A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World

J >> James MacQueen >> A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World

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VI. The whole of the British Windward and Leeward Island Colonies (p. 043)
would have regularly, and nearly every week, post communications with
each other and with Barbadoes, instead of being, as at present, weeks
together without such communications.

VII. This arrangement would be more agreeable, convenient, and
advantageous to passengers from Demerara, &c. for the packet for
England, and also amongst the Colonies, and consequently more
advantageous to all interested in the packets.

VIII. The same may be said with regard to passengers in every part of
the Western Archipelago. The frequency and regularity of the
conveyances would greatly add to the number of travellers, and also
greatly increase the number of letters sent and received, and
consequently augment the Post-office revenue to an amount greatly
beyond what it now is.

IX. By this arrangement the packet itself would always be out of any
danger, which, it is well known, she incurs by laying at Barbadoes, an
unsheltered place at all times, but peculiarly dangerous in the
hurricane months. In the route pointed out she would be nearly free
from the sphere of all such dangers and tempests.

X. By this arrangement the communications, both to the Government and
to individuals, would be more safe, and regular, and frequent than
they now are with every quarter of the Western World; an object of
great importance to all, but more especially to the British
Government.

XI. By this arrangement six Mexican packets, which cost Government,
say 4200_l._ each (25,200_l._ per annum), would be wholly saved.

XII. Departing from Cape Nichola Mole, instead of St. Thomas, for
Falmouth, does not increase the distance in the voyage to England
above 310 miles,--about two days' sail; moreover, it may be remarked,
the packet at present scarcely ever leaves St. Thomas for England
earlier than on the nineteenth day, and sometimes even longer.
Thus,--Steam-boat to Jamaica, eight days, four days there, and seven
to St. Thomas even in favourable voyages.

XIII. Great Britain, by thus possessing all the channels of
communication in the Western Archipelago, would thereby secure the
principal political influence therein; but which will otherwise, and
in a very short period hence, go into the hands of the United States,
now earnestly looking about and proceeding to acquire and to (p. 044)
extend the same in that quarter of the world.

XIV. The expenses as regards this plan, would, for the West Indies,
not be greater than for the present establishment in that quarter, the
Mexican packets included; while the communications with several places
would be doubled.

XV. The whole correspondence of the United States, with every quarter
of America, to the south of these States, would be brought by the
General Plan within the range of the Post Office of Great Britain.
There would, moreover, be two mails each month between Great Britain
and the eastern coast of South America.

XVI. A great and useful commercial correspondence, between the United
States, British North America, and all the West Indies, would be
opened up, but which at present does not exist.

RECAPITULATION.

In order to obtain a view of the Plan, brought into the narrowest
possible compass, without wading through the minute and multifarious
details, it is necessary to particularize the different stations and
departments, to which the numbers affixed immediately and only relate,
thus:--

No. 1. Falmouth to Terceira or Fayal.
2. Fayal to Halifax.
3. Halifax by New York to Havannah.
4. Fayal to Rio de Janeiro by Pernambuco, &c.
5. Fayal to Madeira and Teneriffe.
6. Fayal to Barbadoes.
7. West India Department, from Demerara to Vera Cruz,
including Chagres, &c.
8. Expenses, depots for coals, and repair boats.

_Cost of Plan by Steam._ (p. 045)

--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------
| |Provi- | | | | | |Number
Number | Fixed | sions |Tons of|Price of|Cost of| Total |Number| of
of |Capital|Wages, | Coals | Coals | Coals |Expendi-| of |Sailing
Station.| re- | &c. |Yearly.|per ton.|Yearly.| ture |Steam-| Ves-
|quired.|Yearly.| | | | Yearly.| ers. | sels.
--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------
| L | L | | _s._ | L | L | |
1 | 48,000| 12,400| 8,400| 20 | 8,400| 20,800 | 2 | "
2 | 48,000| 12,400| 12,000| 25 | 15,000| 27,400 | 2 | "
3 | 48,000| 12,400| 12,000| " | 15,000| 27,400 | 2 | "
4 | 72,000| 18,600| 23,400| " | 29,250| 47,850 | 3 | "
5 | 7,000| 3,600| " | " | " | 3,600 | " | 4
6 | 96,000| 24,800| 22,200| " | 27,750| 52,550 | 4 | "
7 |157,500| 44,400| 30,000| " | 37,500| 81,900 | 6 | 9
8 | " | " | " | " | " | 11,350 | " | "
|-------+-------+-------| |-------+--------+------+-------
[7] |476,500|128,600|108,000| |132,900|272,850 | 19 | 13
Sub. |335,500|115,000| 38,400| | 45,900|168,500 | 8 | 26
|-------+-------+-------| |-------+--------+------+-------
Diff. |141,000| 13,600| 69,600| | 87,000|104,350 | 11 | 13
--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------

N.B.--The latter sum shows the difference of capital and expenditure
betwixt the work done by steam, and partly by steam and partly by
sailing packets. The reduction in coals by the preceding estimate will
be 33,250_l._; and, allowing 10 per cent. wastage on the _whole
quantity_, the real reduction in the expenditure will be 20,000_l._

[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 28,000_l._ to 29,000_l._ In the
latter case, 750_l._ 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.]

_Cost, partly by Steamers and partly by Sailing Packets_. (p. 046)

--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------
| |Provi- | | | | | |Number
Number | Fixed | sions |Tons of|Price of|Cost of| Total |Number| of
of |Capital|Wages, | Coals | Coals | Coals |Expendi-| of |Sailing
Station.| re- | &c. |Yearly.|per ton.|Yearly.| ture |Steam-| Pack-
|quired.|Yearly.| | | | Yearly.| ers. | ets.
--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------
| L | L | | _s._ | L | L | |
1 | 48,000| 12,400| 8,400| 20 | 8,400| 20,800| 2 | "
2 | 19,000| 8,400| " | " | " | 8,400| " | 2
3 | 19,000| 8,400| " | " | " | 8,400| " | 2
4 | 47,500| 21,000| " | " | " | 21,000| " | 5
5 | 7,000| 3,600| " | " | " | 3,600| " | 4
6 | 38,000| 16,800| " | " | " | 16,800| " | 4
7 |157,000| 44,400| 30,000| 25 | 37,500| 81,900| 6 | 9
8 | " | " | " | " | " | 7,600| " | "
|-------+-------+-------| |-------+--------+------+-------
|335,500|115,000| 38,400| | 45,900| 168,500| 8 | 26
--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+-------+--------+------+-------

Subject on the total expenditure to reduction in coals to the amount
of 11,475_l._; less, however, 10 percent, or 4,590_l._ for wastage;
giving the real reduction to be 6,885_l._

GENERAL REMARKS.

The mails conveyed from Great Britain by steam to the quarters
mentioned would in their courses be due:--

London to Halifax, Quebec, and New York, forty-six days; from
Halifax to West Indies, according to the distance of the island
or place; Havannah, twenty-two days; Jamaica, thirty-one days;
Barbadoes, fifty days, &c., &c. London to Rio de Janeiro,
sixty-five days, and Buenos Ayres, fifteen days more; London to
Madeira and Teneriffe, thirty-four days; London to Barbadoes, and
all the West Indies, from Demerara to Havannah, and Chagres
inclusive, sixty-five days, and to Honduras, Vera Cruz, and
Tampico, fifteen days more. If the mails are conveyed by sailing
packets on the four great lines from Fayal, then the time for all
would be fifteen days additional.

Large as the above-mentioned sums are, still the revenues of Great Britain
and Ireland, and their Colonial dependencies in the Western World (p. 047)
(say 55,000,000_l._ yearly), ought to defray the cost without feeling
any embarrassment. The cost, however, is nothing, when compared to the
benefits and the advantages which the nation and individuals would
derive from it. Time saved and actively employed is every thing. It is
capital, which, if not employed at the moment, can never be again
employed--a capital which, if suffered or forced to remain unemployed,
or to escape unemployed, can never again be found or replaced. The
exports of Great Britain amount at the declared value, and including
freights and charges, to 75,000,000_l._ per annum. By employing
steam-packets on even a portion of the present work, instead of
sailing-packets, _fifteen_ days would be gained in every line of
communication. Remittances arriving fifteen days earlier would be a
profit to the commercial interests of the country of 167,793_l._,
independent of the additional advantages which every merchant would
gain when, instead of his funds wandering on the Atlantic, or lying
idle and unproductive on the other side of it, he had these in hand,
to lay out to good account as opportunity might offer. Even Government
itself, from the want of regularity and frequency of transmission,
lose, in their money transactions in the West Indies, above 8000_l._
yearly, and much more in not being able to learn quickly and regularly
the state of the exchanges in the great money marts in the Western
World.

Moreover, the Plan above recommended, conducted judiciously, and
carried into effect to the extent pointed out, would amply repay
either the Government or the individuals who may undertake it.
Travelling would be prodigiously increased. Some of the wealth of
foreign countries would be drawn by it to this country and her
dependencies. Everywhere activity and industry would be encouraged
and increased. The Post-office revenue would be greatly
augmented,--perhaps doubled. The expenditure also would all be on
British materials and labour.

_Cost of the New System and the Present System._

In order to understand the subject fairly, it becomes necessary
to contrast the capital and the expenditure required under the (p. 048)
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 L81,900
Yearly cost by present system:--
Six Mexican packets at L4,200[8] L25,200
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 L4,700

But against this there is to be placed, the proportion
of saving in coals 5,635
-------
Difference _gained_ L935
-------

[Footnote 8: See Appendix No. 1., Calculation of
Expenses of Steamers and Sailing Packets.]

[Footnote 9: Men-of-war frequently carry the mails
from Barbadoes to Jamaica; also in other places.]

_Capital._ (p. 049)

Capital required by new plan L157,000
By present system:--
Six Mexican packets, at L9500 L57,000
Four steamers, _above_ L20,000, say 86,000
Ten mail-vessels, Windward Islands,
L1500 15,000
Mail-vessels, Nassau, St. Martha, &c. 5,000
Aid men-of-war,[10] equal to 7,500
------- 170,500
-------
Difference: decrease L13,500
-------

[Footnote 10: This assistance is worth more in
capital than this sum.]

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. (p. 050)

The General Plan for the Western World:--

Capital required by new plan L476,500
By present system:--
28 sailing-packets,[11] at L9500 L266,000
2 do. vessels, S. America, L5,000 10,000
4 steamers, _above_ L20,000 86,000
10 mail-vessels, Barbadoes, L1500 15,000
Mail vessels, other stations, at least 8,000
Aid navy, as already stated 7,500
-------- 392,500
--------
Difference: increase L84,000
--------

Cost yearly by new plan L272,850
By present system:--
28 sailing-packets, at L4200 L126,000
4 steamers, and coals 39,000
2 vessels, Rio de Janeiro, &c. 4,500
10 mail vessels, Barbadoes station 6,000
Bermuda, Halifax, Nassau, &c. &c.
say 5,500
Aid navy, equal to 3,000
-------- 184,000
--------
Apparent increase L88,850

But against this is to be placed, first, the coals saved
by the use of sails, 20,000_l._; secondly, the sum
of 11,350_l._ allowed in new plan (not taken into
account in the present) for the expense of coal
depots, and places for repairs; together 31,350
--------
Real increase L57,550
--------

[Footnote 11: According to Parl. Pap. No. 251, of
1835, the following are the names and the number of
the packets:--

Eclipse Lyra Tyrian Stanmer
Plover Renard Seagull Nautilus
Swallow Brisei Cockatrice Scorpion
Goldfinch Reindeer Hornet Espoir
Mutine Nightingale Camden Pike
Lapwing Skylark Duke of York Sheldrake
Pigeon Spey Lady Mary Pelham
Opossum Pandora Lord Melville

Astrea, stationary ship at Falmouth, 956 tons. The
Express, the Star, the Alert, NEW, have since
replaced some of the above.]

_Remarks._ (p. 051)

By the present system, there is no direct mail communication with New
York; no communication between North America and the West Indies, no
mail communication with the north side of Hayti, the south side of
Cuba, nor with Porto Rico; Havannah, Vera Cruz, Tampico, Honduras,
Nassau, Bermuda, Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha, Laguayra, Rio de
Janeiro, Buenos Ayres, &c. &c. have only _one_ mail in each month;
while all Demerara, most part of Trinidad, and all Jamaica (Kingston
and Spanish Town excepted), cannot reply to their letters by the same
packet by which they received them. Further, every thing is imperfect,
irregular, and uncertain; and, moreover, the four steamers in the West
Indies last spring are so utterly inefficient and worthless, that they
must forthwith be replaced by at least _three_ good new ones, to do
the same limited work.

By the new plan there will be _two mail_ communications with New York
and Halifax monthly; two ditto between all the West Indies and all
North America; there will be a mail communication twice each month
with Porto Rico, with the north side of Hayti, and the south side of
Cuba. There will be mail communications twice each month with Bermuda,
Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Panama,
Carthagena, Santa Martha, Laguayra, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Ayres,
Madeira, and Teneriffe; and all Demerara, Jamaica, and Trinidad will
be able to reply to their letters by the same packet by which they
receive them. The work everywhere will be well done, and every thing
will be regular and certain.

III. (p. 052)

If Steam is employed between Falmouth and Fayal, and in all the West
Indian department, and supposing that all the remainder of the general
plan for the western world is performed by sailing packets, then the
results will be:--

Capital required by new plan this way L335,500
Ditto employed under the present system 392,500
--------
Difference LESS L57,000
--------
Yearly cost by present system L184,000
Ditto by new plan 168,500
--------
Difference LESS L15,500

But to this difference ought to be added the
sum of 6885_l._ saved in coals by using sails,
and the sum of 7600_l._ allowed in new plan
but not taken into account in the present,
for the expense of coal depots, and places
for repairs, 7600_l._ together 14,485
--------
True difference LESS L29,985

IV.--_Income._

Profit on passengers in all quarters (see
Appendix, No. 1.) L132,274
Freights, parcels, packages, fine goods (see do.) 117,440
Ditto specie, 24,000,000 dollars, at 1 per cent.
dollar 4_s._ 2_d._ 51,125
[12]Transport troops, stores, &c. for Government, say 30,705
Saving coals, as before, by use of sails 20,000
--------
Total L351,544

Yearly charges of whole done by Steam L252,850 (p. 053)
[13]10 per cent. yearly to replace capital,
or 50,000
Port charges, say foreign ports, &c. 15,000
Sundry small charges for Steamers, at
600_l._ yearly 11,400
-------- 329,250
--------
Gain besides clear post-office revenue L22,294
--------

[Footnote 12: Cost transport troops to Government
yearly--

Jamaica command L4,314 4 5
Windward and Leeward Islands 14,149 17 9
Bermuda command 3,982 18 10
British North America 6,259 13 8
Army vessels West Indies 1,998 13 10
--------------
30,705 8 1

_Parliamentary Papers_, No. 598 of 1836.]

[Footnote 13: In order to replace the original
capital, 10 per cent. or 50,000_l._ yearly laid
aside as a sinking fund, is quite sufficient,
thus:--
Principal. Interest.

1st year L50,000 0 0
2d do. 50,000 0 0 L2,500 0 0
3d do. 50,000 0 0 5,125 0 0
4th do. 50,000 0 0 7,881 5 0
5th do. 50,000 0 0 10,775 6 0
6th do. 50,000 0 0 13,814 0 6
7th do. 50,000 0 0 17,004 19 0
8th do. 50,000 0 0 20,335 0 6
9th do. 50,000 0 0 23,872 15 6
10th do. 50,000 0 0 27,566 8 7
--------------- --------------
Capital 500,000 0 0 128,888 14 9
Interest 128,888 14 9
----------------
Total L628,888 14 9
----------------

A similar sum (see Appendix, No. 1.) of at least
600_l._ per annum, each, ought to be charged as the
capital necessary to replace the sailing-packets.]

As regards the Post-office revenue, it is impossible, in the absence
of full official returns, to state its present exact amount, and,
consequently, the probable future increase. The revenue from the
outward postages to the British West Indian Colonies, Honduras
excepted, is inserted in the Appendix from official authority. Judging
from it, and other data, also adduced from official authority, the
present amount there stated cannot be far wrong; and the calculated
increase under the arrangements proposed, every circumstance
considered, is fair and reasonable. Besides the certain great increase
in all the external postages in these countries and colonies and
places, the internal and coasting postages in these places will be
augmented to a very great extent. Taking the outward postages at
present to be, to all the places mentioned, 100,000_l._--inwards as
much, 200,000_l._--there may be added, Additions 100,000_l._; (p. 054)
Increase 70,000_l._; total 370,000_l._; viz., outwards 185,000_l._,
and inwards as much; giving at the average postage of 2_s._ 5_d._ the
number of letters each way to be 1,531,465.

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