[Footnote 14: The following are the distances from Panama to the different places alluded to:--
Panama to Guayaquil S. 0°. 31' W. Dist. 670 Geo. Miles. Guayaquil to Lima S. 15°. E. " 610 Lima to Arica S. 45°. E. " 570 Arica to Coquimbo S. 5°. W. " 690 Coquimbo to Valparaiso S. 5°. W. " 190 Valparaiso to Fort Carlos, Chiloe S. 16°. W. " 555
From Panama to Valparaiso and back could be thirty days, including three days for stoppages.
Panama to Point Mala S. 15°. W. Dist. 95 Geo. Miles. Point Mala to Port Damas, Quibo S. 89°. W. " 97 Port Damas to Rialejo N. 48°. W. " 450 Rialejo to Acapulco N. 62-1/2°. W. " 1180 Acapulco to St. Blas N. 48°. W. " 420 St Blas to Cape Lucas, California N. 73°. W. " 274
From Panama to St. Blas and back could be twenty-seven days, including four days for stoppages.]
This connexion may be made either by Chagres and Panama, or by the river St. Juan's, through the Lake Nicaragua, to Rialejo, on the Pacific. The distances and courses by either are not materially different: but there is the best reason to believe that the communication by the route last mentioned is the best; and that, in fact, it may, without a very great expense, be effected by water. To carry on the communication across the Pacific, from and to the places mentioned, by steam, would be unprofitable, unadvisable, and unnecessary. To give two mails each month to the places specifically mentioned, would require, even fixing a central point in the Pacific as in the Atlantic, thirteen steamers, at a cost of 223,000_l._; while no more than fifteen days could be gained, compared to the time that the work could be performed by sailing packets. These results have been obtained after calculations carefully made upon the same principles as the calculations for a similar purpose have been made in the preceding pages. The whole can be proved by considering the winds which prevail in the quarters of the Pacific alluded to (elsewhere particularly noticed), and by examining the bearings and distances inserted in Appendix No. III. These matters being considered, it follows, that not only no additional expense will be required on account of the mails which are to cross the Isthmus to the Pacific, until their arrival at Panama or Rialejo; but that resources from (p. 059) the latter, such as parcels, packages, and passengers, will be drawn from the Pacific department, to increase the returns in the Atlantic department. With these observations, it is now proper to advert to the courses and distances which must be taken, and the expenses which will be required in this, which shall be denominated the Pacific Department; the work to be performed by first-class sailing packets.