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 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. Knowing the 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.
PACIFIC DEPARTMENT.
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 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—
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Rialejo to Owhyhee | 4, | 100 | 22 |
| Owhyhee to Canton | 5, | 200 | 28 |
| Stop at Canton | " | 2 | |
| Canton to Owhyhee (circuitous) | 5, | 900 | 39 |
| Owhyhee to Rialejo do. | 4, | 700 | 29 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 19, | 900 | 120 |
| ——— | —— | ||
Eight boats would perform this work, giving two mails each month: cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 33,600l.
Owhyhee to Sydney.
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Owhyhee to Sydney, N. S. Wales | 4, | 600 | 24 |
| Stop at Sydney | " | 3 | |
| Sydney to Otaheite, say | 3, | 900 | 25 |
| Otaheite to Owhyhee | 2, | 250 | 13 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 10, | 750 | 65 |
| ——— | —— | ||
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:—
Rialejo to Christmas Isle.
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Rialejo to Christmas Isle | 4, | 000 | 21 |
| Christmas Isle to Sydney, N. S. Wales | 3, | 650 | 20 |
| Stop at Sydney | " | 3 | |
| Sydney to Christmas Isle, by Otaheite | 5, | 100 | 35 |
| Christmas Isle to Rialejo, by Owhyhee | 5, | 800 | 35 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 15, | 500 | 114 |
| ——— | —— | ||
Eight packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month: cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 35,600l.
Christmas Isle to Canton.
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Christmas Isle to Canton | 5, | 250 | 26 |
| Stop at Canton | " | 3 | |
| Canton to Christmas Isle, by Owhyhee route | 6, | 900 | 46 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 12, | 150 | 75 |
| ——— | —— | ||
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:—
Rialejo to Canton.
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Rialejo to Owhyhee | 4, | 100 | 22 |
| Owhyhee to Canton | 5, | 200 | 27 |
| Stop at Canton | " | 2 | |
| Canton to Rialejo (circuitous) | 10, | 000 | 59 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 19, | 300 | 110 |
| ——— | —— | ||
Eight packets would perform this work, giving two mails each month; first cost, 76,000l.; yearly charges, 33,600l.
Rialejo to Sydney, New South Wales.
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Rialejo to Otaheite | 4, | 100 | 22 |
| Otaheite to Sydney | 3, | 400 | 19 |
| Stop at Sydney | " | 3 | |
| Sydney to Rialejo, by N. Point, New Zealand | 8, | 500 | 51 |
| ——— | —— | ||
| Totals | 16, | 000 | 95 |
| ——— | —— | ||
Examining attentively 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 every fifteen days, 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, making fifteen for 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:—
| Fixed Capital. | Yearly Charges. | |
| Pacific Departments | £142,500 | £63,000 |
THE MEDITERRANEAN, EAST INDIES, &c. &c.
I. Falmouth and the Mediterranean.
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 to Malta 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:—
| Geo. Miles. | Days | ||
| Falmouth to Alexandria, by Lisbon, &c. &c. | 2 | 985 | 19 |
| Alexandria to Falmouth, by Malta, &c. &c. | 2 | 985 | 19 |
| Stop at Alexandria | 2 | ||
| London and Falmouth, including day of departure | 552 | 5 | |
| ——— | —— | ||
| 6 | 522 | 45 | |
| ——— | —— | ||
N.B. Seventeen days, at 180 geographical miles per day, gives 3060 miles—the real distance is 2985.
2. Malta and Constantinople.
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.