Statistics have been accumulated to show to what extent commerce will be benefited by the Suez Canal. The question of choice of route is not dependent on distance alone. The winds and currents are natural advantages or dangers which the navigator skillfully avoids or employs. Steam, while it enables a vessel to contend with wind and current, is yet obliged to obey their dictates. The distance of coaling stations, the large space occupied by fuel to the exclusion of freight, renders steam desirable rather as an auxiliary than as the sole means of propulsion. The Suez Canal has reduced the distances from European ports to India about one-half. England derives an equal advantage, yet she has justly regarded with apprehension the diversion of trade from the old route. Anticipating the day when she would be compelled to acquiesce in the opening of the new highway, she has shrewdly secured the military command of the new course of trade which threatens her monopoly. For the United States, the distances to the East are reduced to from 2000 to 4000 miles. But on account of winds and currents for homeward-bound ships, the old route by way of Cape Horn is still preferable. The following table, computed by M. de Lesseps, exhibits the distances from European and American ports to Bombay: _Tables showing the Gain of U. S. and European Ports._ ════════════════╤════════╤════════╤══════════ │ BY │ BY │ SAVING PORTS. │ CAPE │ SUEZ │ EFFECTED │ HORN. │ CANAL. │ BY CANAL. ────────────────┼────────┼────────┼────────── │ MILES. │ MILES. │ MILES. Constantinople │ 14,760 │ 4,350 │ 10,410 Malta │ 14,130 │ 4,990 │ 9,140 Trieste │ 14,420 │ 5,660 │ 8,760 Marseilles │ 13,675 │ 5,745 │ 7,930 Cadiz │ 12,584 │ 5,384 │ 7,200 Lisbon │ 12,960 │ 6,050 │ 6,910 Bordeaux │ 13,670 │ 6,770 │ 6,900 Havre │ 14,030 │ 6,830 │ 7,200 London │ 14,400 │ 7,500 │ 6,900 Liverpool │ 14,280 │ 7,380 │ 6,900 Amsterdam │ 14,400 │ 7,500 │ 6,900 St. Petersburg │ 15,850 │ 8,950 │ 6,900 New York │ 15,000 │ 9,100 │ 5,900 New Orleans │ 15,600 │ 9,000 │ 6,600 ────────────────┴────────┴────────┴────────── The subjoined table contains distances from London, New York, and Port Royal to certain Eastern ports, compared with distances to the same ports from New York via the Pacific Railroad and Darien: