Under the proposed general arrangement, the mails for Madeira and Teneriffe could be sent twice each month from Fayal. Madeira and Teneriffe, but more especially the former, have a good deal of correspondence with the West Indies; all of which would be thrown into a more tedious and circuitous route if the communications with Madeira did not go and come by the Azores. The distance from Fayal to Madeira is 630 miles, and from Madeira to Teneriffe 240 miles. One superior sailing vessel would be sufficient to perform this work, giving two mails each month. It is well known that from the winds which generallyprevail in those parts of the Atlantic, that a swift sailing vessel would almost always make quick and certain passages. The cost of such might be 1500l., and the yearly expense, say 800l.The expense for sailing vessels on this and the South American station may be taken as follows:—
From Fayal to Teneriffe, by Madeira, and back, a sailing vessel could complete the passage in fourteen days, and thus be always in time for the next return steamer from Fayal to Falmouth.
On the arrival of the steamer from Falmouth at Fayal, another steamer would start for Barbadoes, carrying with it all the mails for every place in the western Tropical World, from Demerara to Vera Cruz inclusive, and also for Panama, and other places on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. The route from Fayal to Barbadoes is, course S. 47½° W.; distance, 2265 geographical miles. A steam-boat would perform this, going chiefly through the trade winds, in twelve days. The period of her return to Fayal must be regulated by the time which she has to stop in the West Indies, and which will be more specifically shown when that department is taken into consideration; but it cannot be less, from Fayal to Fayal again, than forty-five days, of which this boat will be at sea each voyage thirty-seven days. Four steamers would do this work, having one, in fact, to spare, in the event of accidents, either on this or on the Brazil station, and to relieve alternately the steamers on either station; andthis spare boat would probably be best stationed at Fayal, or perhaps Barbadoes. Three boats would, therefore, be actively engaged in performing the work alluded to on this station; each would be at sea 37 days each voyage—74 monthly, 888 yearly, which, at 25 tons of coals daily, will require 22,200 tons annually—at 25s.per ton, will amount to 27,750l.
The time and course of these boats will be more specifically stated under the West Indian head.
The cost would be thus:—
The mails, also, on this station, might be carried by sailing packets, and which would require to be of the very first class. Their time from Fayal to Fayal again, would be, say nineteen days to Barbadoes; seventeen days to stop in the Colonies; and twenty-four days from Cape Nichola Mole to Fayal (2600 miles), together sixty days; and which brings the return of this sailing vessel to Fayal to correspond with the arrival of the packets from Falmouth, and of the mails from South America, and from North America, at that place. Four packets would be sufficient for this station, giving two mails each month. Their cost would be 38,000l., and their yearly expenses at 4,200l.each, 16,800l.—considerably cheaper than steam, but lengthening, as has been seen, the communication between Great Britain and that quarter of the world,fifteendays. A spare packet might be necessary, but the cost of that has been included, and stated under the South American head.
This station is one of the most important, and extensive, and complicated of the whole, and one where steam-vessels can be employed with the most beneficial effects. The prevailing winds and currents, however, render it necessary that the vessels employed should be of high power, in order to enable them to stem those winds and currents. Into the Gulf of Mexico, through the Windward islands, sets; first, the equatorial current; secondly, the prodigious current occasioned by the influx of the waters of the great river Maranon, and of the several rivers which flow through British, Dutch, and French Guiana; thirdly, the current occasioned by the influx of the waters of the great river Oronoque, through the Gulf of Paria, between the island of Trinidad and the mainland of South America. These united waters, directed by the trade winds, blowing always from the eastward, occasion a current of such force, running westward from the Windward Islands to the shores of Mexico, that it is frequently impossible for the best sailing vessels to make their way through it. Steam-boats, therefore, of at least 240-horse power, are indispensably necessary, in order that they may not only be able to stem these winds and currents, and carry a sufficient quantity of coals, but also to afford spacious and well-ventilated accommodation, both for the crews attached to them, and also the passengers which may travel by them. Without such, neither the one nor the other could ever enjoy health, nor could the despatches of Government, and the correspondence of individuals, be conveyed with that celerity and regularity which these could otherwise be, and which it is necessary that they should be.
In carrying a more general plan into effect, no reasonable or necessary expense ought to be spared by the country. In such a general plan it will be seen by the subsequent details, that thesteam-boats of the power mentioned, assisted by nine sailing schooners (at present ten, are employed in less than half the work,) would be sufficient to convey the mails from Barbadoes to every place of importance in the western Tropical Archipelago, or connected with it. This force would give two mails each month to every island and colony from Demerara to Vera Cruz; taking in Laguayra, Carthagena, Chagres, Honduras, the principal parts of Cuba and Porto Rico. From Demerara to Havannah and Chagres, &c. inclusive, every colony and place would be able to reply to the letters received from Europe, or the Colonies, by the same packet which brought them; and still that packet remain in the West Indies a shorter period than the packets now do.
In this department there are two stations, however, of such vital importance, that the considerable additional expense which will be required to place steam-boats on them from the outset, ought not to be taken into consideration. These are, first, the station between Jamaica and Chagres; and, secondly, the station between Jamaica, Cuba, and Vera Cruz. The first goes to connect the Great Pacific Ocean, and the coasts thereof, with Europe and the eastern coasts of America, and on which former coasts a steam mail communication has been already concerted. Through the channel from Panama to Chagres will be concentrated, as it were, into a funnel the whole movements, travelling and mail communications and money transactions of the western coasts of America, from California on the north, to Valparaiso on the south, the whole of which again must converge to and diverge from Jamaica.[2]The second station,or that from Cuba to Vera Cruz, is little inferior in importance to the other, that town and Tampico being the great outlets of the trade and the commerce, but more especially the outlets of specie from the kingdom or empire of Mexico. A steamer on this station becomes indispensable, in order to secure the safe conveyance of specie, because small sailing vessels would be liable to be attacked and plundered by pirates. With steamers all would be safe.
Two powerful steamers would be sufficient for both stations, in order to carry two mails each month. That steamer to run between Cuba and Vera Cruz, would always be in time with the return mails for the following packet from Europe; while that boat which runs between Jamaica and Chagres would, by returning immediately by the route afterwards pointed out, always be in time for the same packet at Jamaica. To stop at Chagres for the mails from the Pacific would not be advisable or proper, because the arrival of these mails at Chagres could not be calculated upon with any certainty. If at Chagres when the outward mail arrives, good and well, they would be immediately taken up and carried forward; but if not, then they would be brought forward by it on the next voyage, and in time for the following European packet.
The mails for Honduras will be most conveniently forwarded from Montego Bay, Jamaica. With the mails for the western parts of that island they could be landed at Savannah la Mar, and thence carried by land with the others, about twenty-five miles, to Montego Bay. From thence a good schooner would proceedwith those for Honduras and Trinidad de Cuba; and having readied Honduras, return to Montego Bay by Trinidad de Cuba. By this arrangement, Honduras rather gains more than by the plan first proposed, to go from Batavano; and the letters from thence will still and always be in excellent time for the following packet, making every allowance for casualties during the voyage. The steamer could then proceed direct from Jamaica to Havannah, which would save one day each voyage, besides avoiding the difficult navigation about Batavano. The coals saved yearly would be 1100 tons, 1475l., which would do more than pay the expenses for an additional schooner for the Honduras communication; for, by this arrangement, two schooners, instead of one, will be necessary. Their route and time would be—Montego Bay to Trinidad de Cuba, 172 miles, 1½ day; Trinidad de Cuba to Honduras, 520 miles, 3½ days; back to Montego Bay by Trinidad de Cuba, 692 miles, 10 days; stop at Honduras 3 days; in all 18 days.
Bermuda being a great naval depôt, a ready communication between it and every part of the West Indies becomes an object of the greatest importance. Under the general arrangement proposed, this communication can be best effected from and with Cape Nichola Mole, Hayti; because the downward steamer from Barbadoes, with the European and other mails, will have passed St. Thomas before the steamer returning from Jamaica, &c., comes up; by which means all the letters from Jamaica, and every other place to the westward, would, were St. Thomas made the starting point, be obliged to remain at that island till the arrival of a following packet; whereas, starting from Cape Nichola Mole, the mails, both from the eastward and the westward, and also those brought from Europe, would go forward to a day. Moreover, owing to the winds which prevail in those seas, vessels running between Cape Nichola Mole and Bermuda would make passages equally quick, if not quicker, than vessels running between St. Thomas and Bermuda could generally do. The courses and distances stand thus:—
The communication might still, however, be from St. Thomas, the boat destined for Bermuda stopping at that island, when this was necessary, one day, until the boat from Jamaica came up; taking particular care always to be back at St. Thomas, from Bermuda, before the steamers with the outward mails from Europe came down from Barbadoes, in order that the letters from Bermuda for Jamaica, and all places to the westward of St. Thomas, may go forward by the steamer in question. This department, however, for Bermuda may, it is conceived, be best amalgamated and interwoven with the Cape Nichola Mole, Nassau, and Crooked Island (the Bermuda mail vessels going and returning by Crooked Island) department; as the practical working of the whole scheme may point out to be most advisable.
In the event of packets arriving from England at Barbadoes within a day or two of each other, as is sometimes the case under the existing arrangements, then on the Barbadoes and Demerara stations, let a good sailing vessel, on the arrival of such packet, take the place of the steamer for the voyage. Unless, in case of calm weather, this sailing vessel could do the work thus:—Barbadoes to Demerara, four days; stop there two days, forwarding the mails for Berbice by land; thence with the return mails proceed on by Tobago and St. Vincents in five days, to the packet at Grenada, found, in such a case, either waiting one day longer at Grenada, or else beating up to St. Vincents, there to meet the Guiana and the Tobago mails, and which the packet has time to do. This would occasion little irregularity or delay, because the cause of the detention, should detention occur, would always be known. Moreover, the season of the year when the outward packets arrive at Barbadoes the most irregularly, is during the winter months,from November to March, and in which period the calms—the greatest obstructions, in many cases, to sailing vessels amongst the Windward Islands—are almost unknown.
The same temporary substitute could be applied, under similar circumstances, on the stations between Jamaica and Chagres, and between Cuba and Vera Cruz. Even if these places were once or twice in the year to miss a return mail to Europe, it would not be of such great importance, because each place having then two mails every month, the detained mail would go forward by the next opportunity, while it would save to Government, or to a contracting company, a very serious expense, which would otherwise be incurred if they were obliged to have additional steamers for thisprobablepart of the service.
Further, in the event of any accident happening to any steam-boat on the great line from Barbadoes to Jamaica, &c., a sailing vessel could always carry the outward mails westward, when breezes hold, with almost the same rapidity as steamers; and in her course westward, such a sailing vessel could scarcely fail to meet a return or a spare steamer at some of the stations, to relieve it from proceeding further.
Moreover, it may be observed here, once for all, that by the conveyance of the mails from Falmouth to Barbadoes by steam, or even only so far as from Falmouth to Fayal by this power, the irregularity of the arrival of the mails at Barbadoes, which at present takes place, would be nearly done away, and consequently no such assistance as that alluded to would be necessary. Hence, the advantages either way over the present system are clear and obvious.
Before entering upon the particular details of the West Indian department, it is proper to observe here, that the point of communication for the return mails from the West Indies for Europe, so long as sailing packets are employed to the West Indies, cannot be altered or removed from Cape Nichola Mole, because, by the general plan, the outward mails from Great Britain, by steamers, would reach Fayal on the 10th and 25th of each month, and the return mails to that place would reach, from Rio de Janeiro, on the 9th and 24th; from New York and Halifax on the 7th or 8th, or 22d or 23d; and from Barbadoes,&c., allowing only sixteen days in the Colonies, on the 10th and 25th (App. No. 1.); if brought by sailing packets on dates to correspond; so that there is not time to spare, the West Indian mail being the last to reach the central point, and it would be very detrimental to have any detention of the general mails at this point. To make Jamaica the central point for the European mails, would require several days additional; for once at Jamaica the packet would take eight or ten days to get up and through the windward passage, which to a sailing packet, notwithstanding this difficulty, is still the best. In fact, if the mails from Havannah to Demerara are detained in the West Indies more than sixteen, or at most seventeen days, beyond the time that these could, by care and exertion, be easily despatched from thence, the transmission of letters by private ships to every quarter will most unquestionably be resorted to; and thus the Post-office revenue suffer severely.
The capital and expenditure in the West Indian department under the combination and regulations just mentioned will be:—
It is necessary here to observe, that the calculation taken for the consumption of coals is founded upon the basis that the coals are of the very best quality, and also that the machinery is of the best and most economical description and construction, and for a vessel of 240-horse power. The time that the steamers are considered to be engaged in actual work is calculated to include the time passed in getting up the steam in each voyage, and also to cover all temporary stoppages. The time allowed on every route and station is, on the average, more than will be required. Steamers of the force mentioned will, in good weather and light breezes and seas, even when contrary, run ten geographical miles per hour; and, within the tropics, with trade-winds and currents in their favour, at a still greater speed: but the average performancemay be fairly taken at 200 geographical miles each twenty-four hours, although in all the climates within the variable winds, and in the tropics when going against the winds and currents, the speed made good will be, and is taken at, much less. Moreover it is proper to observe, on the point of outlay for coals, that the work is everywhere, as regards the quantity to be used, calculated as if wholly done by steam, while it is obvious that the assistance of sails may be had recourse to with advantage. For this purpose, those steamers which have to go into the torrid zone ought to be provided with large square fore-sails. The assistance to be obtained by the use of sails would save a considerable quantity of coals; or what is the same thing, using them would expedite the steamer proportionally more on her voyage, and bring it so much sooner to a close. Sails may fairly be calculated to impel a vessel at the rate of 2½ miles per hour on a voyage, and which will save either directlyone-fourththe quantity of coals, or impel the steamer so much sooner to the end of her journey than the time calculated, where time is taken as if it were impelled by steam alone, and thereby a proportional saving of fuel will be effected. The saving effected on this ratio will, on the General Plan, be 27,000 tons, 33,250l.; on the West Indian portion thereof 7500 tons, 9375l.; and on the West Indian and the Falmouth and Fayal department, 9600 tons, 11,475l.; subject to 10 per cent. deduction, being allowance for wastage.
As regards the calculations made concerning the progress of steamers in the voyages to be made, it is satisfactory to find, from intelligence lately received, that theBerenicesteamer, of 230-horse power, made the passage from Falmouth, by the Cape Verdes, Fernando Po, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Mauritius, to Bombay, in eighty-eight days;sixty-three at sea. The course taken, and distance run, is about 12,200 geographical miles, or at the average rate of 194 geographical miles per day. Her average consumption of coals was fifteen tons per day. TheAtalantaof 210-horse power, ran the same distance in 106 days; sixty-eight of which at sea, under steam. Consumption of coals, seventeen tons per day. TheFlamersteamer,of 140-horse power, now in the West Indies, two voyages in succession, last autumn, made the voyage from Barbadoes to Jamaica, by Jacmel, Hayti, in five days; which is fully nine geographical miles per hour; and in returning she ran in one voyage from St. Lucia to Barbadoes in twelve hours, distance 100 geographical miles, with winds and current unfavourable. Adverting to these facts, it is obvious that sufficient time is allowed for the progress of the steam-boats, in every station, under the General Plan now recommended to be adopted, in order to communicate with the different places in the Western World. TheBerenice'sgreatest run was 256 miles in twenty-four hours.[3]
This is a complicated and important department, and the working details thereof must be planned as follows:—
Immediately on the arrival of this packet at Barbadoes, a steamer of 240-horse power should start for St. Thomas direct (430 miles), with the mails from England, &c. for that island, Santa Cruz and Tortola, and for Porto Rico, St. Domingo, the Bahamas, All Cuba, Jamaica, Carthagena, Chagres, Panama, Honduras, Vera Cruz, and Tampico. This boat could reach and clear St. Thomas in two days.
The steamer alluded to having landed the mails for St. Thomas, St. Cruz, and Tortola, should then proceed to St. John's, Porto Rico, and there land the British and Colonial mails; to Cape Nichola Mole (Hayti), and there land the British, the Colonial, and the Bahama mails; to St. Jago de Cuba, and there land the British and Colonial mails; to Kingston, Jamaica, and there land the British, the Colonial, the Chagres and Carthagena mails; to Savannah la Mar, Jamaica, and there land the British and Colonial mails for all the western partsof Jamaica,[4]for Trinidad de Cuba and Honduras; and thence to Havannah, with the mails for that place, and Vera Cruz, &c.
At the end of the second day this steamer may start on her return, with the return mails from the Havannah, and the return mails from the preceding packet from Vera Cruz and Tampico, forwarded and brought up as after mentioned, and, proceeding, call at Savannah la Mar for the same, from the western parts of Jamaica, Trinidad de Cuba, and Honduras; at Kingston for the general Jamaica mails, and those from Santa Martha, Carthagena, and Chagres from the same packet, and from Panama, &c. from the preceding packet; at St. Jago de Cuba for the return mails, and thence to Cape Nichola Mole, where it will deliver the whole European mails to the packet arrived there, as will presently be pointed out; from Cape Nichola Mole the steamer will proceed to St. Thomas, calling at St. John's, Porto Rico, with and for Colonial mails, and thence to Barbadoes (calling at all the Islands going up, and carrying up the British mail for Tortola from St. Thomas, left by the downward steamer) to wait to receive a following mail from Great Britain.
On the arrival of the downward steamer at Cape Nichola Mole, from St. Thomas, a fast-sailing schooner to be despatched to Nassau with the Bahama mails, calling, in going and returning, at Crooked Island. This schooner, it is calculated, could be back at Cape Nichola Mole in time to meet the packet at her departure for England with the return mails; if it could not, then the packet could take Crooked Island in her way, and there pick up the Bahama return mails for Great Britain.
Two schooners would be sufficient for this station for the Bahama service, should it be desirable that these islands should have mails twice each month.
On the arrival of the steamer at Kingston, Jamaica, with the outward mails, another steamer to be despatched with the mails for Santa Martha, Carthagena, Chagres, and Panama, calling at Chagresfirst, and with the return mails from Panama, the South Sea, and Chagres, return to Kingston by Carthagena and Santa Martha. One powerful steam-boat would be in time for the same packet; thus:—to Chagres, 550 miles, two and a half days; to Carthagena, 290 miles, one and a half day; stop there one day; to Santa Martha, ninety miles, one day; to Jamaica, 420 miles, three days; in all, nine days.
The mails for Honduras and Trinidad de Cuba by the outward packet having been brought up to Montego Bay, Jamaica, as has been already stated, a good schooner should proceed thence to Trinidad de Cuba, 172 miles, one and a half days; thence to Honduras, 520 miles, three and a half days; stop three or more days; back to Montego Bay, by Trinidad de Cuba, 692 miles, ten days; in all, eighteen days. Two schooners will perform this work, giving two mails each month.
On the arrival of the steamer at Havannah another steamer should be despatched with the outward mails for Tampico and Vera Cruz, and from thence return to Havannah with the return British and Colonial mails. The course of this boat would be,—to Vera Cruz, 800 miles, three and a half days; to Tampico and back, 360 miles, stopping two days, four days; Vera Cruz, back to Havannah, five and a half days; in all, thirteen days.
The route of the mail conveyance from Barbadoes to Jamaica, &c., by steamers, would therefore be:—
Eachsteam-boat being thus twenty-two days, each trip, at sea.
Two powerful boats (240 or 250-horse power each), actively employed, carrying passengers, parcels, and packages, would do this work twice each month, with the addition of one spare one stationed at Barbadoes, or Jamaica; perhaps the former.
One powerful steam-boat (240-horse power) to leave Barbadoes immediately on the arrival of the outward British packet, for Demerara and Berbice, with the British and Colonial mails, and from the latter return to Barbadoes, having first carried the return mails to the packet at Grenada; thus:—Barbadoes to Berbice, 450 miles, landing mail at Demerara, three days; (the mail for Berbice might be forwarded from George Town, Demerara, by land;) stop at Berbice two days; to Grenada, calling at Demerara, Tobago, and St. Vincent's, for return mail, 490 miles, four days; back to Barbadoes, 150 miles, two days; in all, eleven days: taking with her the return mails from the Colonies at which she had called for Barbadoes, and having delivered the return European mails, and others, to the packet at Grenada.
On the arrival of the British packet at Barbadoes, a fast-sailing schooner to be despatched with the outward mails for Laguayra (dropping at St. Vincent's and Grenada the outward mails for these islands, which would be little trouble to it), and from Laguayra to proceed to St. Thomas, with the return mails for the packet, as at present, and thence return to Barbadoes direct. The route of this boat would be,—Barbadoes to Laguayra, calling first at St. Vincent's and Grenada, 510 miles, four days; stop there three days; and to St. Thomas, 490 miles, six days; to Barbadoes, eight days; in all, twenty-one days. Two schooners would do this work, giving two mails each month.
On the arrival of the British packet at Barbadoes, a fast-sailing schooner should be despatched, as at present, with the outwardmails from Great Britain for St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Kitts. The boat need proceed no further westward than St. Kitts, because the steamer from Barbadoes had carried forward the Tortola mails. From St. Kitts it will return to Barbadoes, calling at all the islands just enumerated, for the return Colonial mails. The route of this boat would be,—Barbadoes to St. Kitts, calling at the places mentioned, 370 miles, four days; and back to Barbadoes, six days; together, ten days.
On the eighth day after the arrival of the packet at Barbadoes (the despatch of this boat must always be so as to secure its arrival at St. Kittsbeforethe packet), a schooner to be despatched with the return mails and passengers from that island, to pick up for the homeward-bound packet mails and passengers at St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, and Nevis, and give to or leave these for the packet at St. Kitts. From St. Kitts this boat returns to Barbadoes, calling at all the islands enumerated for the return Colonial mails. This boat will be the same time out as the one which carried the outward mails, namely, ten days.[5]
Two schooners will do the work on both the courses here pointed out as necessary, with two spare ones at Barbadoes, in case of the arrival of sailing packets on the heels of each other from Britain, to forward the mails for all the places mentioned, and for Laguayra, making in all eight schooners for this station. There are at present ten, or more.
Instead of remaining at Barbadoes nine days, as at present, doing nothing, the packet herself (whether steamer or sailing vessel) should, on the day after her arrival at that island, proceed with the outward mails to Tobago and Trinidad, delivering those for the former island, and proceeding thence direct to Trinidad, in two days, 230 miles. At Trinidad remain six days, thence with the return mails from it proceed to Grenada, where she will meet the return mails for Europe, brought there by the steamer from British Guiana, Tobago, and St Vincent's. With thesecollected, proceed on the tenth day from Grenada to St. Kitts, 330 miles, two and a half days. At that island pick up the European mails from the islands formerly enumerated, and thence with the whole proceed to St. Thomas, by Tortola, 140 miles, one and a half day more; in all, fourteen days from her arrival at Barbadoes to St. Thomas.
At St. Thomas, having all the mails from the Windward and Leeward Islands on board, and having there got the European mail from Laguayra, &c., the packet will proceed, on the fourteenth day, to the westward, calling at St John's, Porto Rico, for the return mail, and thence go on to Cape Nichola Mole, Hayti, 480 miles, three days. At this latter place receive all the European mails from the Bahamas, from Jamaica, Cuba, &c. &c., and thence, with the whole, on the seventeenth day, proceed direct, according as may be determined, to Fayal or to Falmouth, calling at Crooked Island to pick up the return mails from the Bahamas, if it shall be found that those cannot be got up in time by the sailing schooners to Cape Nichola Mole.[6]
The Second Packetof the month, and all the steamers and schooners, to proceed exactly in a similar manner.
According to the proposed arrangement, these steam-boats would be actively employed thus:—
I. There would, by these arrangements, be two mails each month to Great Britain from all places in the western Tropical Archipelago, or connected with it, which at present there are not.
II. Jamaica, with the requisite alterations in her internal mail communications, would have in all her western division seven and eight days, and in all her eastern division eight and nine days, to return answers by the packet with which she receives her European, &c. correspondence, of which she at present is deprived; Kingston and Spanish Town alone being able, under the present regulations, to do so.
III. Porto Rico, All Cuba, the more important parts of Hayti, and all the western coasts of South America, would, by these arrangements, be brought immediately and completely within the range of the British Post-office, most of which places at present are not.
IV. By this arrangement all British Guiana would be enabled to reply to all its European and Colonial correspondence by the same packet, but which at present they have it not in their power to do.
V. The inhabitants of Trinidad would get sufficient time to receive and to reply to their letters by the same packet. From the Naparima and other distant quarters they cannot at present do so.
VI.The whole of the British Windward and Leeward Island Colonies would have regularly, and nearly every week, post communications with each other and with Barbadoes, instead of being, as at present, weeks together without such communications.
VII. This arrangement would be more agreeable, convenient, and advantageous to passengers from Demerara, &c. for the packet for England, and also amongst the Colonies, and consequently more advantageous to all interested in the packets.
VIII. The same may be said with regard to passengers in every part of the Western Archipelago. The frequency and regularity of the conveyances would greatly add to the number of travellers, and also greatly increase the number of letters sent and received, and consequently augment the Post-office revenue to an amount greatly beyond what it now is.
IX. By this arrangement the packet itself would always be out of any danger, which, it is well known, she incurs by laying at Barbadoes, an unsheltered place at all times, but peculiarly dangerous in the hurricane months. In the route pointed out she would be nearly free from the sphere of all such dangers and tempests.
X. By this arrangement the communications, both to the Government and to individuals, would be more safe, and regular, and frequent than they now are with every quarter of the Western World; an object of great importance to all, but more especially to the British Government.
XI. By this arrangement six Mexican packets, which cost Government, say 4200l.each (25,200l.per annum), would be wholly saved.
XII. Departing from Cape Nichola Mole, instead of St. Thomas, for Falmouth, does not increase the distance in the voyage to England above 310 miles,—about two days' sail; moreover, it may be remarked, the packet at present scarcely ever leaves St. Thomas for England earlier than on the nineteenth day, and sometimes even longer. Thus,—Steam-boat to Jamaica, eight days, four days there, and seven to St. Thomas even in favourable voyages.
XIII. Great Britain, by thus possessing all the channels of communication in the Western Archipelago, would thereby secure the principal political influence therein; but which will otherwise, and in a very short period hence, go into the hands of the United States, now earnestlylooking about and proceeding to acquire and to extend the same in that quarter of the world.
XIV. The expenses as regards this plan, would, for the West Indies, not be greater than for the present establishment in that quarter, the Mexican packets included; while the communications with several places would be doubled.
XV. The whole correspondence of the United States, with every quarter of America, to the south of these States, would be brought by the General Plan within the range of the Post Office of Great Britain. There would, moreover, be two mails each month between Great Britain and the eastern coast of South America.
XVI. A great and useful commercial correspondence, between the United States, British North America, and all the West Indies, would be opened up, but which at present does not exist.
In order to obtain a view of the Plan, brought into the narrowest possible compass, without wading through the minute and multifarious details, it is necessary to particularize the different stations and departments, to which the numbers affixed immediately and only relate, thus:—
N.B.—The latter sum shows the difference of capital and expenditure betwixt the work done by steam, and partly by steam and partly by sailing packets. The reduction in coals by the preceding estimate will be 33,250l.; and, allowing 10 per cent. wastage on thewhole quantity, the real reduction in the expenditure will be 20,000l.