Part 6

Capital required by new plan £476,500 By present system:-- 28 sailing-packets,[11] at £9500 £266,000 2 do. vessels, S. America, £5,000 10,000 4 steamers, _above_ £20,000 86,000 10 mail-vessels, Barbadoes, £1500 15,000 Mail vessels, other stations, at least 8,000 Aid navy, as already stated 7,500 -------- 392,500 -------- Difference: increase £84,000 --------

Cost yearly by new plan £272,850 By present system:-- 28 sailing-packets, at £4200 £126,000 4 steamers, and coals 39,000 2 vessels, Rio de Janeiro, &c. 4,500 10 mail vessels, Barbadoes station 6,000 Bermuda, Halifax, Nassau, &c. &c. say 5,500 Aid navy, equal to 3,000 -------- 184,000 -------- Apparent increase £88,850

But against this is to be placed, first, the coals saved by the use of sails, 20,000_l._; secondly, the sum of 11,350_l._ allowed in new plan (not taken into account in the present) for the expense of coal depôts, and places for repairs; together 31,350 -------- Real increase £57,550 --------

[Footnote 11: According to Parl. Pap. No. 251, of 1835, the following are the names and the number of the packets:--

Eclipse Lyra Tyrian Stanmer Plover Renard Seagull Nautilus Swallow Brisei Cockatrice Scorpion Goldfinch Reindeer Hornet Espoir Mutine Nightingale Camden Pike Lapwing Skylark Duke of York Sheldrake Pigeon Spey Lady Mary Pelham Opossum Pandora Lord Melville

Astrea, stationary ship at Falmouth, 956 tons. The Express, the Star, the Alert, NEW, have since replaced some of the above.]

_Remarks._ (p. 051)

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 only _one_ mail 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 least _three_ good new ones, to do the same limited work.

By the new plan there will be _two mail_ communications 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.

III. (p. 052)

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:--

Capital required by new plan this way £335,500 Ditto employed under the present system 392,500 -------- Difference LESS £57,000 -------- Yearly cost by present system £184,000 Ditto by new plan 168,500 -------- Difference LESS £15,500

But to this difference ought to be added the sum of 6885_l._ saved in coals by using sails, and the sum of 7600_l._ allowed in new plan but not taken into account in the present, for the expense of coal depôts, and places for repairs, 7600_l._ together 14,485 -------- True difference LESS £29,985

IV.--_Income._

Profit on passengers in all quarters (see Appendix, No. 1.) £132,274 Freights, parcels, packages, fine goods (see do.) 117,440 Ditto specie, 24,000,000 dollars, at 1 per cent. dollar 4_s._ 2_d._ 51,125 [12]Transport troops, stores, &c. for Government, say 30,705 Saving coals, as before, by use of sails 20,000 -------- Total £351,544

Yearly charges of whole done by Steam £252,850 (p. 053) [13]10 per cent. yearly to replace capital, or 50,000 Port charges, say foreign ports, &c. 15,000 Sundry small charges for Steamers, at 600_l._ yearly 11,400 -------- 329,250 -------- Gain besides clear post-office revenue £22,294 --------

[Footnote 12: Cost transport troops to Government yearly--

Jamaica command £4,314 4 5 Windward and Leeward Islands 14,149 17 9 Bermuda command 3,982 18 10 British North America 6,259 13 8 Army vessels West Indies 1,998 13 10 -------------- 30,705 8 1

_Parliamentary Papers_, No. 598 of 1836.]

[Footnote 13: In order to replace the original capital, 10 per cent. or 50,000_l._ yearly laid aside as a sinking fund, is quite sufficient, thus:-- Principal. Interest.

1st year £50,000 0 0 2d do. 50,000 0 0 £2,500 0 0 3d do. 50,000 0 0 5,125 0 0 4th do. 50,000 0 0 7,881 5 0 5th do. 50,000 0 0 10,775 6 0 6th do. 50,000 0 0 13,814 0 6 7th do. 50,000 0 0 17,004 19 0 8th do. 50,000 0 0 20,335 0 6 9th do. 50,000 0 0 23,872 15 6 10th do. 50,000 0 0 27,566 8 7 --------------- -------------- Capital 500,000 0 0 128,888 14 9 Interest 128,888 14 9 ---------------- Total £628,888 14 9 ----------------

A similar sum (see Appendix, No. 1.) of at least 600_l._ per annum, each, ought to be charged as the capital necessary to replace the sailing-packets.]

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, 100,000_l._--inwards as much, 200,000_l._--there may be added, Additions 100,000_l._; (p. 054) Increase 70,000_l._; total 370,000_l._; viz., outwards 185,000_l._, and inwards as much; giving at the average postage of 2_s._ 5_d._ 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.

WEST INDIES.--INTERNAL POST OFFICES.

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 ordering the same, to a (p. 055) distance of twenty or thirty miles, or more. Two or three days' labour are lost, an expense of 4_s._ or 5_s._ incurred, while 1_s._ 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. Knowing the stated day for receiving and transmitting letters, no one in (p. 056) 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.

PACIFIC DEPARTMENT. (p. 057)

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 about to be commenced between Panama and the Chagres, which (p. 058) 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.

[Footnote 14: The following are the distances from Panama to the different places alluded to:--

SOUTH.

Panama to Guayaquil S. 0°. 31' W. Dist. 670 Geo. Miles. Guayaquil to Lima S. 15°. E. " 610 Lima to Arica S. 45°. E. " 570 Arica to Coquimbo S. 5°. W. " 690 Coquimbo to Valparaiso S. 5°. W. " 190 Valparaiso to Fort Carlos, Chiloe S. 16°. W. " 555

From Panama to Valparaiso and back could be thirty days, including three days for stoppages.

NORTH.

Panama to Point Mala S. 15°. W. Dist. 95 Geo. Miles. Point Mala to Port Damas, Quibo S. 89°. W. " 97 Port Damas to Rialejo N. 48°. W. " 450 Rialejo to Acapulco N. 62-1/2°. W. " 1180 Acapulco to St. Blas N. 48°. W. " 420 St Blas to Cape Lucas, California N. 73°. W. " 274

From Panama to St. Blas and back could be twenty-seven days, including four days for stoppages.]

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 223,000_l._; 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 (p. 059) 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, (p. 060) 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--