THE VOYAGE OUT.

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A beaten track does not present the same novelty as a fresh one, except in the case of countries in what is still termed the New World, and which are again about to be described. It was in 1853 I last visited Brazil and the River Plate, and published my observations upon them. An interval of fifteen years has wrought many changes and produced wonderful progress there, and if the Southern portion of the American Continent has not kept pace with the Northern it may be chiefly ascribed to the continued great influx of emigrant population to the latter from all parts of Europe, but consisting chiefly of the Anglo-Saxon race. From this cause, even the loss of at least a million of American citizens by the great civil war has caused no perceptible diminution in the American census, because it is constantly replenished from Europe. The African race has, however, come to the surface in a most unlooked-for manner, their shackles having been removed by a violent shock, which has, for a time at least, caused great social disturbance, and left the Southern States more or less at the mercy of the “niggers,” as the blacks are generally termed. What may be the ultimate result, or how things will “settle down,” is yet a problem to be solved. Meantime, slavery in Brazil remains a domestic institution, but it is doomed to inevitable extinction. The process of emancipation will be watched with much interest by all who desire to see the Brazilian Empire rise to the position it is capable of attaining. The tide of emigration to Brazil, spite of this disadvantage, has, however, fairly set in, and the subject will be treated of in its proper place. Happily, in the River Plate there exists no such hindrance to the development of free labour, for which it also presents a boundless field, and it will be the study of the writer to show how a portion, at all events, of the surplus population of Europe can be located there, to the great advantage of those who embrace the opening as well as of the country itself, whose chief and most urgent want is labour. The Paraguayan war and the terrible ravages of the cholera have been a great drawback to internal improvement in the Argentine Republic, but it is gratifying to think that the encouraging picture drawn by the writer on his first visit to the Plate has been more than realised—the motto of the Platine States should now be “Peace and Progress.” The “log” of an outward-bound passenger on board an ocean steamer now possesses but little interest; still, a record of the changes which have taken place in the means of transit since my last voyage, made fifteen years ago, may be worthy of notice, and will also afford information to those who contemplate a trip to Brazil or the River Plate. Success does not always attend even the best organised and most promising enterprises, but all experience had even then proved that there was ample scope for the employment of capital in promoting intercourse by means of steam with those countries that can only be reached by crossing the ocean. The South American Company, with which at that time I was connected, started under unfortunate circumstances. Ships were high in price, and rates of fuel were exorbitant by reason of the Crimean War. They lost in addition two of their steamers in a most unlooked-for manner, which sadly deranged their operations; but emphatically the two grave errors committed by the company were, first, in building more ships than they could raise capital to pay for; and, secondly, in abandoning the line after their experience had thus been paid for, and at the very moment when the traffic was becoming lucrative; for there can be no question that had they continued to run their steamers, instead of being seduced by the tempting terms of charter offered by Government, they would now have been in existence as a powerful company, paying good dividends. This was not to be however, and on the abandonment of the line, the Royal Mail Company was left without a competitor, and so enabled to realise large profits. Had this latter company read rightly the signs of the times, or met the requirements of commerce by despatching a steamer once a month from Liverpool, alternately with their regular mail from Southampton, they would not only have made more money, but to a considerable extent rendered themselves independent of Government subsidies. Their monopoly was exercised injuriously for the interests of the countries they were trading to, of which the French Emperor had the sagacity to take advantage, by subsidizing a company from Bordeaux, which has continued a most successful career, for it cannot be disputed that French steam navigation and the development of French commerce are almost entirely due to his Imperial Majesty's remarkable prescience. As a natural consequence of increased facilities the passenger traffic with Brazil and the River Plate has wonderfully increased, and at times both lines are inconveniently crowded, the French one being for some reason preferred by South Americans and foreigners. Subsequently some unsuccessful attempts were made to establish other steam lines to Brazil. What was termed the Brokers' line was started from Liverpool to the River Plate, but it was not until Messrs. Lamport and Holt took the business in hand that private steam navigation was established on a firm basis from that port, and the fine fleet of the astronomical line now supersedes to a considerable extent the use of sailing ships. They have also entered into a contract with the British Government to despatch a mail steamer on the 20th of every month, the first (the Hipparchus) having left Liverpool on the 20th August last. Last on the list comes what is now generally known as “Tait's” line, on board one of the steamers of which, the City of Limerick, I am now embarked. They are fine steamers, with superior accommodation for first-class passengers at very moderate rates. A line from London, calling at Falmouth, has long been a favourite project, which Messrs. Tait have at length carried into effect with every prospect of success.