On the arrival of the steamer at Havannah another steamer should be despatched with the outward mails for Tampico and Vera Cruz, and from thence return to Havannah with the return British and Colonial mails. The course of this boat would be,—to Vera Cruz, 800 miles, three and a half days; to Tampico and back, 360 miles, stopping two days, four days; Vera Cruz, back to Havannah, five and a half days; in all, thirteen days.
The route of the mail conveyance from Barbadoes to Jamaica, &c., by steamers, would therefore be:—
| Geo. Miles. | Days. | ||
| Barbadoes to St. Thomas | 430 | 2 | |
| St. Thomas to Jamaica, by Porto Rico, Cape Nichola, and St. Jago de Cuba | 780 | 3½ | |
| Jamaica to Havannah, by Cape Antonio | 685 | 3 | |
| Stop at Havannah | 2 | ||
| Havannah to Jamaica, by Cape Antonio | 685 | 4 | |
| Jamaica, Coals | 1 | ||
| Kingston to Cape Nichola Mole, by St. Jago | 305 | 2 | |
| Cape Nichola Mole to St. Thomas, by P. Rico | 480 | 3 | |
| St. Thomas, Coals | 1 | ||
| St. Thomas to Barbadoes, calling at all Islands | 500 | 4 | |
| —— | —— | ||
| Totals | 3865 | 25½ | |
| —— | —— |
Each steam-boat being thus twenty-two days, each trip, at sea.
Two powerful boats (240 or 250-horse power each), actively employed, carrying passengers, parcels, and packages, would do this work twice each month, with the addition of one spare one stationed at Barbadoes, or Jamaica; perhaps the former.
2.—Windward Station.
One powerful steam-boat (240-horse power) to leave Barbadoes immediately on the arrival of the outward British packet, for Demerara and Berbice, with the British and Colonial mails, and from the latter return to Barbadoes, having first carried the return mails to the packet at Grenada; thus:—Barbadoes to Berbice, 450 miles, landing mail at Demerara, three days; (the mail for Berbice might be forwarded from George Town, Demerara, by land;) stop at Berbice two days; to Grenada, calling at Demerara, Tobago, and St. Vincent's, for return mail, 490 miles, four days; back to Barbadoes, 150 miles, two days; in all, eleven days: taking with her the return mails from the Colonies at which she had called for Barbadoes, and having delivered the return European mails, and others, to the packet at Grenada.
On the arrival of the British packet at Barbadoes, a fast-sailing schooner to be despatched with the outward mails for Laguayra (dropping at St. Vincent's and Grenada the outward mails for these islands, which would be little trouble to it), and from Laguayra to proceed to St. Thomas, with the return mails for the packet, as at present, and thence return to Barbadoes direct. The route of this boat would be,—Barbadoes to Laguayra, calling first at St. Vincent's and Grenada, 510 miles, four days; stop there three days; and to St. Thomas, 490 miles, six days; to Barbadoes, eight days; in all, twenty-one days. Two schooners would do this work, giving two mails each month.
On the arrival of the British packet at Barbadoes, a fast-sailing schooner should be despatched, as at present, with the outward mails from Great Britain for St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Kitts. The boat need proceed no further westward than St. Kitts, because the steamer from Barbadoes had carried forward the Tortola mails. From St. Kitts it will return to Barbadoes, calling at all the islands just enumerated, for the return Colonial mails. The route of this boat would be,—Barbadoes to St. Kitts, calling at the places mentioned, 370 miles, four days; and back to Barbadoes, six days; together, ten days.
On the eighth day after the arrival of the packet at Barbadoes (the despatch of this boat must always be so as to secure its arrival at St. Kitts before the packet), a schooner to be despatched with the return mails and passengers from that island, to pick up for the homeward-bound packet mails and passengers at St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, and Nevis, and give to or leave these for the packet at St. Kitts. From St. Kitts this boat returns to Barbadoes, calling at all the islands enumerated for the return Colonial mails. This boat will be the same time out as the one which carried the outward mails, namely, ten days.[5]