Part 4
[Footnote 2: Should the Colombian Government obstinately and ignorantly oppose the transmission of mails across the isthmus from Chagres to Panama, or propose to shackle this point of communication with unreasonable and inadmissible restrictions, then in that case there remains a point, it is believed, more practicable, safer, and more eligible, where the communication could be effected, namely, in the State of Guatemala, or Central America, by the River St. Juan's and Lake Nicaragua, both of which are navigable for vessels of any size. The south-west shores of the lake in question approach to within fourteen or fifteen miles of the Pacific, and this distance, in one place, through a valley nearly level throughout, and at but little elevation above the level of the sea. From Lake Managua, or Leon, the distance to the sea is still shorter, being, in one place, according to good maps, not more than eight to ten miles. From this lake also, and the capital, Leon, the distance north-west to Rialejo, a fine port on the Pacific, is twenty-three miles, and through an accessible, if not very easy country. The Government of the Republic of Guatemala, or Central America, would doubtless be ready to afford every facility to open such a communication, which would prove the greatest and most certain means of improving their country. Moreover, if a ready communication is once afforded, from any point on the east coast of America, in the places alluded to, it would speedily become the object and the interest of the Chilian, the Peruvian, and the Mexican Governments to watch and to see that the communication with the world to the eastward should not only be rendered secure, but be maintained. Also, with a communication opened in this quarter, such as it is believed can be opened, the commerce and communications between North America and Europe, and New South Wales, China, and all Eastern Asia, would most certainly, as it could most advantageously and expeditiously, be carried on by it.]
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 proceed with those for Honduras and (p. 031) 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, 1475_l._, 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, 1-1/2 day; Trinidad de Cuba to Honduras, 520 miles, 3-1/2 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:-- (p. 032) Geo. Miles. Days. St. Thomas to Bermuda. Nearly due N. 840 9 Cape Nichola Mole to do. N. 32° E. 890 10 Nassau to Bermuda N. 57° E. 800 7 Crooked Island to Bermuda 740 7 Ditto to Cape Nichola Mole S. 19° W. 146 1 Ditto to Nassau 270 1-1/2 Cape Nichola Mole to do. N. 56° W. 380 2-1/2
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 (p. 033) 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 this _probable_ part 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 (p. 034) 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:--
Capital. Yearly Charges.
Six Steamers, at 24,000_l._ £144,000 £37,200 Nine Sailing Schooners, at 1500_l._ 13,500 7,200 Coals for Steamers, 30,000 tons, at 25_s._ 37,500 ------- ------ £157,500 81,900 ------- ------
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 performance may be fairly taken at 200 (p. 035) 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 2-1/2 miles per hour on a voyage, and which will save either directly _one-fourth_ the 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, 33,250_l._; on the West Indian portion thereof 7500 tons, 9375_l._; and on the West Indian and the Falmouth and Fayal department, 9600 tons, 11,475_l._; 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 the _Berenice_ steamer, 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. The _Atalanta_ of 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. The _Flamer_ steamer, of 140-horse power, now in the West Indies, two voyages (p. 036) 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. The _Berenice's_ greatest run was 256 miles in twenty-four hours.[3]
[Footnote 3: See also Appendix, No. 1.]
_West Indian Station._--_Details._
This is a complicated and important department, and the working details thereof must be planned as follows:--
1.--_First Packet for the Month_.
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 parts of Jamaica,[4] for Trinidad de Cuba and Honduras; and thence to (p. 037) Havannah, with the mails for that place, and Vera Cruz, &c.
[Footnote 4: To touch at Savannah la Mar would scarcely take up one hour, while doing so would be a very great accommodation to the western part of Jamaica.]
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 Chagres first, (p. 038) 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:--
Geo. Miles. Days. Barbadoes to St. Thomas 430 2 St. Thomas to Jamaica, by Porto Rico, Cape Nichola, and St. Jago de Cuba 780 3-1/2 Jamaica to Havannah, by Cape Antonio 685 3 Stop at Havannah 2 Havannah to Jamaica, by Cape Antonio 685 4 Jamaica, Coals 1 Kingston to Cape Nichola Mole, by St. Jago 305 2 Cape Nichola Mole to St. Thomas, by P. Rico 480 3 St. Thomas, Coals 1 St. Thomas to Barbadoes, calling at all Islands 500 4 ---- ------ Totals 3865 25-1/2 ---- ------
Each steam-boat being thus twenty-two days, each trip, at sea. (p. 039)
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.
2.--_Windward Station._
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.