THE END.

Footnote 1: The Island of Fayal is chosen as the point of communication in preference to Terceira, &c. because during the few months when one side is exposed to storms, the other side is well sheltered, and the distance is very short from the one side to the anchorage on the other. As each of the steamers from the westward and southward will proceed to Falmouth in her turn, so if all the mails are up at Fayal before the outward steamer arrives from Falmouth, the steamer whose turn it is to proceed on to Falmouth, will go forward with the mails without any delay, except to take in coals.[(Back)]

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.[(Back)]

Footnote 3: See also [Appendix], No. 1.[(Back)]

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.[(Back)]

Footnote 5: If the packet is a steamer, these boats will be saved, because the steamer would save so much time as to enable it to call at all the islands northwards, to pick up the return mails.[(Back)]

Footnote 6: Whenever steamers are appointed to carry the mails from Falmouth to Barbadoes, the arrival of the packet at that island will be so regular, that Jamaica might be made (should this be considered advantageous) the headquarters, as it were, for the steamers in that quarter of the world. Four would then be sufficient for the work between Barbadoes and Vera Cruz; two to run between Jamaica and Vera Cruz, by the Havannah, and two between Jamaica and Barbadoes, by St. Thomas. The latter two would be each fifteen days at sea monthly, and the former two seventeen days, exclusive of partial stoppages; so that there would be abundance of time for rest and repairs. Further, under such circumstances, the packet with the European return mails would have time to run through the islands and pick up all the mails; meeting, on the second day after her departure from Trinidad, and on the ninth after reaching Barbadoes, at St. Lucia, the steamer from Guiana, with the Guiana, Tobago, and Barbadoes return mails; and proceeding onward through all the islands, to the northward and westward, St. Thomas and Porto Rico included, pass from that island through the Mona Passage, and call at Jacmel for a mail, reaching Jamaica in fourteen days. From thence starting without delay, and going by St. Jago de Cuba and Cape Nichola, leave the latter place on the seventeenth day for Fayal, exactly in the same time that it is calculated it could do under the other arrangement. But such an arrangement would render it difficult, perhaps impracticable, to get up the Laguayra mail to St. Thomas in time, it having only ten days for that purpose; and at the same time an additional expense for coals, at least for three days each packet or voyage (1800 tons, 2250l. yearly) would be required, being the time taken between Jamaica and Cape Nichola Mole.[(Back)]

Footnote 7: The cost of these steamers will, to a considerable degree, depend on the tonnage which it is considered most proper to adopt. The utmost quantity of coals which any of them will require to carry, will be (Fayal to Barbadoes, and Fayal to Pernambuco) 300 tons. Airy accommodation for from fifty to sixty cabin passengers, and twenty-five to thirty steerage ditto, with the crew, will be all that is requisite, leaving a room for specie and the mails, and space for from forty to one hundred tons of goods. Since the present calculation was made, the price of machinery has risen considerably. Boats of the size necessary may now, perhaps, cost 28,000l. to 29,000l. In the latter case, 750l. per annum (five per cent. insurance, five per cent. interest, and five per cent. ordinary tear and wear) must be added to the yearly outlay, as here stated. The wages and provisions will remain the same. Iron boats can be had one-fourth cheaper than those built of wood; moreover, engines now made on the EXPANSIVE system, require fully one-third fewer coals, by which so much expense will be saved.[(Back)]

Footnote 8: See [Appendix] No. 1., Calculation of Expenses of Steamers and Sailing Packets.[(Back)]

Footnote 9: Men-of-war frequently carry the mails from Barbadoes to Jamaica; also in other places.[(Back)]

Footnote 10: This assistance is worth more in capital than this sum.[(Back)]

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

EclipseLyraTyrianStanmer
PloverRenardSeagullNautilus
SwallowBriseisCockatriceScorpion
GoldfinchReindeerHornetEspoir
MutineNightingaleCamdenPike
LapwingSkylarkDuke of YorkSheldrake
PigeonSpeyLady Mary Pelham
OpossumPandoraLord Melville

Astrea, stationary ship at Falmouth, 956 tons. The Express, the Star, the Alert, new, have since replaced some of the above.[(Back)]

Footnote 12: Cost transport troops to Government yearly—

Jamaica command£4,31445
Windward and Leeward Islands14,149179
Bermuda command3,9821810
British North America6,259138
Army vessels West Indies1,9981310
———————
30,70581

Parliamentary Papers, No. 598 of 1836.[(Back)]

Footnote 13: In order to replace the original capital, 10 per cent. or 50,000l. yearly laid aside as a sinking fund, is quite sufficient, thus:—

Principal.Interest.
1st year£50,00000
2d year50,00000£2,50000
3d year50,000005,12500
4th year50,000007,88150
5th year50,0000010,77560
6th year50,0000013,81406
7th year50,0000017,004190
8th year50,0000020,33506
9th year50,0000023,872156
10th year50,0000027,56687
————————————
Capital500,00000128,888149
Interest128,888149——————
——————
Total£628,888149
——————

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

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

SOUTH.
Panama to GuayaquilS.0°.31'W.Dist.670Geo. Miles.
Guayaquil to LimaS.15°.E. "610
Lima to AricaS.45°.E. "570
Arica to CoquimboS.5°.W. "690
Coquimbo to ValparaisoS.5°.W. "190
Valparaiso to Fort Carlos, ChiloeS.16°.W. "555

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

NORTH.
Panama to Point MalaS.15°.W. Dist.95Geo. Miles.
Point Mala to Port Damas, QuiboS.89°.W. "97"
Port Damas to RialejoN.48°.W. "450"
Rialejo to AcapulcoN.62½°.W. "1180"
Acapulco to St. BlasN.48°.W. "420"
St Blas to Cape Lucas, CaliforniaN.73°.W. "274"

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

Footnote 15: By making the four steamers on the route between the Cape of Good Hope and Ceylon, run—two from the Cape to Mauritius, and two from Mauritius to Point de Galle, the boats on the eastern side of the Mauritius would regularly have eight days, and those on the western side six days each month to rest; and furthermore, be always prepared to start whenever a steamer from either quarter with mails came up. In a similar manner, the boats which are to run between Falmouth and the Cape of Good Hope could be divided; by which means, besides being always ready when wanted, they also would have more time to rest. Two may run from Falmouth to Cape Verde, 2300 miles; three from Cape Verde to the Cape of Good Hope, 3850 miles; with one, the fourth, to take by turns a voyage from Cape Verde to the Cape of Good Hope, and a voyage from Cape Verde to Falmouth, in order to relieve the others. Sufficient time for rest would thus be obtained. Moreover, by combining the East Indian Department with the Plan for the Western World by Fayal to Pernambuco, three steamers would be saved. The Indian steamers to branch off at the latter place for the Cape. The distance would, in this way, be increased about 1000 miles; but considering the winds and currents in the course which these steamers would take, it would not make three days more, if so much, in the outward voyage, and in the homeward voyage probably not so much; while the advantages would be considerable, and the saving great.[(Back)]

Footnote 16: The time here is only ten days; but the calculation was made for a different division of the mails, and it has not been thought necessary to alter it.

The time in which the different distances may be run has been here stated, but the necessary arrangements for the arrivals and departures of the mails will, in some instances, extend that time. These arrangements resolve the periods into—say 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, &c. &c. days. Thus, if the mails between Alexandria and Bombay cannot be back at Alexandria, as they really cannot be, within 30 days, the object to come up with the regular return Mediterranean mail for England is equally attained if it is back at Alexandria within 45 days; and the same principle applies equally to every other station.[(Back)]

Footnote 17: The same remark regarding the cost of steamers, will apply here, that has been made in the Plan proposed for the Western World.[(Back)]

Footnote 18: From the mouth of the Chorera to the Bay Lemon, the distance is 27½ geographical miles. There is, however, reason to believe, that the distance from sea to sea is still less. Ulloa, who was an accurate and scientific observer, places, and from actual observation, Chagres in 9° 18' 40" N. lat., and Panama in 8° 57' 41" N. lat. Not being able to observe an eclipse of Jupiter's satellites, owing to the obscuration of the atmosphere, he was obliged to calculate the longitude from bearings and distances. In these, however, he could not be far wrong; and by these he places Cruces 21' east of Chagre, and Panama 9'30" east of Chagre, which, if he is correct, brings the breadth of the land from the Castle of Chagre to Panama, to be only 23 geographical miles!!

Since the preceding pages were written, Captain Washington, secretary to the Royal Geographical Society, has favoured me with the longitudes of the places adverted to, as ascertained by Captain Forster, and in February 1837 by Captain Belcher, R.N. Porto Bello is in 79° 30' West long.; Chagre, 79° 55'; and Panama in 79° 29' 20". This gives the distance from Chagre to Panama 33 geographical miles. Porto Bello is in lat. 9° 32' North. From thence to the Pacific, a little to the east of Panama, is 30 miles. From Chagre to the mouth of the Caymito will be 30 miles. Ulloa's calculations of longitudes would thus appear to be wrong.[(Back)]

Footnote 19: And 20 per cent. on neat proceeds.[(Back)]

Footnote 20: Appendix, 196, Report Steam Communication with India.[(Back)]