d profitable return, and which
may reasonably be expected to be doubled in a very few years
afterwards.

_Conveyance Mails and Passengers._

Hitherto the matter has been considered entirely as relates to the
practicability and probable expenditure to be incurred in carrying the
Plan into effect, and the remuneration to be obtained from the Plan
when completed. It yet remains to show the advantages which will be
obtained in the courses and distances by this route, as compared with
other routes, and also with the route by the North Pole--even were
this latter practicable throughout the year, but which it almost
certainly is not. It has elsewhere been shown how a communication
across any part of this Isthmus, even by an ordinary road, can be made
to extend, and to accelerate the mail communications between Great
Britain and all the western coasts of America, and more especially
with the most eastern parts of the eastern world, and her own rising
empire in New Holland. Nothing calls forth the enterprize and the
energies of mankind, equal to the rapidity and regularity of
correspondence: and without this, no country can either improve or
advance in cultivation or civilization.

The comparative distances by the several lines of communication will
stand as follow:--

Geo. Miles.
Falmouth, direct to Rialejo 4650
Rialejo to Colombia River 3000
---- 7650
----
London to Icy Cape, over the North Pole 3870 (p. 106)
Icy Cape to Colombia River, by Oonoolashka 2745
---- 6615
----
London to Icy Cape, over the Pole 3870
Icy Cape to Canton 4200
---- 8070
----
Falmouth direct to Gulf Papagayo 4650
Papagayo to Canton, by Owhyhee 9350
---- 14,000
------
London to Icy Cape, over the Pole 3870
Icy Cape to Sydney, New South Wales 6600