Subject on the total expenditure to reduction in coals to the amount of 11,475l.; less, however, 10 percent, or 4,590l.for wastage; giving the real reduction to be 6,885l.
The mails conveyed from Great Britain by steam to the quarters mentioned would in their courses be due:—
London to Halifax, Quebec, and New York, forty-six days; from Halifax to West Indies, according to the distance of the island or place; Havannah, twenty-two days; Jamaica, thirty-one days; Barbadoes, fifty days, &c., &c. London to Rio de Janeiro, sixty-five days, and Buenos Ayres, fifteen days more; London to Madeira and Teneriffe, thirty-four days; London to Barbadoes, and all the West Indies, from Demerara to Havannah, and Chagres inclusive, sixty-five days, and to Honduras, Vera Cruz, and Tampico, fifteen days more. If the mails are conveyed by sailing packets on the four great lines from Fayal, then the time for all would be fifteen days additional.
Large as the above-mentioned sums are, still the revenues of Great Britain and Ireland, and their Colonial dependencies inthe Western World (say 55,000,000l.yearly), ought to defray the cost without feeling any embarrassment. The cost, however, is nothing, when compared to the benefits and the advantages which the nation and individuals would derive from it. Time saved and actively employed is every thing. It is capital, which, if not employed at the moment, can never be again employed—a capital which, if suffered or forced to remain unemployed, or to escape unemployed, can never again be found or replaced. The exports of Great Britain amount at the declared value, and including freights and charges, to 75,000,000l.per annum. By employing steam-packets on even a portion of the present work, instead of sailing-packets,fifteendays would be gained in every line of communication. Remittances arriving fifteen days earlier would be a profit to the commercial interests of the country of 167,793l., independent of the additional advantages which every merchant would gain when, instead of his funds wandering on the Atlantic, or lying idle and unproductive on the other side of it, he had these in hand, to lay out to good account as opportunity might offer. Even Government itself, from the want of regularity and frequency of transmission, lose, in their money transactions in the West Indies, above 8000l.yearly, and much more in not being able to learn quickly and regularly the state of the exchanges in the great money marts in the Western World.
Moreover, the Plan above recommended, conducted judiciously, and carried into effect to the extent pointed out, would amply repay either the Government or the individuals who may undertake it. Travelling would be prodigiously increased. Some of the wealth of foreign countries would be drawn by it to this country and her dependencies. Everywhere activity and industry would be encouraged and increased. The Post-office revenue would be greatly augmented,—perhaps doubled. The expenditure also would all be on British materials and labour.
In order to understand the subject fairly, it becomes necessary to contrast the capital and the expenditure required under theNew Planwith the capital and the expenditure required for thePresent System; and also, from data, which, though these in some points may not be perfectly accurate, are at any rate sufficiently so, to show the income which may reasonably be expected under the working of the Plan recommended. Every one practically acquainted with the subject, with the countries and combinations, with the objects alluded to and brought forward, will acknowledge the general accuracy of the data, and the great superiority and advantages in every way, and in every thing, of the new plan over the present system.
The portion relating to the West Indian Department, shall separately and first be taken as a comparison.
Under the present system, all Demerara, Jamaica (Kingston and Spanish Town excepted), and a large portion of Trinidad, cannot reply to their letters by the same packet by which they receive them. Also Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, have onlyonemail each month; while all Porto Rico, all the north side (the most important part) of Hayti, and all the south side of Cuba, are wholly left out; while in all parts the system is imperfect, irregular, and uncertain.
By the new plan, Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, would have two mails each month; all Porto Rico, the north side of Hayti, and the south side of Cuba, would be included, and have two mails each month also; and all Jamaica, Trinidad, and Demerara, would have time to reply to their letters by the same packet which brought them. Time would everywhere be saved, and the whole system would be regular and certain, and properly combined.
The General Plan for the Western World:—
By the present system, there is no direct mail communication with New York; no communication between North America and the West Indies, no mail communication with the north side of Hayti, the south side of Cuba, nor with Porto Rico; Havannah, Vera Cruz, Tampico, Honduras, Nassau, Bermuda, Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha, Laguayra, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Ayres, &c. &c. have onlyonemail in each month; while all Demerara, most part of Trinidad, and all Jamaica (Kingston and Spanish Town excepted), cannot reply to their letters by the same packet by which they received them. Further, every thing is imperfect, irregular, and uncertain; and, moreover, the four steamers in the West Indies last spring are so utterly inefficient and worthless, that they must forthwith be replaced by at leastthreegood new ones, to do the same limited work.
By the new plan there will betwo mailcommunications with New York and Halifax monthly; two ditto between all the West Indies and all North America; there will be a mail communication twice each month with Porto Rico, with the north side of Hayti, and the south side of Cuba. There will be mail communications twice each month with Bermuda, Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Panama, Carthagena, Santa Martha, Laguayra, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Ayres, Madeira, and Teneriffe; and all Demerara, Jamaica, and Trinidad will be able to reply to their letters by the same packet by which they receive them. The work everywhere will be well done, and every thing will be regular and certain.
If Steam is employed between Falmouth and Fayal, and in all the West Indian department, and supposing that all the remainder of the general plan for the western world is performed by sailing packets, then the results will be:—
As regards the Post-office revenue, it is impossible, in the absence of full official returns, to state its present exact amount, and, consequently, the probable future increase. The revenue from the outward postages to the British West Indian Colonies, Honduras excepted, is inserted in the Appendix from official authority. Judging from it, and other data, also adduced from official authority, the present amount there stated cannot be far wrong; and the calculated increase under the arrangements proposed, every circumstance considered, is fair and reasonable. Besides the certain great increase in all the external postages in these countries and colonies and places, the internal and coasting postages in these places will be augmented to a very great extent. Taking the outward postages at present to be, to all the places mentioned, 100,000l.—inwards as much,200,000l.—there may be added, Additions 100,000l.; Increase 70,000l.; total 370,000l.; viz., outwards 185,000l., and inwards as much; giving at the average postage of 2s.5d.the number of letters each way to be 1,531,465.
As regards the Harbour-charges, in the British Colonies, these may be given up, or reduced to a small sum for the trouble which the Custom Houses may be put to; and in foreign ports it should be arranged by compacts with the respective governments, that the port dues should be reduced to a small sum, for two reasons,—because the vessels carry the mails, and because they are on that account restricted to a small portion of the whole cargo, which they could otherwise take. The charges might be made proportionate: there could not be much difficulty in arranging these points. In some of the minor ports (foreign), the steamers would not even come to anchor.
The internal communications in the West Indies by post are very inefficient, even where they exist, but in most colonies these are altogether wanting.
Communication in the West Indies on business, and in the affairs of public and private life, is principally carried on by correspondence; and from the particular circumstances of these colonies, more so in proportion than in other countries.
The way in which this extensive and general communication is carried on is by letter sent by servants or hired messengers. These servants or messengers take days in a particular service, according to the distance. The latter mode is particularly expensive. The other, the most general, is scarcely less so, except that from the construction of West Indian society, there was beforetime felt no immediate outlay for the service required.
Important supplies are required upon an estate for various purposes. This is of very frequent occurrence. A special messenger from that estate must be despatched with a letter orderingthe same, to a distance of twenty or thirty miles, or more. Two or three days' labour are lost, an expense of 4s.or 5s.incurred, while 1s.for letters by post, if there was a post, would accomplish the object. This is merely one point brought forward in proof of the necessity of internal post conveyances in the British West Indian colonies, as in this country, out of the multitudes that could be adduced for a similar purpose.
The state of society in the West Indies is now on the eve of being completely changed, and assimilated to the society in this country; and consequently the duty of the Government of this country ought to bestow on the population of the colonies the same facilities of communication which the population of the mother country enjoy.
When the Negro apprenticeship comes to an end, either partially or totally, the expense to estates and individuals for servants or messengers to carry the correspondence absolutely necessary, will be exceedingly great, and a most serious burden; and yet it must be borne,—or otherwise, without internal post communications, neither cultivation nor commerce can be carried on.
It is absolutely necessary for the future well-being of these colonies, that internal post communications should be extended to, and established in each of them.
Jamaica (and perhaps it stands single in this respect) has an internal post communication once a week, to and from Kingston, and other quarters of the island (daily only with Spanish Town, the capital); still this weekly post is greatly inadequate to its present wants, and will be much more so after August 1838, and August 1840. In consequence of this restricted communication, no other part of the island, Spanish Town excepted, knows of a packet's arrival until it is gone, or till it is too late to write by it. This important colony ought not only to have mails from Kingston at least three times a week, but the various post-offices throughout the island should have auxiliary post-offices, after the manner of penny or twopenny post-offices in this country. Every one will be glad to pay a regular and reasonable postage, rather than be at the very heavy expense, after 1840, of taking a labourer to convey the communications. Knowingthe stated day for receiving and transmitting letters, no one in the most distant parts could ever be at a loss; and every one, more especially on estates, would benefit and save exceedingly thereby.
In like manner, the smaller colonies ought to have posts twice or thrice a week from the capital; the country offices placed at the most important villages, and the auxiliary ones at hamlets the best situated for the purpose. Smaller merchants and shopkeepers in these places would be glad to do the duty at a moderate rate, because it would otherwise serve them, by drawing customers and correspondents to their places of business.
Even in the smallest colonies such internal establishments would pay, and, in most of them, more than pay, the expenses they occasion; while it is clear that such internal facilities would most materially add to the external or packet postage.
Where the roads are good, the mails, travelling at the rate of five or six miles per hour, may be carried in gigs, as in this country, drawn by horses or mules; and where rugged or hilly, on the backs of mules, in proper portmanteaus.
It is worthy the attention, and is in fact the duty, of Her Majesty's General Post-office, to direct some person locally acquainted to proceed through the colonies, to examine into situations, and to establish such internal post conveyances. In the smaller islands, as has been stated, they would defray, and more than defray, the expenses incurred; while in the larger and more opulent colonies, they would yield a fair revenue; while the good they would do to every community will be incalculably great. The West Indies everywhere want a little European energy and regularity infused into them,—and this is one efficient, perhaps the simplest and most efficient way to do it.
It has been already stated that a steam communication for the west coasts of America, on the Pacific, has already been arranged, and is about to be set on foot. This important object has been concerted and arranged by that enterprising gentleman,William Wheelwright, Esq., of Valparaiso, after almost incredible perseverance and labour, and great expense; and has obtained the official sanction and support of both the Chilian and Peruvian Governments. It will extend from Panama to Valparaiso on the south, and to Acapulco on the north; and will, as a matter of course, for the interest of those concerned in carrying the plan into execution, be so timed and arranged in the working machinery thereof, as to correspond with the arrivals at, and departures from, Chagres on the north, or the Atlantic side of the Isthmus.[14]A road is aboutto be commenced between Panama and the Chagres, which when completed, the communication from sea to sea may be made in half a day. This point, as regards the western coasts of America, being thus arranged, it becomes of vast importance to the whole plan proposed, to extend from Great Britain to the eastern coasts of the western world; and it now becomes of great consequence to show how readily and advantageously the West Indian department can be made to connect itself outwards and inwards across the Isthmus alluded to, with Sydney, New South Wales; Canton, China, &c.
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 223,000l.; 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 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.
Owing to the winds which prevail in the Pacific, the passage outwards to both Sydney and Canton would be easy and rapid; but in order to make the return mails from these places meet at a central point—thereby, as in the plan for crossing the Atlantic, to save packets—which point should be so placed, as that taking it in would not retard the progress of the mails, or that only in the slightest degree possible—is now the point to consider. Beyond the parallel where the variable winds commence, there is no island of importance in any position that would be an eligible and safe point for the return mails from Sydney and Canton to meet in their way to Rialejo or Panama. To carry the outward mails from either of the latter places by Otaheite, the Canton packet branching off there would be to bring it, upon its return, a vast distance out of its way (to Otaheite it must return in order to get the next outward mail for Canton); especially when the return mail from Sydney must stand north through the trades to get into the northern variables. It would be desirable that a good point should be found, as much to the westward as possible, and convenient to proceed to Canton; at the same time, sufficiently to the eastward, or, as it may be called, to the windward, of New South Wales. Owhyhee may be considered as taking the Sydney outward mails considerably out of their course, although by making that the point, the time in both lines westward from it would be pretty equally divided. The difference, however, and the delay it would occasion, would not be so much as at first sight may be imagined; while the short distance that this island is within the northern trade winds, would render it neither difficult nor tedious for the return packet from Canton to run down upon it, and there meet the return packet from Sydney.Christmas Isle, a little to the north of the equator, might be made the central point at which the packets would separate, and to which they would return; the Canton packets dropping at Owhyhee the return mails, to be picked up by the packet returning from Sydney to Rialejo. This would bring the Canton packet 1000 miles into the trade winds to Christmas Isle. From thence, with the outward mails, it could run rapidly westward to Canton, calling at Manilla in the voyage. There are no other places in the North Pacific where packets could touch, unite, and command, with the least inconvenience to the service, the navigation to and from both places. Separate establishments for each line from the west coast of America may be considered too expensive, if, by concentration and combination, the same work could be performed at less expense; and then, by that combination, whatever letters, passengers, &c. there might be from Sydney to Canton, or from Canton to Sydney, would meet at either of the places mentioned, and be forwarded in the quickest manner to their respective destinations. The question is, Which of the places and plans mentioned is the best fitted for the objects had in view? To determine this, it will be best to consider the communication, each of the three ways in which it may be taken, thus:—
Making Owhyhee the central point of communication, the routes, distances, and periods, and expenses, would be—
Eight boats would perform this work, giving two mails each month: cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 33,600l.
Six packets (one to spare) would perform this work between Owhyhee and Sydney, giving two mails each month: cost, 57,000l.; yearly charges, 25,200l.Admitting that the packets on the Owhyhee and Sydney line take longer time than is here stated, they would still be in time to reach Owhyhee by the time that the Canton mail came up; which in its course with Owhyhee is calculated to be 91 days. In fact, there is thus time sufficient to allow the Owhyhee and Sydney packet time to communicate with Hobart Town, and to call at Otaheite in her outward voyage; as she will do, and, in fact, from the course which she must take, she may and can do, in her return voyage, without any inconvenience or delay whatever.
The next plan is, to consider the communications alluded to as to be carried on by making Christmas Island the central point of arrangement; thus:—
Eight packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month: cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 35,600l.
Eight packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month: cost 76,000l.; yearly charges, 33,600l.; which shows that it takes one packet more by this arrangement than would be required by the other.
Keeping the stations altogether separate, the following would be the periods and number of packets required, premising that the packets would return to the point of departure on the west coast of America, nearly in the dotted lines which are laid down on the accompanying Chart:—
Eight packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month; first cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 33,600l.
Examiningattentively the three preceding routes of communication, it is plain that, in point of expense, the last, namely, that which gives two establishments, is not more than the most eligible of the other two, while in point of time it is considerably the quickest. The packets going out and returning twice each month, or everyfifteendays, it follows that, on every route, their voyages divide into periods of that duration. In the more distant, such as the routes at present under consideration, their voyages, in order to coincide and to meet with the return mails at any given point, will run, say, 90 days, 105 days, 120 days, &c.; and within the latter-mentioned number the mail from Canton must return to Jamaica, to secure, without extra loss of time, a packet bound to England.
Seven packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month; first cost, 66,500l.; yearly charges, 29,200l.; which is one packet more than the Owhyhee plan requires; but that station would require one spare packet, makingfifteenfor the whole, which thus makes both stations equal, but without the combination which the Owhyhee station gives.
This arrangement for the Pacific would, in whichever way it may be taken, save the whole proposed steam communication from Ceylon eastward to Canton and New South Wales; which saving, either on the Mediterranean or Cape of Good Hope lines, would be, eight steamers and one sailing vessel—capital, 199,500l., and yearly charges about 130,000l.; thus reducing very greatly indeed the cost of the subsequent plan projected for the Eastern world. Even at the outset, the mails, parcels, and passengers on the Pacific station, would, it is believed, pay the expenses as here stated:—
To extend the mail communications between Great Britain and all places in the Mediterranean, and more especially with the more distant parts of that sea, which will go to connect more closely British communications with the East Indies and countries situated still more to the eastward, is now, more than ever, become a national object, and, it may be added, a national duty. France seems to be actively extending mail communications, in that sea, to all places, as well to those under her immediate sway as to others; and if allowed to do so without any rival, it becomes obvious that, with the command of all the channels of communication, she will obtain such a monopoly of political influence as will give her the monopoly of political power also in that quarter of the world. Such a result cannot fail to prove highly injurious to all the great commercial and political interests of Great Britain; and this result ought to be guarded against and prevented even at a considerable sacrifice, if a sacrifice were necessary, but which it is not.
Two mails each month between Great Britain and the Mediterranean are indispensably necessary, otherwise the conveyance of both letters and despatches, and passengers, will generally be quicker by private ships and other similar conveyances which may offer. The route can be from Falmouth to Alexandria direct, by Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Palermo, and Malta; at the latter place dropping the outward mails for the Ionian Islands, Athens, and Constantinople; to be forwarded immediately by a branch steam-boat, which will return toMalta from Constantinople, &c. with the return mails for England, &c. &c. to be forwarded by the Alexandria and Falmouth steamers, returning by way of Malta, Palermo, Gibraltar, Cadiz, and Lisbon; a good sailing vessel being employed to convey the outward and the inward mails to and from Zante to the other Ionian Islands. It would take the Constantinople steamer from Malta too much out of her way to call at any other of these islands but the one mentioned.
As the Falmouth and Mediterranean department is in every point of view a most important station, so it may be rendered a profitable one; because it will connect itself with the East Indian communication, and consequently a very great additional number of passengers, letters, parcels, &c. will be obtained. Calling at Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Palermo, and Malta in the way out to, and in the way home from Alexandria, steam-boats sufficiently powerful (240-horse power) would complete the voyage in 45 days from London to London, including all necessary stoppages.
Three powerful steamers would do this work, giving two mails each month. The capital necessary to purchase these would be 72,000l.The annual expenditure for these three boats, on this station, would be—Wages, provisions, tear and wear, &c. 6,200l.each, or 18,600l.; and for coals, 20,400 tons, 25,600l.; together, 44,200l.Thus each boat on this station would be actively employed 34 days each voyage = 74 monthly, 816 yearly: coals, 25 tons daily = 20,400 tons at 25s., 25,600l.
The route, course, and time, from Alexandria, would be thus:—
N.B. Seventeen days, at 180 geographical miles per day, gives 3060 miles—the real distance is 2985.
From Malta a branch steam-boat may proceed with the mails for the Ionian Islands, and touching at Zante to land these, proceed thence to Athens, and thence to Constantinople with the outward mails. From Constantinople this boat will return, by Athens and Zante, to Malta, with the return mails for the Alexandria and Falmouth packets. The distance from Malta to Alexandria and back is 1650 miles, and by the course already pointed out, the distance from Malta to Constantinople and back is not materially different. Consequently, one good steamer would perform the work in the same time as is requisite to go to Alexandria and return. This boat would be, each voyage, ten days at sea; stopping two days at Constantinople: which is 20 days monthly; 240 days yearly; requiring 5000 tons of coals, 6250l., and 6200l.more for wages, provisions, insurance, tear and wear; together 12,450l.per annum.
The distance from the former to the latter place is 170 geographical miles. This might, under prompt and proper regulations, be performed in two days. The first portion of the distance is from Alexandria to Cairo, about 100 miles by water, and the second is from Cairo to Suez across the desert, about 70 miles. What the expense of transporting mails, passengers, &c. over this distance would be, it is difficult to state, but let it be taken as an approximation at 5000l.per annum.
The mail communications by steam might readily and with great advantage be extended to this quarter of the world, and to this important portion of the British empire. Nor need the channel of communication stop at the East Indies, but proceed on until it includes within its range Batavia, China, and New South Wales. The further the line is extended, and the more its ramifications are combined and connected, the greater will the advantages, and the more ample the remuneration, be to whoever undertakes the work. The commercial and political concerns and interests connected with these vast portions of the globe, are well known to be immense, and of the first-rate importance, while no European power is so much interested in these as Great Britain. With these remarks the manner in which the communications alluded to can be effected and carried on remains to be pointed out. The route, periods, and distances from Alexandria, would be as follows, premising that the price of coals in all these Eastern stations will be considerably higher than in the stations in the Western World, as these coals may have to be carried to the different places by the circuitous navigation of the Cape of Good Hope. Still, calculating the whole to be brought from Europe, these may be obtained at the average price of 40s.per ton; while 10 per cent. additional, for all supplies and wages, may be added to the sum taken for expenditure in the stations in the western hemisphere, as required in every place to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. And at these rates all the subsequent estimates are formed.
Threepowerful steamers would perform this work, giving two mails each month—at sea 42 days each voyage = 48 monthly = 1008 yearly; coals at 25 tons daily, 25,200 tons, at 40s.50,400l.
The steamer for Bombay could, without material difficulty, drop mails for the Mauritius at Socotora. To do so at Aden, on the Arabian coast, would add to the distance 500 miles, which is a material objection. From Socotora to the Mauritius is 1850 geographical miles. Two good sailing vessels (brigantine class) would be sufficient for the work of carrying the Mauritius mails between Socotora and that island. The time each way may be fairly taken at 15 days, and two days to stop at Port Louis, gives 32 days for the voyage. The cost of these vessels should be about 4000l.each, and their expenditure, say, 2000l.each, or 4000l.per annum. The time from London to the Mauritius by this route would be 48 days, and the same time to return, making the mail communication between the two places 105 days.
One steam-boat would carry all the mails for the East Indies, &c. from Suez to Bombay; and from thence another steam-boat would proceed to Calcutta by Trincomalee, calling at Mangalore, and other places in the west coast of Hindostan, and dropping at Trincomalee the mails for all places more to the eastward. Going by Bombay, instead of going direct from Babelmandel to Ceylon, only increases the distance about 270 miles, while the vast expense of having additional and separate boats is saved. From Trincomalee, the steamer, both in going to and returning from Calcutta, could, without inconvenience or delay, call at Pondicherry and Madras. Should the time occupied by the steamers from Bombay to Calcutta by this route exceed the time occupied by the post to travel from the former to the latter by land, then in that case the European mailsfrom Calcutta could be forwarded by land, while the passengers, parcels, &c. could go round by the steamer, the difference, in point of time, being not above a day or two at most.
The route, time, and distance from Bombay to Calcutta, would be thus:—
Two powerful boats would perform this work, giving two mails each month. Each would be at sea 24 days each voyage = 48 monthly = 576 yearly: 25 tons coals daily = 14,400 tons yearly, 28,800l.Cost of boats, 48,000l.; yearly expenses, 6820l.each, 13,640l.; together with coals, 42,440l.
At Trincomalee, a steamer would take up the mails for the remainder of the Eastern World, both from Europe and from India, and proceed by Batavia to Canton. At Batavia, this boat would deposit the mails for New South Wales and Singapore; the former to be forwarded by other steamers, and the latter by a good sailing schooner, which could always accomplish her work so as to be in time for the return steamer, and for the next outward mails; the distance from Batavia to Singapore being 475 miles, thus:
Three, or even four days, out; three to stop, and four back; together 11 days. The nearest way to Canton from Trincomalee is by Nicobar and Singapore, distance, 2880 miles; whereas the distance by Batavia is 3535 miles; but then it must be remembered, that Batavia is the most important station, and 475 miles nearer New South Wales than Singapore. HenceBatavia appears to be the most eligible point of communication for the steamers.
From Trincomalee to Canton, the route and time will be thus:—
Three boats would perform this work, giving two mails each month. Each boat would be at sea 36 days each voyage = 72 monthly = 864 yearly: 25 tons coals daily, 21,600 tons yearly—43,200l.At Trincomalee, a spare boat would require to be stationed, in case of accidents, which would make four for the station; prime cost, 96,000l., and one sailing-vessel, 2,000l.The yearly charges for provisions, wages, &c. &c. will be 6820l.each, and 1000l.for the sailing-vessel is 28,280l., which, together with the expense of coals, amount to 71,480l.
At Batavia, steamers could take up the European, the Indian, and the Chinese mails, and proceed on to Sydney, New South Wales, by Swan River and Hobart Town, &c. thus:
Threeboats would perform this work, giving two mails each month; but in case of accidents, there would require to be one spare boat on the station, to be stationed either at Batavia or Sydney. The cost of the four would be 96,000l.Each boat actively employed would be at sea 42 days each voyage = 84 monthly = 1008 yearly: 25 tons coals daily is 25,200 tons yearly, at 40s., 50,400l.The yearly expenditure of each boat besides would be 6820l.; for four, 27,280l., together with coals, 77,680l.
It is unnecessary to dwell on the immense advantages which such a plan of mail communications as this would give to the commercial world in general, and to the commercial interests of the United Kingdom in particular. These would be incalculably great, both to the governments and to the people. To complete the scheme, it would be requisite to have more than one station at which boats and machinery could be repaired. These would require to be Malta, in the Mediterranean, Bombay, Trincomalee, Batavia, and Sydney, in all five places; the salaries, &c. for superintendents, rents, and rent coal depôts, could not be less than 2000l.per annum at each, or 10,000l.The expense for workmen and materials are included in the 5 per cent. allowed for tear and wear in the annual expenditure for each boat.
The yearly expenditure for the whole Plan, in all its parts, would consequently be as follows, and under the respective heads as here enumerated.
The return boat from Alexandria ought not to leave that place until the Eastern mails come up from Suez.
The course of post under this arrangement between London and Alexandria, would be 45 days; between London and Constantinople, the same; between London and Bombay, 90 days; London and Calcutta, 120 days; London and Canton, 150 days; London and Batavia, 120 days; London and Swan River, 150 days; London and Sydney, New South Wales, 180 days, &c. &c.