viii INTRODUCTION. 



ship-masters, and such a chart was constructed for them. They 

 took it to sea, they tried it, and to their surprise and delight they 

 found that, with the knowledge it afforded, the remote corners of 

 the earth were "brought closer together, in some instances by many 

 days' sail. The passage hence to the equator alone was shorten- 

 ed ten days. Before the commencement of this undertaking, the 

 average passage to California was 183 days ; but with these charts 

 for their guide, navigators have reduced that average, and brought 

 it down to 135 days. 



Between England and Australia, the average time going, with- 

 out these charts, is ascertained to be 124 days, and coming, about 

 the same ; making the round voyage one of about 250 days on 

 the average. 



These charts, and the system of research to which they have 

 given rise, bid fair to bring that colony and the mother country 

 nearer by many days, reducing, in no small measure, the average 

 duration of the round voyage.* 



At the meetino; of the British Association of 1853, it was stated 

 by a distinguished member — and the statement was again repeat- 

 ed at its meeting in 1854 — that in Bombay, whence he came, it 

 was estimated that this system of research, if extended to the In- 

 dian Ocean, and embodied in a set of charts for that sea, such as 

 I have been describing, would produce an annual saving to Brit- 

 ish commerce, in those waters alone, of one or two millions of dol- 

 lars ;t and in all seas, often millions. { 



* The outward passage, it has since heen ascertained, has been reduced to 97 days 

 on the average, and the homeward passage has been made in 63. 



t See Inaugural Address of the Earl of Harrowby, President of the British Associ- 

 ation at its twenty- fourth meeting. Liverpool, 1854. 



t • • • " Now let us make a calculation of the annual saving to the commerce of the 

 United States effected by those charts and sailing directions. According to Mr. Maury, 

 the average freight from the United States to Rio Janeiro is 17.7 cts. per ton per day ; 

 to Australia, 20 cts. ; to California, also, about 20 cts. The mean of this is a Uttle 

 over 19 cents per ton per day ; but to be within the mark, we will take it at 15, and 

 include all the ports of South America, China, and the East Indies. 



" The sailing directions have shortened the passages to Cahfornia 30 days, to Aus- 

 traUa 20, to Rio Janeiro 10. The mean of this is 20, but we will take it at 15, and 

 also include the above-named ports of South America, China, and the East Indies. 



"We estimate the tonnage of the United States engaged in trade with these places 

 at 1,000,000 tons per annum. 



