| Long. | |||
| Chagre, according to Capt. Forster, from Greenwich, in time, | 5h | 19' | 49.27" |
| Observatory of Panama, East of Fort Lorenzo, Chagre, according to Capt. Belcher, in time | 1' | 52.8" | |
| Gorgona, East of Chagre | 1' | 8.7" | |
| Panama, East of Gorgona | 43.7" | ||
| Porto Bello, according to Capt. Forster, from Greenwich, West, in time | 5h | 18' | |
THE END.
Footnote 1: The Island of Fayal is chosen as the point of communication in preference to Terceira, &c. because during the few months when one side is exposed to storms, the other side is well sheltered, and the distance is very short from the one side to the anchorage on the other. As each of the steamers from the westward and southward will proceed to Falmouth in her turn, so if all the mails are up at Fayal before the outward steamer arrives from Falmouth, the steamer whose turn it is to proceed on to Falmouth, will go forward with the mails without any delay, except to take in coals.[(Back)]
Footnote 2: Should the Colombian Government obstinately and ignorantly oppose the transmission of mails across the isthmus from Chagres to Panama, or propose to shackle this point of communication with unreasonable and inadmissible restrictions, then in that case there remains a point, it is believed, more practicable, safer, and more eligible, where the communication could be effected, namely, in the State of Guatemala, or Central America, by the River St. Juan's and Lake Nicaragua, both of which are navigable for vessels of any size. The south-west shores of the lake in question approach to within fourteen or fifteen miles of the Pacific, and this distance, in one place, through a valley nearly level throughout, and at but little elevation above the level of the sea. From Lake Managua, or Leon, the distance to the sea is still shorter, being, in one place, according to good maps, not more than eight to ten miles. From this lake also, and the capital, Leon, the distance north-west to Rialejo, a fine port on the Pacific, is twenty-three miles, and through an accessible, if not very easy country. The Government of the Republic of Guatemala, or Central America, would doubtless be ready to afford every facility to open such a communication, which would prove the greatest and most certain means of improving their country. Moreover, if a ready communication is once afforded, from any point on the east coast of America, in the places alluded to, it would speedily become the object and the interest of the Chilian, the Peruvian, and the Mexican Governments to watch and to see that the communication with the world to the eastward should not only be rendered secure, but be maintained. Also, with a communication opened in this quarter, such as it is believed can be opened, the commerce and communications between North America and Europe, and New South Wales, China, and all Eastern Asia, would most certainly, as it could most advantageously and expeditiously, be carried on by it.[(Back)]
Footnote 3: See also [Appendix], No. 1.[(Back)]
Footnote 4: To touch at Savannah la Mar would scarcely take up one hour, while doing so would be a very great accommodation to the western part of Jamaica.[(Back)]
Footnote 5: If the packet is a steamer, these boats will be saved, because the steamer would save so much time as to enable it to call at all the islands northwards, to pick up the return mails.[(Back)]
Footnote 6: Whenever steamers are appointed to carry the mails from Falmouth to Barbadoes, the arrival of the packet at that island will be so regular, that Jamaica might be made (should this be considered advantageous) the headquarters, as it were, for the steamers in that quarter of the world. Four would then be sufficient for the work between Barbadoes and Vera Cruz; two to run between Jamaica and Vera Cruz, by the Havannah, and two between Jamaica and Barbadoes, by St. Thomas. The latter two would be each fifteen days at sea monthly, and the former two seventeen days, exclusive of partial stoppages; so that there would be abundance of time for rest and repairs. Further, under such circumstances, the packet with the European return mails would have time to run through the islands and pick up all the mails; meeting, on the second day after her departure from Trinidad, and on the ninth after reaching Barbadoes, at St. Lucia, the steamer from Guiana, with the Guiana, Tobago, and Barbadoes return mails; and proceeding onward through all the islands, to the northward and westward, St. Thomas and Porto Rico included, pass from that island through the Mona Passage, and call at Jacmel for a mail, reaching Jamaica in fourteen days. From thence starting without delay, and going by St. Jago de Cuba and Cape Nichola, leave the latter place on the seventeenth day for Fayal, exactly in the same time that it is calculated it could do under the other arrangement. But such an arrangement would render it difficult, perhaps impracticable, to get up the Laguayra mail to St. Thomas in time, it having only ten days for that purpose; and at the same time an additional expense for coals, at least for three days each packet or voyage (1800 tons, 2250l. yearly) would be required, being the time taken between Jamaica and Cape Nichola Mole.[(Back)]
Footnote 7: The cost of these steamers will, to a considerable degree, depend on the tonnage which it is considered most proper to adopt. The utmost quantity of coals which any of them will require to carry, will be (Fayal to Barbadoes, and Fayal to Pernambuco) 300 tons. Airy accommodation for from fifty to sixty cabin passengers, and twenty-five to thirty steerage ditto, with the crew, will be all that is requisite, leaving a room for specie and the mails, and space for from forty to one hundred tons of goods. Since the present calculation was made, the price of machinery has risen considerably. Boats of the size necessary may now, perhaps, cost 28,000l. to 29,000l. In the latter case, 750l. per annum (five per cent. insurance, five per cent. interest, and five per cent. ordinary tear and wear) must be added to the yearly outlay, as here stated. The wages and provisions will remain the same. Iron boats can be had one-fourth cheaper than those built of wood; moreover, engines now made on the EXPANSIVE system, require fully one-third fewer coals, by which so much expense will be saved.[(Back)]
Footnote 8: See [Appendix] No. 1., Calculation of Expenses of Steamers and Sailing Packets.[(Back)]