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disappears behind the downs of the island, the sounding being about 15 fathoms, at a short distance from the " Eizerlandish" bottoms.

The light at Kijkduin in this its improved condition, even in ordinary wheather, has become serviceable for approaching the mouths of the Texel. From the observations which have just been mentioned, it is apparent that it retains an exceedingly bright light until it suddenly disappears from the view; when first seen above the horizon it is equally brilliant.

The measure made use of in the foregoing observations is that of the Dutch ell, (yard.) The variations in the compass having been measured, have been ascertained to be 21° 51' northwestern.

The Minister of the Marine, J. ENSLIE.

BEST ROUTE FOR VESSELS FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO PERU.

[COMMUNICATED FOR THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE.]

NATIONAL OBSERVATORY, Washington, March 20th, 1854. SIR-The clipper ship Comet, E. C. Gardner, is one of the vessels that are co-operating with us in the plan of observations for the "Wind and Current Chart."

She has just performed a famous run from California to New York. It is the shortest thence on record at this office, and the abstract log of it has been received. I beg leave to make it the subject of a special report.

That combination of wind and sea on the Polar side of the parallel of 45° South, which enables clipper ships to run down their easting with such astonishing speed, is not to be expected along a route which, like this, crosses and re-crosses the whole system of trade wind and calm belts of the ocean. Nevertheless, the 35th day out from San Francisco, this ship had crossed five of these belts, made sixty-eight degrees of longitude and ninety-five degrees of latitude, and doubled Cape Horn.

During the voyage she was six days in calm and light baffling winds, making on the average during these six days, only 2.8 knots per hour. Her greatest speed for any one day was 371 statute miles (320 knots.) From the Heads at San Francisco to the Bar at Sandy Hook, she was 76 days. Deducting for the six days of calm and baffling winds, she ran for the 70 days on an average, 205 miles (knots) per day. This is more than steamships on a long voyage-as from England to the Cape of Good Hope-usually make. Great skill and judgment appear to have been displayed in the navigation of this ship.

One of the drawbacks with which the vessels in the California trade have to contend, is the want of a return cargo; heretofore they have been in the habit of going to China for it, and occasionally from California to the Sandwich Islands for a return cargo of oil.

But since the publication of the last edition of "Sailing Directions," I have begun to receive in numbers, abstract logs of vessels bound both from Australia and California, to Peru for guano; hence I infer they go in ballast for it.

The facility with which the passage may be made from these two rival lands of gold, will, both in Europe and America, enter as an element into the question of freight. In a commercial point of view the relative facility with which these guano islands may be reached from the two" Ophirs," is calculated to have bearings of some consequence to the trade both of California and Australia.

From California to these islands the route for the best winds coincides very nearly with an arc of a great circle; and the way, therefore, is plain.

But from San Francisco the route appears to be not understood at all; the most experienced navigators confess themselves to be at fault with regard to it, and as no special sailing directions have been given, I beg leave now to offer a few suggestions with regard to it.

The best route from California to the guano islands of Peru, is the track from California to the United States, until the belt of the S. E. trade winds be crossed, or until they will allow the guano bound vessel to lay up for her port.

Though the guano islands are in 12° S, vessels bound to them from California will frequently have to go as far south as 35° or 40°, or even farther, before they can lay up for them.

When a vessel, therefore, bound for Peru, comes out of San Francisco, her best course is to run down for the Equator about its intersection with the meridian of 115° or 120°, (125° is not too far,) and with topmast studding-sail set, to stand on to the southward until the wind hauls so as to allow her to lay up for her port; or when the wind fails so to haul, she should keep on south across the calm belt of Capricorn, and

with the west wind on the Polar side of these calms, run down casting enough, so that when she returns to the S. E. trades, they will lead her into port.

The usual passage from California to these Islands now occupies from 65 to 70 days, by the route here recommended it should not be so long.

The way is plain-dash down from California, not caring to make easting until the winds are fair for Callao. Every homeward bound vessel from California crosses the track of the guano traders from Australia.

The Comet to where she crossed it (lat. 49° S., long. 107° W..) bad 28 days; and from this crossing, (which is out of the route from San Francisco to Callao,) the guano traders from Australia have usually from 20 to 25 days to Callao.

The passage from San Francisco to the guano islands of Peru ought not, on the average, to occupy more than 55 days. Respectfully, &c.,

Hon. J. C. DOBBIN, Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

M. F. MAURY, Lieut. U. S. Navy.

MARINE DISASTERS ON THE LAKES IN 1853.

The Buffalo Express publishes a long and carefully prepared statement of marine disasters, and loss of life and property on the lakes during the year 1853, of which the following is a condensed summary :—

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Of the 266 disasters here detailed, 19 occurred in April, 30 in May, 17 in June, 11 in July, 28 in August, 30 in September, 39 in October, 80 in November, and 12 in December. Six steamers, two propellers, and thirty sail vessels have gone out of existence entirely. The number of accidents exceeds those of 1852 by 37, while the loss of property is less by $118,516. The great decrease in loss of life and property by collision and explosion shows a very gratifying result of the first year's operations of the new law, relating to vessels propelled by steam, and the improved system of lights. With but one exception, (that of the Ocean Wave on Ontario,) no lives have been lost on any of the regular passage steamers by any accident whatever.

The loss by collision in 1852 was $261,950, and loss of life, 206; while that of 1853 is, of life, 81, and of property by collision only $55,828.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH FROM ORFORDNESS TO HOLLAND.

TRINITY-HOUSE, LONDON, February 21, 1854. Permission having been granted by this Corporation that buoys marked with the words "Electric Telegraph" may be laid down in the line of direction of the submarine cable, notice is hereby given, that the buoys are now laid, and that it is desir able that no vessel should anchor within a quarter of a mile to the northward or southward of the line of the said buoys, which line is from the Orfordness High Lighthouse, E. S. E. by compass. By order,

J. HERBERT, Secretary.

RAILROAD, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS.

THE OLD TURNPIKE.

We hear no more of the clanging hoof,
And the stage coach rattling by:

For the steam king rules the traveled world,
And the old pike 's left to die.
The grass creeps o'er the flinty path,
And the stealthy daisies steal'

Where once the stage horse, day by day,
Lifted his iron heel.

No more the weary stager dreads
The toil of the coming morn;
No more the bustling landlord runs

At the sound of the echoing horn;
For the dust lies still upon the road,
And bright-eyed children play
Where once the clattering hoof and wheel
Rattled along the way.

No more we hear the cracking whip,
Or the strong wheel's rumbling sound;
And, ab, the water drives us on,
And an iron horse is found?

ATLANTIC AND ST.

The coach stands rusting in the yard,
And the horse has sought the plow;
We have spanned the earth with an iron rail,
And the steam king rules us now!

The old turnpike is a pike no more,
Wide open stands the gate;

We have made us a road for our horse to stride,
Which we ride at a flying rate;

We have fill'd up the valleys and level'd the hills,
And tunneled the mountain side;
And round the rough crag's dizzy verge
Fearlessly we ride!

On-on-on-with a haughty front!
A puff, a shriek, and a bound;
While the tardy echoes wake too late
To babble back the sound;

And the old pike road is left alone,
And the stagers seek the plow;
We have circled the earth with an iron rail,
And the steam-king rules us now.

LAWRENCE RAILROAD.

We give below an abstract of the annual report of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad Company, showing the condition of that road December 31st, 1853:

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OPERATIONS OF THE RAILWAYS OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1853.

COMPILED BY DAVID M. BALFour, esq., for THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE, FROM THE ANNUAL

REPORTS TO THE LEGISLATURE.

Whole number of stockholders.
Number residing in Maine.....

1,885

1,836

Dividend in 1853, 6 per cent.

BOSTON, April 1st, 1854.

To FREEMAN HUNT, Editor of the Merchants' Magazine.

DEAR SIR:-Inclosed you will find a table of the operations of the railways of Massachusetts for 1853, submitted for insertion in the columns of your excellent journal.

Yours truly,

DAVID M. BALFOUR.

In the following tables, " Interest," and " Amount paid other Companies in tolls," are not considered as running expenses, and are therefore deducted from the total of expenses; and the amount paid other Companies in tolls, and amount received for interest, are deducted from the total of receipts.

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