1862.] the Isthmus of Krau. 355 



for calculation, as the same rate of steaming is taken for all) while 

 the route via Singapore is shown to be 337 hours' steam. We 

 calculate, as hereafter shown, that the passage across the Isthmus of 

 Krau would not ordinarily occupy more than twelve hours, with a 

 liberal allowance of time. 



We have therefore a difference of time in favour of the Krau route 

 [837 + 12 | 281 + 12] 56 hours. This is of much importance 

 when we hold in view the costly nature of the produce and goods 

 conveyed. It has also long been a desideratum to have a weekly 

 communication with England, but the immense cost of putting on 

 four steamers per month from Calcutta to Aden has hitherto, we 

 suppose, deterred the P. & O. Company as they would thereby 

 obtain no extra trade. 



But supposing the communication through Krau established, the 

 extra trade that would be brought by the extension of the line of 

 P. & 0. Co.'s vessels to Krau, would pay for an extra steamer be- 

 tween Point de Galle and Aden, by means of which by making it 

 meet the Bombay mail at Aden by bi-monthly steamers from. 

 Ceylon via Krau, the communication between England and Calcutta 

 would be weekly ; twice per month by the P. & 0. Co.'s line 

 via. Point de Galle and Madras, and twice by the vessels via Krau to 

 Calcutta, thus providing for the whole of the Eastern Coast of the 

 Bay of Bengal via, Krau, as the P. & O. Co. does for its western 

 Coast via Madras. The time from Ceylon to Calcutta via, Krau 

 (by the direct steamer as hereafter mentioned) would be as follows. 

 Ceylon to Krau, ... ... ... ... ... J26 hours. 



Krau to Calcutta, ... ... ... ... ... 102 „ 



Or Q\ days, 228 



Nearly as quick as the route via, Madras. 

 8th. By Table II. including 3 hours' stoppage at Akyab, 12 at 

 Rangoon, 12 at Maulmein, 3 at Tavoy (Mamoogan) without going 

 up the river, and 3 at Mergui, (the trade of the two latter places 

 being about 5 lakhs), the number of hours between Calcutta and 

 Krau by those places is shown to be (143 -f 33) 176, while the fur- 

 ther progress to China from Tayoung would be about 153 hours, 

 or with 12 hours across the Isthmus of Krau, a total distance 



3 A 



