STATISTICS OF THE COLLINS AND CUNARD STEAMERS. We are indebted to J. H. C. CAMPBELL, Esq, of Boston, for the subjoined statistics of the Collins and Cunard steamers. Mr. Campbell's well-known accuracy as a statistician is a sufficient guaranty for the fidelity of the compilation. The statements for previous periods, published in the Merchants' Magazine for September, 1851, and March, 1852, were compiled by Mr. Campbell: Longest Quickest trip since January, by Asia, May 22. Average number of passengers... THIRTEEN TRIPS OF THE CUNARD LINE TO BOSTON FROM LIVERPOOL. by Niagara, January 17.. 45 3 57 Total time occupied ........ Average time per trip... 66 Quickest trip since January, by Canada, June 26 Average number of passengers... Total amount of specie shipped since January... number of passengers sailed since January. by America, January 10. COLLINS LINE. $4,126,690 1,321 arrived since January 791 in, per Arctic, June 30. 120 Specie shipped per Collins and Cunard steamers from New York, Jan- COLLINS LINE. Quickest trip ever performed- $9,475,463 1,182,829 32,159,613 CUNARD LINE-NEW YORK. 10 10 Outwards, Asia, Captain Judkins, May 7, 1851..., CUNARD LINE-BOSTON, Outwards, Asia, Captain Judkins, December 10, 1851........ 00 :: The Niagara, which sailed from Liverpool January 17th, put into Halifax in distress, having been at sea nearly seventeen days, and encountering severe weather. The Atlantic sailed from Liverpool February 11th, and when within six hundred miles of New York broke a part of her machinery connecting with the larboard crank, which detained her two days. The America from Liverpool, February 21st, was seized in Boston, March 8, by United States officers, on a charge of smuggling. Several merchants of high standing immediately gave the required bonds, and she sailed on her regular day. Very little specie has been brought by either line. The Canada, March 20, America, April 3d, and Pacific, April 21st, each delivered small shipments. It will be seen that the Collins line yet takes the lead, both as regards passengers and speed. Captain Luce, of the Arctic, has the honor of having accomplished the passage from New York to Liverpool in nine days eighteen hours and thirty minutes. This, with the famous trip of Captain Comstock in the Baltic, places the Collins line in a proud position. The steamship Arabia, now finishing for the Cunarders, is expected to prove a formidable rival for Collins, but it must not be supposed that improvements cannot be made upon the models of the American ships. STATISTICS OF THE WESTERN RAILROAD. J. H. C. C. Incorporated in 1833; opened throughout October, 1834; length, 156 miles; length of double track, 54 miles; cost, January 1, 1852, $9,953,700. The following table exhibits the operations of the road, during the last ten years ; its cost, and the market price of the stock, at the beginning of each year. The item of "interest" is not included in the receipts or expenses : Cost. Val., p'r shr. Gross rec'pts. Run'g expenses. Net income. Div. p.c. Year. 1842. $80 53 As we mentioned a few weeks back, the Great Western Railway Company will shortly, by means of the South Wales Line, commence to bring coals to London. In the neighborhood of the South Wales Line there are coals in great quantities and of For eleven months. various qualities-some of the best. The Great Western will, we believe, transport coal to London at a rate of charge which the Marquis of Salisbury and Mr. Grahame say is not only unremunerative, but productive of actual loss. It would seem that the Great Western are about to commit the same gross blunder that the Great Northern now persist in-namely, to carry coals long distances for (about) one half-penny per ton per mile! The observations of the Canal Directors, (the Marquis and Mr. Grahame,) instead of deterring railway directors from carrying the coal traffic, seem to spur them on in the enterprise. The fact is, the more the subject is investigated, the more apparent it is that under good management, and in consideration of large quantities and long distances, coals can be profitably carried for the charge of about one half-penny per ton per mile. The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Company has also its eye upon a large coal traffic. In short, there is scarcely a line in the kingdom which will not in time carry coals. How far will this circumstance affect the Great Northern's coal traffic? The answer is to be found in the fact that London alone consumes, in the course of a year, three-and-a-half millions of tons of coal. The utmost the Great Northern, in their sanguineness, expect to carry, is about three-fourths of a million tons a year, and only a portion of this to London. Therefore, there is plenty of scope for all the London railways to carry coals without injury to one another. That against which railways will compete, is water-carriage-the canals and the sea, We think that it is highly probable the coal traffic will pass from water conveyance to railway, as passengers have from coaches. If railways can carry coals as cheaply as canals, they will certainly do it better; for on railways there are no periodical stoppages by reason of bad weather; no frightful loss of life or property (except that which occurs now and then from gross mismanagement—which is within the control of man, and in the course of time will be entirely prevented); and the coals are delivered in better condition. The railways will, there can be no doubt, confer an immense benefit on the public by the carriage of coals. Not only will the public have them in better condition for use, but there will be no room for jobbing. The traders will not be enabled to run up prices enormously in severe weather. The supply will be more regular. The articles which some time ago appeared in the Journal on this subject, have called forth the valuable communication of Mr. E. Hasket Derby, of Boston, America, which now appears in another column. Mr. Derby is a first-rate authority on the traffic of American railways. As an American railway director, his position alone is sufficient to command a certain degree of respect; but having devoted his time and talents to the study of the American railway system, he is entitled to the utmost deference on the subject. He shows that in America, where the railways labor under some disadvantages in the carriage of heavy traffic-fuel, for one thing, being dearer-water-carriage could not stand against the competition of railway; that the railway could carry coals at a cheap rate with profit. The coal traffic of the American railway in question is carried at about five-eighths of a penny per ton per mile. This is as low, or somewhat lower than the English Great Northern's charge. The American charge of five-eighths of a penny per ton per mile is for a run of ninety-five miles. The Great Northern's charge of one half-penny per ton per mile is for a run of one hundred and seventy six miles; but for their shorter distances the Great Northern charge more than one half-penny per ton per mile-about one penny, or double. The average receipt of the Great Northern from coals is, we believe, more than the American charge of five-eighths of a penny per ton-mile, while their average run would be full as long. Yet the American railway company, and notwithstanding their additional expenses of working, extract a profit from their coal traffic of just about 50 per cent, the expenses including the cost of back carriage. This fact powerfully supports the position which it will be remembered we, in our articles on the coal traffic referred to, took up-namely, that the Great Northern carry their coals at a profit of about 50 per cent. The American line carries very little else than coal. Its passengers are not many, and the tons of coal are to the tons of merchandise carried as 1,650,270 tons to 63,807 tons. Of its whole revenue of $2,314,330 per annum as much as $2,018,870 is derived from the coal traffic.-Herapath's Journal. |