D.—No. 7

On the question, then, of actual mileage, the Pacific Eoute presents no important disadvantage, whilst the very favourable navigation of this line may fairly be considered equivalent to a reduction of 1,500 miles of distance as compared with the Indian passage.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

details OF distances. —(Corrected by Calculation.) PACIFIC ROUTE. INDIAN BOUTS. To Melbourne : miles. Queenstowu to Colon . . . 4,808 Via Marseilles and Suez, with all the expense and inconvenience of overland travelling, frequent changes of conveyance, customs, passport and quarantine annoyances. — Colon to Panama ... 40 Panama to Melbourne, via New Zealand 7,886 MII.KS. MILES. Dover to Malta . . 1,449 Malta to Alexandria . . 815 Totm! Miles . . 12,234 (Evidence to Eeport, 1861, p. 319 2,26 1 Alexandria to Suez . (p. 615) 2:!n Suez to Aden . . (p. 517) 1,810 Aden to Mauritius . (p. 501) 2,800 Mauritius to Swan River (p. 501) 3,150 Swan River to Melbourne (p. 518) l,S50 To Sydney: Qucenstown to Colon . . . 1,808 Colon to Panama . . . kO Dover to Melbourne . . . . 11,612 Melbourne to Sydney . . . 002 Panama to Sydney, cid New Zealand .".... 7,685 Dover to Sydney .... 12,214 Sydney to Wellington . . . 1,22] Total Miles . . 18,486 Total Miles . . 12,033 Via Straits of Gibraltar: NEW OOLVHBU LINE. Southampton to Malta (p. 317) -.1(j0 Bfalta to Melbourne, as above . . 10,168 To Victoria: Queenstowu to Navy Bay . . 4,30S Southampton to Melbourne . . 12,828 Melbourne 1o Sydney . . . 602 Navy Bay to Panama ... 40 Panama to Vancouver's Island . 4,200 Southampton to Sydney . . . 12,925 Sydney to Wellington . . . 1,221 Total Miles . . S,.'48 Total Miles . . 14,146 EBSSXKAIi Ci COMPARISON. [The other Eastern Routes are omitted, as th< for Sevei bhe Contract via Mauritius establishes that Line ten Years. The New Route. Suez Route. COLONY. Australasian and Pacific Company. Royal Mail Via Marseilles Yik Gibraltar Panama Route, and ami v^., Mauritius. Mauritius. lainti. Melbourne .... 12,235 11,612 12,823 13,173 13,173 Sydney .... 12,033 12,214 12,925 12,571 12,57] ttVllingtont . . . 1.0,812 13,435 14,140 11,411 11,111 • The distances of this route are from pp. 518, 20, 21, of the Report of tli t Wellington via Marseilles and Melbourne, 13,034 miles; via Gibraltar ! Commons' Committee of 1851. md Melbourne, 13,745 miles.