In order to understand the subject fairly, it becomes necessary to contrast the capital and the expenditure required under the New Plan with the capital and the expenditure required for the Present System; and also, from data, which, though these in some points may not be perfectly accurate, are at any rate sufficiently so, to show the income which may reasonably be expected under the working of the Plan recommended. Every one practically acquainted with the subject, with the countries and combinations, with the objects alluded to and brought forward, will acknowledge the general accuracy of the data, and the great superiority and advantages in every way, and in every thing, of the new plan over the present system.
I.
The portion relating to the West Indian Department, shall separately and first be taken as a comparison.
| Yearly cost by the proposed plan | £81,900 | |
| Yearly cost by present system:— | ||
| Six Mexican packets at £4,200[8] | £25,200 | |
| Four steamers and coals, say | 39,000 | |
| Hire ten mail-boats, West Indies | 6,000 | |
| Ditto mail-vessels, Nassau, Chagres, &c., say | 4,000 | |
| Assistance navy,[9] equal to, say | 3,000 | |
| ——— | 77,200 | |
| ——— | ||
| Apparent increase | £4,700 | |
| But against this there is to be placed, the proportion of saving in coals | 5,635 | |
| ——— | ||
| Difference gained | £935 |
Capital.
| Capital required by new plan | £157,000 | |
| By present system:— | ||
| Six Mexican packets, at £9500 | £57,000 | |
| Four steamers, above £20,000, say | 86,000 | |
| Ten mail-vessels, Windward Islands, £1500 | 15,000 | |
| Mail-vessels, Nassau, St. Martha, &c. | 5,000 | |
| Aid men-of-war,[10] equal to | 7,500 | |
| ——— | 170,500 | |
| ——— | ||
| Difference: decrease | £13,500 | |
| ——— |
Under the present system, all Demerara, Jamaica (Kingston and Spanish Town excepted), and a large portion of Trinidad, cannot reply to their letters by the same packet by which they receive them. Also Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, have only one mail each month; while all Porto Rico, all the north side (the most important part) of Hayti, and all the south side of Cuba, are wholly left out; while in all parts the system is imperfect, irregular, and uncertain.
By the new plan, Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, would have two mails each month; all Porto Rico, the north side of Hayti, and the south side of Cuba, would be included, and have two mails each month also; and all Jamaica, Trinidad, and Demerara, would have time to reply to their letters by the same packet which brought them. Time would everywhere be saved, and the whole system would be regular and certain, and properly combined.
II.
The General Plan for the Western World:—