VII.
The West Indian Station.
This station is one of the most important, and extensive, and complicated of the whole, and one where steam-vessels can be employed with the most beneficial effects. The prevailing winds and currents, however, render it necessary that the vessels employed should be of high power, in order to enable them to stem those winds and currents. Into the Gulf of Mexico, through the Windward islands, sets; first, the equatorial current; secondly, the prodigious current occasioned by the influx of the waters of the great river Maranon, and of the several rivers which flow through British, Dutch, and French Guiana; thirdly, the current occasioned by the influx of the waters of the great river Oronoque, through the Gulf of Paria, between the island of Trinidad and the mainland of South America. These united waters, directed by the trade winds, blowing always from the eastward, occasion a current of such force, running westward from the Windward Islands to the shores of Mexico, that it is frequently impossible for the best sailing vessels to make their way through it. Steam-boats, therefore, of at least 240-horse power, are indispensably necessary, in order that they may not only be able to stem these winds and currents, and carry a sufficient quantity of coals, but also to afford spacious and well-ventilated accommodation, both for the crews attached to them, and also the passengers which may travel by them. Without such, neither the one nor the other could ever enjoy health, nor could the despatches of Government, and the correspondence of individuals, be conveyed with that celerity and regularity which these could otherwise be, and which it is necessary that they should be.
In carrying a more general plan into effect, no reasonable or necessary expense ought to be spared by the country. In such a general plan it will be seen by the subsequent details, that the steam-boats of the power mentioned, assisted by nine sailing schooners (at present ten, are employed in less than half the work,) would be sufficient to convey the mails from Barbadoes to every place of importance in the western Tropical Archipelago, or connected with it. This force would give two mails each month to every island and colony from Demerara to Vera Cruz; taking in Laguayra, Carthagena, Chagres, Honduras, the principal parts of Cuba and Porto Rico. From Demerara to Havannah and Chagres, &c. inclusive, every colony and place would be able to reply to the letters received from Europe, or the Colonies, by the same packet which brought them; and still that packet remain in the West Indies a shorter period than the packets now do.
In this department there are two stations, however, of such vital importance, that the considerable additional expense which will be required to place steam-boats on them from the outset, ought not to be taken into consideration. These are, first, the station between Jamaica and Chagres; and, secondly, the station between Jamaica, Cuba, and Vera Cruz. The first goes to connect the Great Pacific Ocean, and the coasts thereof, with Europe and the eastern coasts of America, and on which former coasts a steam mail communication has been already concerted. Through the channel from Panama to Chagres will be concentrated, as it were, into a funnel the whole movements, travelling and mail communications and money transactions of the western coasts of America, from California on the north, to Valparaiso on the south, the whole of which again must converge to and diverge from Jamaica.[2] The second station, or that from Cuba to Vera Cruz, is little inferior in importance to the other, that town and Tampico being the great outlets of the trade and the commerce, but more especially the outlets of specie from the kingdom or empire of Mexico. A steamer on this station becomes indispensable, in order to secure the safe conveyance of specie, because small sailing vessels would be liable to be attacked and plundered by pirates. With steamers all would be safe.
Two powerful steamers would be sufficient for both stations, in order to carry two mails each month. That steamer to run between Cuba and Vera Cruz, would always be in time with the return mails for the following packet from Europe; while that boat which runs between Jamaica and Chagres would, by returning immediately by the route afterwards pointed out, always be in time for the same packet at Jamaica. To stop at Chagres for the mails from the Pacific would not be advisable or proper, because the arrival of these mails at Chagres could not be calculated upon with any certainty. If at Chagres when the outward mail arrives, good and well, they would be immediately taken up and carried forward; but if not, then they would be brought forward by it on the next voyage, and in time for the following European packet.
The mails for Honduras will be most conveniently forwarded from Montego Bay, Jamaica. With the mails for the western parts of that island they could be landed at Savannah la Mar, and thence carried by land with the others, about twenty-five miles, to Montego Bay. From thence a good schooner would proceed with those for Honduras and Trinidad de Cuba; and having readied Honduras, return to Montego Bay by Trinidad de Cuba. By this arrangement, Honduras rather gains more than by the plan first proposed, to go from Batavano; and the letters from thence will still and always be in excellent time for the following packet, making every allowance for casualties during the voyage. The steamer could then proceed direct from Jamaica to Havannah, which would save one day each voyage, besides avoiding the difficult navigation about Batavano. The coals saved yearly would be 1100 tons, 1475l., which would do more than pay the expenses for an additional schooner for the Honduras communication; for, by this arrangement, two schooners, instead of one, will be necessary. Their route and time would be—Montego Bay to Trinidad de Cuba, 172 miles, 1½ day; Trinidad de Cuba to Honduras, 520 miles, 3½ days; back to Montego Bay by Trinidad de Cuba, 692 miles, 10 days; stop at Honduras 3 days; in all 18 days.
Bermuda being a great naval depôt, a ready communication between it and every part of the West Indies becomes an object of the greatest importance. Under the general arrangement proposed, this communication can be best effected from and with Cape Nichola Mole, Hayti; because the downward steamer from Barbadoes, with the European and other mails, will have passed St. Thomas before the steamer returning from Jamaica, &c., comes up; by which means all the letters from Jamaica, and every other place to the westward, would, were St. Thomas made the starting point, be obliged to remain at that island till the arrival of a following packet; whereas, starting from Cape Nichola Mole, the mails, both from the eastward and the westward, and also those brought from Europe, would go forward to a day. Moreover, owing to the winds which prevail in those seas, vessels running between Cape Nichola Mole and Bermuda would make passages equally quick, if not quicker, than vessels running between St. Thomas and Bermuda could generally do. The courses and distances stand thus:—
| Geo. Miles. | Days. | ||
| St. Thomas to Bermuda. | Nearly due N. | 840 | 9 |
| Cape Nichola Mole to do. | N. 32° E. | 890 | 10 |
| Nassau to Bermuda | N. 57° E. | 800 | 7 |
| Crooked Island to Bermuda | 740 | 7 | |
| Ditto to Cape Nichola Mole | S. 19° W. | 146 | 1 |
| Ditto to Nassau | 270 | 1½ | |
| Cape Nichola Mole to do. | N. 56° W. | 380 | 2½ |