paid to any person who shall accomplish the voyage, more or less by Steam, within a given time; and this also might be thus gained. And, at all events, India would be much more essentially benefited by the introduction of a system which would shorten every passage out and home, than by any single exertion of this sort, though possibly more splendid. And the recommendation of a ship to passengers would be very great, were she furnished with this assistant to her other powers of motion.

The Straits of Malacca and China Seas are, on the other hand, peculiarly fitted to be improved in their navigation, and to have the resources of their respective shores developed, by the introduction of the more complete form of this system. The communication between Penang and Sincapore, and all the neighbouring coasts, is embarrassed by the monsoons, (frequently near the land dying into calms), and it is, at all times, further perplexed by currents, and narrowed by the jealousy of some, and rendered anxious by the treachery of others, of the native tribes. The improvement, then, would be immense, were Steam-Navigation on this plan introduced: and the extreme facility of being thus towed about, would, in all probability besides, extraordinarily stimulate native enterprise, and open new markets to commerce sooner than any plan which could be devised.

And the same may be said of the west coast of South America· There the wind and current both set constantly to the N. W., and a very frequent fog hangs over the shores of Peru. The consequence is, that although the passage from Chili to Peru is short when the destined port is hit, this is often a very difficult operation; and, when not accomplished, a long delay is unavoidable. The return to the southward, on the other hand, is always tedious; and the result of all is, that the mutual intercourse is on the smallest possible scale, every market rises and falls according to its own supply, and foreign commerce to each is a mere lottery. There is nothing, then, so much wanted in that quarter of the world, as a free port, (if possible insular, and British, at Juan Fernandez perhaps, if it could be obtained,) which, by a well-arranged system of country navigation, should have a constant communication with all parts of the main coast, and elicit the resources of the smallest, as well as of the greatest markets. Such an establishment would anticipate a century of the natural or neglected growth of those countries: would be, at the same time, a stock exchange, whence every vibration in their entire demand or supply would be felt in this country like a pulse:-and perhaps the amount of British capital already invested in them, would alone warrant such a further exertion on our part, to hasten its productiveness, and facilitate its communications. But from the local circumstances already adverted to, it may be safely said, that only Steam-navigation, or rather only Steam-towing, could cffect the ultimate object. A free port could

do little without it, although it could do much even without that, for the natural consequence of an easy communication is to produce a level, without assistance. And it may be added, that there is coal in Chili, and wood also very cheap ;-and that the speculation would be thus easy and lucrative to whoever embarked in it.

The communication between Fernando Po and the rivers in the Gulph of Benin, from which so much has been augured for the civilization of Africa, must in like manner remain incomplete, without the same powerful agent. And the navigation between this country and the Baltic, is also precisely that for which it is especially suited, the channels being narrow, the course devious, (requiring several winds to sail it,) and occasional delays, vexatious as hazarding detention.

The advantages of Steam-tugs, to the coasting trade of England, is then made apparent; and the whole is followed up by these remarks:

But there is another point of view in which the subject seems yet more important, and the commencement of the system, were it even only at first on the scale of an experiment, yet more worthy of the capital and enterprise of Great Britain. The times have borne, of late years, very hard on our merchants. Consumption has in no degree kept pace with production; and the pressure has now continued so long, that it has produced on the public mind a feeling of apathy on the subject, which is, in truth, the worst symptom of the disease. Time, it is said, will work a cure: but what cure and how wrought? Will it not be the cure of exhaustion, and founded on the ruin of large masses of the community? for things which merely jar, may indeed thus be reconciled-but where absolute contrarieties meet, one or other must be destroyed! By an analogy, however, very common in the history of human agencies, the cure in this case seems to be derivable, in some degree at least, from a judicious use of the very cause of the disease. Steam has been the great agent in exciting the production, it should now be employed in facilitating the distribution, of our manufactures. have hitherto attempted to force a foreign trade, by heaping our commodities together in distant, isolated markets; and we have not adverted to the fact, that these markets have very limited outlets into the interior, and along the coast, of the countries in which they are placed. Our great object should be now, therefore, to improve the domestic communication of these distant countries; and for this purpose nothing would seem so well calculated as the system which has been here shortly reviewed. It is eminently

We

a coasting system; and it just so happens too, that almost all the points now left in the world, of any promise in the way of markets, are situate within or about the tropics, and are thus peculiarly adapted for its application. One tug would be easily able, in such climates, to tow several other vessels at a time. And if

these were Native boats, and laden on Native account, they would be just so much the better suited to the great end-for they would then embark Native interests in the agency of our trade.

And to conclude :-the career thus traced for Steam, as applied to Navigation, is surely more worthy of the magnitude of the discovery, than any at present open to it. The powers now used are gigantic and they are literally thrown away, on mere speed, on the conveyance of pleasure parties, on the amusement, perhaps in some degree on the convenience, of life: but they are scarcely at all applied to its real business. It would be difficult to find a stronger presumption than is furnished by these circumstances alone, that they are yet in the infancy of their application, and that the change which is to make them useful, is to come.

To this very clear and conclusive exposition, Captain M'Konochie subsequently appended, by way of supplement, a smaller sheet, 'On the Present Commercial Distress, and its Remedy,' in the views of which we entirely concur; and with it we therefore close our notice of this interesting, and though small, important Work. One of the most remarkable, and at the same time most alarming signs of the present times, is the little reliance placed by merchants in the efficacy of their own exertions in improving the state of trade. Scarcely a vestige of speculation is left among them; they look exclusively to Government for relief; and differing among themselves, even as to the principles on which that relief may be given, they occupy the time, and harrass the feelings of Ministers, by complaints and representations which, as now made, can have no possible good effect. For, indisputably over-production is the disease. It is felt in every branch of trade, every manufacturing country-under its pressure, goods are everywhere selling at a loss-and the longer this continues the worse it must become, because a greater number of manufacturers must, from day to day, be reduced to this necessity. But under such circumstances, what can legislation do, of any considerable avail? Will a tax taken off here, or a drawback given there, enable a manufacturer who insists on a profit, to compete successfully with one who is fain to put up with a loss?-Or can mere cheapness force consumption, when all are needy, and the most minute attention is now paid to economy, in families even where but lately the word was unknown? The thing is impossible! Judicious regulations are the food of trade, but alone they are not its medicine:-they must be coupled with some more specific relief, especially in the present crisis, or any cure they can work must be fraught with an amount of individual suffering, of which as yet, perhaps, we see only the commence

ment.

What is then the specific remedy alluded to?—In reply it is asked, What is the remedy resorted to in analogous circumstances, and with success?-When the course of a river is interrupted, or

its natural outlet is inadequate to discharge an unusual flow of water, and it covers the adjoining country, do the sufferers fold their arms, and call upon Hercules, and content themselves with merely propping up, each his own wall, the richer and more influential among them comforting themselves with the consideration that their houses are strong, that others may fall, but theirs will stand, and, when the tempest is over their rents will proportionally rise, as though individuals could flourish when a community is ruined? Assuredly this would not be the conduct of a population suffering under a plague of waters, and ought it to be that of British capitalists, similarly circumstanced, at this time? In addition to whatever precautionary measures a sense of individual danger might suggest in the case supposed, new sluices would be sought by which the inundation might be discharged, for the general benefit ;-precisely what our merchants do not now even attempt; and which yet seems the only avenue left for their salvation.

The next question then is, how are these new sluices of consumption, these new markets, new customers to be obtained?—and the answer is obvious, by facilitating communication in all directions, by all means, and in all countries. A secluded population contents itself with its own coarse manufactures, which yet would be very glad to have better if they could be brought to it, and if the equivalents could be conveyed away. And a good market is not that alone which has a good port, or a large resident population, but that which having these, (or wanting them even, for they are not indispensible,) has also an easy communication through the whole adjoining interior, and thus distributes its supplies, and draws in its returns, from an extended circle. The first object with capitalists now, therefore, should be, to give this character to as many points as possible, by improving inland communication everywhere,-by every means, but especially, it is believed, by an extended, economical, and effective employment of Steam Navigation, wherever it can be introduced. Steam has been a chief agent in causing over production; to restore the balance, its commanding powers should be now cast into the opposite scale, that of distribution and consumption, and the field for such an undertaking is really im

mense.

Throughout the vast continent of India, not a steam-boat is on any river but the Ganges; and even on it they stop at Calcutta, precisely where, if it were necessary to choose, they had better begin. All the other interior communications are in the same imperfect state; travellers are borne about on men's shoulders, and the very mails are conveyed on foot. The same thing occurs in South America, the sea-coast of which is only approached by British ships at a few principal points,-the communication between which and the intervening coast and interior, is everywhere slow and laborious, although the river and coasting navigation might be

there the most convenient and extended in the world. The intercourse between Sincapore and the shores of the China Sea is chiefly maintained by annual arrivals of country boats coming with one monsoon, and returning with the other. West Indian and Coast of Africa navigation are alike embarrassed by calms and prevailing winds. Even on the continent of Europe, the ordinary course of trade between London and Vienna, is two months, although by steam-boats on the Elbe, Rhine, and Danube, (towing the ordinary river craft, and thus serving existing shipping interests, not competing with them,) it might be brought down to as many weeks. And it is not too much to say, perhaps, that in the present circumstances of trade, one effective improvement on any of these points, however small, (but recognising a principle, and beginning to act on it,) would be a greater gain to the country, than a dozen facilities given by mere fiscal regulation :-precisely as in the case already cited as parallel, a single mouse-hole which would really discharge a portion of the waters of an inundation, would be a greater general benefit, than a thousand arrangements for their mere distribution, or for the protection of individual interests against their pressure.

The views here brought forward then, and which are strongly recommended to consideration, may be thus summed up :—1. Legislative enactments for the encouragement of trade are not to be altogether neglected, for in their place they may do much but under existing circumstances their value seems to be greatly overrated. 2. New outlets for our goods are much more wanted, to be acquired by improvement in the inland and coasting communications of all countries ;-and if even gratuitous subscriptions, or in certain cases government grants, were requisite for the purpose, they would be well bestowed; for if even a tenth part, for example, of the capital which has of late years been swept under ground in South America, had by some happy accident been equally sunk in improving its interior communications, its market would be now a hundred-fold better than it is; and it is never too late to begin in the right course. 3. No such things are, however, wanted, if capitalists will but once more pluck up a good heart, and look rather to their own exertions, than to legislative enactments, for getting them out of their present difficulties; for there is scarcely a single speculation of the kind, which would be anywhere entered into, which if properly conducted, and not on too great a scale at first, would not yield a return. 4. In connexion with these views, improvements in the application of Steam to Navigation, and its more extended employment, seem to be of more general interest and importance, than may at first sight appear even possible. It must be made less expensive, more convenient, more certain, more generally applicable in nearly all circumstances. (It is believed that, besides what may be gained by improvements in machinery,