ <1 *4 -< e tC to to to to to en 1 « Ph O »o C) (Tl C4 (>) (M ri H^ ^ •< t«i^^ , , H koa , H ^ ;2 TS CC V) (—4 I— ( <3 pi ^ ■e B " c 1 s Pb O PC cn W 3 C? IE a o O :3 a o TS c rt 1 c c e C ^ »- a, g 1 O c t< E u 3 1 &- 1 >■ ,j3 1 w B- J ^ 1 c ■^ 1 & 1 u a. m M > > !r, « c ^4 ^ M >' e. CO •-] ;3 S Cm Bj < I-] C3 ^ C !r, c ^" a I-! c 7 C c 4< s. -< a> •5 £ B *- o u ;j kj 11 ^ 41 O sels oxer J}00 tons, and the bglit dues, altbo h but VmI. \)Q\ ton once a-\ear. would, in all probability, be rescinded in favor of ocean steamers. 10 Good Scotch coal can now be furnished steamers at a cost not exceeding 16*. per ton, from the wharf, and fresh provisions as cheaply as in Boston or New York. It remains, only but to ehow the amount of business which may reasonably be expected to accrue to the first line of steamers which will call regularly at St. John's for mails, passengers, and telegrapliic despatches. The Local Government would pro- bably agree to pay an annual bonus to any Company which will make St. John's a port of call semi-monthly, during ten months of the year, — a bill to tliat effect ha.mg once actually been passed, say .... o.OOO The number cf cabin passengers to and from FAnopc diie( t, and via Halifax, average now '.]()() per annum, making at £'*20 each 6,000 I'asseiigins ti) and from the liritisli Troxinces now average V?00, making at i'4 each . .' SOO Passengers to and from the United States direct, say 200 at £(> t.icli 1,200 ( 'ill 1 icd I'oi waul £11.000 ^^ ^^ II Biougbt forward £11, 000 Stpcrage passengers not included in the above statement, to and from Europe, say 200 at £5 each 1,000 To wliich must be added an in- crease of at least 50 per cent, by the substitution of direct steam communication 6,000 Probable amount of freight for dry goods to St. John's per annum, say 1,500 tons at £3 per ton . . 4,500 Trobable grant from the British Government, as the\ now pay £4,100 for carrying the mails l)etween Halifax and St. John's 6,000 Add to which, that ihe "New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegrapli Company," are billing to pay a postage of one dollar upon every mes- sage brought from or con- veyed to Newfoundland, for transmission across their Lines, wliich, upon the very mode- rate estimate of 500 messages only for each trip once a fort- night during the year, would yield the sum of 5,200 Making a tot.l of £33,700 or nearly £1,300 sterhng the round voyage for th(^ local business of St. Jobu's, to whicb must be 12 added an additional sum of at least £1,500 sterling for the extra freight carried each voyage between Europ? and America from the diminished amount of coal required when starting. It is anticipated that at least one of the Telegraph Companies in Great Britain will make arrangements to deliver and receive despatches off Cape Clear or Cork, thus shortenmg the time on the European side fully one day, and as any of the first class steam ships now plying between Europe and America can easily make the run from Cape Clear to St. John's, during moderate weather, within six days, we should thus have a total dimi- nution of at least from four to five days in the receipt of intelligence, and as we have clearly shown that it is manifestly to the interest of ocean steamers to make St. John's a port of call, it is to be hoped that it is only necessary to call the attention of proprietors to the foregoing important facts, in order to mceive their co-operation ' i securing to tlu? public the great boon of brin^nig tho old and new worlds into such immediate and friendly proximity. CVRTT. W. FiKin. I.oNPON, February 18.")(). I ^^ l\ 1 I 1 r I I / / fn \\ \ \\ ^ y\ 'i. r3'w^"? ^r'^" u^A^'n. ^ X-,- ^ UJ -~~''/. ' .Fbrt Wlll,.,in / ■I. WAV %-| d ,-\-^ /• y^ >«.pt 'ia«'n*hot.(i h'x\ Aiqhiir.sl'' rf SOUI Of 0*11 M4a M>, -mV ^V ^t» M \o :t*N aTfAN », c; I! K K N' I. A N 1) \ y II.M.K i^yy New York, 1856. ;'^, «^r .^tj-i.- '•:'•■•'■ Sewn In '■ f^^v.Sl. \ I A i; 1! I) ^.'^.- \ \. \ \ '^ \ / A."::'^'' /:,»;/._ ^ lriiil<_J---— s,"'''"J .4ifi. 7:/,,/i:ififi .sn,-i:'i >,'*/'. 1 ,*«!■ ffi-untwii^ }. F Slu-w»»^ ^^»*' ^' •\>*-" BET STJOHN'S. NEWFOUND! .Sit/ir/iiniiii' /!/i i/rrt/t/i /•• « 3i C 'H K K \ I. A N l> \ \ J '^■^■^^^, ^ J ,,-x^^ .V 7 II ),„•"•'"' /;///'/" SI BY '/I A K I N C STJOHNS. MEWFOUNDLANa. A PORT OF CALL. I>l.\llllll' Ill-Ill IllllllMSl I /. I, If, If, 1.1 I. Ihslilllii /,ifli,,ll *'/■////,! 1.7 .S'l rill //'//.■ //'l/l,l/>il/ ^/'f'^*iif\S .v';iut '>iii-t /finif,,^ '// /.III* .^ Sii/irii'iii/ir I'i/iT/iri/i/i l'l//,'i.\ in ifH'ni/i.'il .ttrv, fr/ii sil/ilnfii/i,/ I.t to l<> KAHOK ...... . AN n ,--H B R ISLE S-'-^vrcy \> --r I Rel ('. oil re. Iiiiiii\isht Liqlil >•■ (iif- .S/H-ti/ / 'i/Zi' /' .'/'/.- '•rfi Sfo: I liifhl '■ l\if . ^ ) f i (■ Kinistm-.'^V/s / S I' , U ^ lira,,..,.,, ^^---^ C^ , } ' Snkuiir'ui' n ^_r( I' o K T t I, .\ I./" ■ i>i.ii,'ii>Y_ -