Suggestions for Accelerating the Communication Between Great Britain and China.

Proposed Route from Hong Kong to London, and vice versâ.	Course.	Distance, Miles.	Average Rate per Hour, Miles.	Interval under Weigh.		Interval at Anchor.		Total Interval.		Duties at Anchor.
	Course.	Distance, Miles.	Average Rate per Hour, Miles.	Days.	Hours.	Days.	Hours.	Days.	Hours.	Duties at Anchor.
Hong Kong to Pulo Labuan	S. 2°18′E.	1009	7	6	—	1	12	7	12	To receive Coal.[1]
Pulo Labuan to Singapore	S. 69 23 W.	707	—	4	6	—	12	4	18	To receive Coal, land and receive Mails.
Singapore to Malacca	S. 64 48 W. 19 N. 51 41 W. 103	122	—	—	18	—	6	1	—	To land and receive Mails.
Malacca to Pinang	N. 30 37 W.	222	—	1	8	—	16	2	—	To receive Coal, land and receive Mails.
Pinang to Ceylon[2]	N. 82 24 W. 303 S. 80 45 W. 916	1219	—	7	6	2	12	8	18	Ditto Ditto
Ceylon to Aden	As now performed by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., detention of 2 days included							11	—
Aden to Suez	Ditto Ditto							8	—
Suez to Alexandria	Ditto all stoppages included							3	—
Alexandria to Malta	Ditto Ditto							4	—
Malta to Marseilles	As now performed by H.M. Post-Office Packets, ditto							—	4
Marseilles to London	Ditto by regular course of Post ditto							5	—
Total Interval from Hong Kong to London, and vice versâ, by the proposed Route. Days								59	—
Average interval of transmission of China Correspondence, viâ Calcutta and Bombay, during the last Twenty Overland Mails,viz. from 10th October, 1841, to 6th May, 1843								89	—
	Difference of time in favor of proposed Route Days							30	—

Mem.—I have adopted an average rate of seven miles per hour as a fair estimate of the speed well-appointed Steam Vessels, of moderate size and power, will be enabled to accomplish and maintain, throughout the proposed Route, at all seasons of the year; for, during the whole distance from Pinang to Aden, and vice versâ, neither monsoon, from the course steered, becomes at any period a directly adverse wind, an advantage which the route hitherto observed does not possess. Assuming that the Hon. East India Company continue the management of the Bombay line, and that the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company are encouraged to render their operations more comprehensive, by the establishment of branch steamers between Ceylon and Singapore, to which latter port her majestyʼs steam vessels on the China station could convey the mails from Hong Kong, this all-important object might, without difficulty, be attained. The advantages to the Straits settlements, consequent on the adoption of improved arrangements, require no comment; and the practicability of effecting a very considerable acceleration of the communication with China is evident from the simple fact that the average interval which has occurred in the transmission of letters from China, by the last twenty Overland Mails (irrespective of the unfortunate July mail from Bombay), exceeds the period occasionally occupied by fast-sailing ships, in accomplishing the voyage viâ the Cape of Good Hope.

London, 14th Sept. 1843.[3]
HENRY WISE,

13, Austin Friars.

P.S.—Oct. 9th. The arrival at Suez on the 16th ult. of the H.C.S. Akbar, in forty-six days from Hong Kong, after accomplishing the passage down the China seas, against the S.W. monsoon—unassisted also by any previously arranged facilities for coaling, exchange of steamers at Aden, and other manifest advantages requisite for the proper execution of this important service, confirms the correctness of my estimate for performing the voyage from Hong Kong to Suez, or vice versâ, viz. forty-three days, including stoppages.

[1] The Borneo coal-mines would also serve to keep the Hong Kong, Singapore, and Pinang stations supplied with fuel for Steam Vessels carrying the Mails between Hong Hong and Suez direct.

[2] Receiving at Ceylon the Outward Overland Mail from England, and returning therewith to China.

[3] Date of submitting the above proposed route and estimate to her majestyʼs Government for consideration.