“The Gulf of Oman has two monsoons, that from the north-east, which prevails with more constancy in the winter, and that from the south-west, which blows with force in summer. The change from one monsoon to the other is effected, there as elsewhere, by a series of calms and gusts of wind. “From these circumstances it would appear most advantageous to sail to India by the canal in summer and autumn, and to return towards the spring. “The great shortening of the distance between the ports of Europe, and those of India, is not the only advantage which commerce will derive by frequenting the canal of the two Seas. In fact, vessels will not only reach their destination in a shorter time, but will meet on their route with numerous ports to put in at, and, what is more important still, considerable markets. The voyager, after having followed the easy track of the Mediterranean, will sell a part of his cargo in the Canal of Suez, or at Geddah; will buy ivory at Massaoux, Souken and Berbera, which he will either exchange in India, for opium, or carry on to China to obtain silk or tea. “He will complete his homeward cargo with the colonial produce of Manilla, the Sunda Islands, and Ceylon, with cotton from India, or Egypt, with coffee from Abyssinia, or Yemen, with gum from Soudan or Hedjaz, with corn from Lower Egypt, or with rice from Damietta. And these multifarious operations, which now require years, will be safely and rapidly accomplished with little capital and small ships. “In fact, by reducing the time required for commercial operations we also reduce the general costs, make a much greater number of these operations possible in a given time, and, by that means, give facilities to small traders, by far the most numerous class. “By opening to navigation an easier and safer route, we bring into use ships of less tonnage, and more economically equipped; in one word, we throw open the road to India to the coasting trade—WE DEMOCRATISE COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION.” To these details, we will add our own personal observations. We may say that the navigation of the Red Sea is always easy, from the straits to Raz Mohammed, because there are no rocks in the middle of the gulf, and it being always possible to beat when the monsoon is not favourable, and if some danger is to be feared at Raz Mohammed, from whirlwinds, currents and rocks, they will disappear as soon as a good lighthouse is erected, and a station of steam tugs established to assist vessels against the contrary winds. Sailing may then be said to have attained the limit of its advantages, for it will profit by favourable winds to perform the transport service with economy; and in those parts of the passage where difficulties are to be encountered, steam will come in aid, by which danger and loss of time will be avoided.