The communication might still, however, be from St. Thomas, the boat destined for Bermuda stopping at that island, when this was necessary, one day, until the boat from Jamaica came up; taking particular care always to be back at St. Thomas, from Bermuda, before the steamers with the outward mails from Europe came down from Barbadoes, in order that the letters from Bermuda for Jamaica, and all places to the westward of St. Thomas, may go forward by the steamer in question. This department, however, for Bermuda may, it is conceived, be best amalgamated and interwoven with the Cape Nichola Mole, Nassau, and Crooked Island (the Bermuda mail vessels going and returning by Crooked Island) department; as the practical working of the whole scheme may point out to be most advisable.
In the event of packets arriving from England at Barbadoes within a day or two of each other, as is sometimes the case under the existing arrangements, then on the Barbadoes and Demerara stations, let a good sailing vessel, on the arrival of such packet, take the place of the steamer for the voyage. Unless, in case of calm weather, this sailing vessel could do the work thus:—Barbadoes to Demerara, four days; stop there two days, forwarding the mails for Berbice by land; thence with the return mails proceed on by Tobago and St. Vincents in five days, to the packet at Grenada, found, in such a case, either waiting one day longer at Grenada, or else beating up to St. Vincents, there to meet the Guiana and the Tobago mails, and which the packet has time to do. This would occasion little irregularity or delay, because the cause of the detention, should detention occur, would always be known. Moreover, the season of the year when the outward packets arrive at Barbadoes the most irregularly, is during the winter months, from November to March, and in which period the calms—the greatest obstructions, in many cases, to sailing vessels amongst the Windward Islands—are almost unknown.
The same temporary substitute could be applied, under similar circumstances, on the stations between Jamaica and Chagres, and between Cuba and Vera Cruz. Even if these places were once or twice in the year to miss a return mail to Europe, it would not be of such great importance, because each place having then two mails every month, the detained mail would go forward by the next opportunity, while it would save to Government, or to a contracting company, a very serious expense, which would otherwise be incurred if they were obliged to have additional steamers for this probable part of the service.
Further, in the event of any accident happening to any steam-boat on the great line from Barbadoes to Jamaica, &c., a sailing vessel could always carry the outward mails westward, when breezes hold, with almost the same rapidity as steamers; and in her course westward, such a sailing vessel could scarcely fail to meet a return or a spare steamer at some of the stations, to relieve it from proceeding further.
Moreover, it may be observed here, once for all, that by the conveyance of the mails from Falmouth to Barbadoes by steam, or even only so far as from Falmouth to Fayal by this power, the irregularity of the arrival of the mails at Barbadoes, which at present takes place, would be nearly done away, and consequently no such assistance as that alluded to would be necessary. Hence, the advantages either way over the present system are clear and obvious.
Before entering upon the particular details of the West Indian department, it is proper to observe here, that the point of communication for the return mails from the West Indies for Europe, so long as sailing packets are employed to the West Indies, cannot be altered or removed from Cape Nichola Mole, because, by the general plan, the outward mails from Great Britain, by steamers, would reach Fayal on the 10th and 25th of each month, and the return mails to that place would reach, from Rio de Janeiro, on the 9th and 24th; from New York and Halifax on the 7th or 8th, or 22d or 23d; and from Barbadoes, &c., allowing only sixteen days in the Colonies, on the 10th and 25th (App. No. 1.); if brought by sailing packets on dates to correspond; so that there is not time to spare, the West Indian mail being the last to reach the central point, and it would be very detrimental to have any detention of the general mails at this point. To make Jamaica the central point for the European mails, would require several days additional; for once at Jamaica the packet would take eight or ten days to get up and through the windward passage, which to a sailing packet, notwithstanding this difficulty, is still the best. In fact, if the mails from Havannah to Demerara are detained in the West Indies more than sixteen, or at most seventeen days, beyond the time that these could, by care and exertion, be easily despatched from thence, the transmission of letters by private ships to every quarter will most unquestionably be resorted to; and thus the Post-office revenue suffer severely.
The capital and expenditure in the West Indian department under the combination and regulations just mentioned will be:—
| Capital. | Yearly Charge. | |
| Six Steamers, at 24,000l. | £144,000 | £37,200 |
| Nine Sailing Schooners, at 1500l. | 13,500 | 7,200 |
| Coals for Steamers, 30,000 tons, at 25s. | 37,500 | |
| ———— | ——— | |
| £157,500 | 81,900 | |
| ———— | ——— |
It is necessary here to observe, that the calculation taken for the consumption of coals is founded upon the basis that the coals are of the very best quality, and also that the machinery is of the best and most economical description and construction, and for a vessel of 240-horse power. The time that the steamers are considered to be engaged in actual work is calculated to include the time passed in getting up the steam in each voyage, and also to cover all temporary stoppages. The time allowed on every route and station is, on the average, more than will be required. Steamers of the force mentioned will, in good weather and light breezes and seas, even when contrary, run ten geographical miles per hour; and, within the tropics, with trade-winds and currents in their favour, at a still greater speed: but the average performance may be fairly taken at 200 geographical miles each twenty-four hours, although in all the climates within the variable winds, and in the tropics when going against the winds and currents, the speed made good will be, and is taken at, much less. Moreover it is proper to observe, on the point of outlay for coals, that the work is everywhere, as regards the quantity to be used, calculated as if wholly done by steam, while it is obvious that the assistance of sails may be had recourse to with advantage. For this purpose, those steamers which have to go into the torrid zone ought to be provided with large square fore-sails. The assistance to be obtained by the use of sails would save a considerable quantity of coals; or what is the same thing, using them would expedite the steamer proportionally more on her voyage, and bring it so much sooner to a close. Sails may fairly be calculated to impel a vessel at the rate of 2½ miles per hour on a voyage, and which will save either directly one-fourth the quantity of coals, or impel the steamer so much sooner to the end of her journey than the time calculated, where time is taken as if it were impelled by steam alone, and thereby a proportional saving of fuel will be effected. The saving effected on this ratio will, on the General Plan, be 27,000 tons, 33,250l.; on the West Indian portion thereof 7500 tons, 9375l.; and on the West Indian and the Falmouth and Fayal department, 9600 tons, 11,475l.; subject to 10 per cent. deduction, being allowance for wastage.
As regards the calculations made concerning the progress of steamers in the voyages to be made, it is satisfactory to find, from intelligence lately received, that the Berenice steamer, of 230-horse power, made the passage from Falmouth, by the Cape Verdes, Fernando Po, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Mauritius, to Bombay, in eighty-eight days; sixty-three at sea. The course taken, and distance run, is about 12,200 geographical miles, or at the average rate of 194 geographical miles per day. Her average consumption of coals was fifteen tons per day. The Atalanta of 210-horse power, ran the same distance in 106 days; sixty-eight of which at sea, under steam. Consumption of coals, seventeen tons per day. The Flamer steamer, of 140-horse power, now in the West Indies, two voyages in succession, last autumn, made the voyage from Barbadoes to Jamaica, by Jacmel, Hayti, in five days; which is fully nine geographical miles per hour; and in returning she ran in one voyage from St. Lucia to Barbadoes in twelve hours, distance 100 geographical miles, with winds and current unfavourable. Adverting to these facts, it is obvious that sufficient time is allowed for the progress of the steam-boats, in every station, under the General Plan now recommended to be adopted, in order to communicate with the different places in the Western World. The Berenice's greatest run was 256 miles in twenty-four hours.[3]