The UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY (Limited) has Three Distinct Services:—
1st.—The Mail Service with the Colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal.
2nd.—The Direct Port Elizabeth and Natal Service.
3rd.—The Cape, Natal, and Zanzibar Mail Service.
CAPE MAIL SERVICE.—The Packets leave Plymouth (under Contract with the Cape of Good Hope Government) every alternate Friday, sailing from Southampton the preceding day. The days for departure from Cape Town homeward are every alternate Tuesday. The time occupied between Plymouth and Cape Town is about 22 days.
DIRECT PORT ELIZABETH AND NATAL STEAMERS are despatched from Southampton every fourth Friday (unless circumstances prevent), and from Plymouth the following day. These Steamers proceed through to Zanzibar. The time usually occupied to Port Elizabeth is about 24 days, and to Natal about 28 days.
CAPE AND NATAL SERVICE.—A large and powerful Intercolonial Steamer is despatched from Cape Town immediately after the arrival of each fortnightly Ocean Steamer. The Intercolonial Steamers are despatched from Natal every alternate Tuesday, connecting at Cape Town with the Company's homeward-bound Mail Steamers. It is anticipated the passage between England and Natal, and vice versâ, will be accomplished under 28 days usually. The passage between Cape Town and Natal is expected to occupy about 5 days.
CAPE, NATAL, AND ZANZIBAR MAIL SERVICE, under Contract with Her Majesty's Government. The Steamers in this Service leave Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, every Fourth Wednesday, and, after calling at all intermediate Ports, connect at Zanzibar with the British India Steamers to Aden, Bombay, &c., and thence to Ports in India, China, and Australia. The time occupied from Cape Town to Zanzibar is about 20 days, and from England to Zanzibar about 44 days.
Passengers and Goods are conveyed by the Union Steam Ship Company's Steamers in the Cape Mail Service to Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth (Algoa Bay), Port Alfred (Kowie River), East London and Natal, and by each alternate Mail Steamer to Delagoa Bay, Quillimane, Mozambique and Zanzibar. Passengers only for Inhambane are also carried by each alternate Mail Steamer, and Passengers and Goods for St. Helena at stated intervals.