APPENDIX. 373 
Panama and Chagres route — even as it was in 1824, and is now — must be the 
preferable one, both as regards the above description of goods outward, and bullion, 
specie, cochineal, and indigo homeward. 
Besides the seven dollars three nals above mentioned, I may state that, in 1824, 
tne transit duties levied in Panama were three dollars two rials on each bale ; but 
by a late decree of the government of New Granada, all the transit duties have 
been abolished, so that, perhaps, at this moment, the whole charges may not exceed 
six dollars per bale, from Jamaica to Panama. I lately conversed with an intelli- 
gent Havana merchant, D. R. Clarke, Esq., now in London, who has been six 
voyages from Jamaica (backward and forward) to Panama : he never incurred the 
smallest loss or risk either from the river, the road, the natives, or the climate ; 
but to avoid delay, he thinks that a tram railroad,* either from the junction of the 
Trinidad v/ith the Chagres to Panama, or from Portobello to Panama, would be 
of great use, easily made, and cheaply supported. Perhaps the former would be 
preferable, on account of the dangerous fevers which prevail in Portobello, but not 
on the Chagres. 
The above remarks are made, presuming that Her Majesty's government estab- 
lishes a line of steamers through the West Indies as far as to Chagres, and that 
the Pacific Steam Navigation Company take the passengers and goods up at Pa- 
nama, in the Pacific, carrying them thence, on their way south and north, without 
delay ; for the reader will find that a vessel (a fast-sailing schooner, of the class 
known under the designation of " Clipper''') took thirty-two days in sailing from 
Panama to San Bias, a voyage which, by a steamer proceeding direct, might be 
accomplished in nine days. A dull sailing vessel would have taken perhaps sixty 
days, or more, to perform the same voyage, from the extreme difficulty of sailing 
out to the westward from Panama Bay, in consequence of calms, alternating with 
squalls from all directions, and the struggle she would have to maintain, in pro- 
ceeding along the coasts of Central America and Mexico, against opposing winds 
and currents. The same " clipper " (though to go eleven and eleven-and-a-half 
knots per hour, was not unusual with her,) took twelve days on her voyage from 
Valparaiso, in sailing from the Equator to Panama. I mention these apparently 
uninteresting minutiee, to establish the important facts, that even were such a 
canal made as the author of " California " recommends, without steamers ready 
at Panama (as the Pacific Steam Navigation Company proposes to have them,) 
to carry on, at once, goods and passengers northward and southward, little advan- 
tage would be gained, as regards ports to the southward of Payta, or northward 
of Manzanillo, on the coast of Mexico. The saving of time would not be very 
great, and the expense, allowing for tolls on the canal, would, I fear, not be much 
less, than by the voyage round Cape Horn. 
I do not think that steamers from Panama northward, would pay the owners 
farther than San Bias or Mazatlan : were, indeed, the tide of emigration setting 
strongly to California or the settlements on the Columbia River, occasional trips. 
might be made so far, profitably ; but as for Woahoo, Jedo, Canton, and other 
places named in the calculations above given, steamers from Panama to them will 
never pay, until in the progress of discovery, the expenses of steamers are brought 
down more nearly to a level with those of sailing vessels. If eve.r this desirable 
event be realized, the ideas here thrown out will assume a practical importance ; 
and it will behoove Great Britain, as queen of the sea, to maintain by steam the 
same naval character which she has earned by canvas. The Isthmus of Panama 
will then become a point of very great importance. 
* I mean a road with rails, where the carriages and wagons are dragged by horses and mules, both of which 
abound and are cheap in the Isthmus. 
