A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western | Page 9

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.]
All the outward mails from Great Britain to the western world, having reached Fayal, they would be despatched from thence and return back to it, under the following arrangements and regulations. Take them in order as follow:--
II. (p.?015)
Fayal and North America.
The rising importance of British America renders it highly desirable, nay, absolutely necessary, that a more frequent and regular post communication should be established with it. This might be done so as to secure all the Post-office revenue derivable from the letters to and from that quarter of the empire with Great Britain; and not only so, but to draw from the United States unto England some of that postage and some of those passengers which belong specifically to those States. To carry this into effect, it must be done by steam-boats, and Fayal made the point of communication from which the mails are to diverge, and to which they are again to return. The point of communication with Fayal should be either by Halifax to New York, or to Halifax alone; from which place the steamer to run to the West Indies could carry the European mails to and from New York. In each way the details will be as follow:--
Fayal to New York, by Halifax.
From Fayal to New York direct is 2020 miles; and from Fayal to New York, by Halifax, is 2160 miles. If this course is adopted, there would be no need for any stoppages at Halifax, except to land the outward mails, &c., and pick up the inward, or homeward-bound European mails, &c. The steamers, with the outward mails on board, would proceed from Fayal on the 10th and 25th of each month, and reach New York, by Halifax, on the 7th and 23d of each month, or in thirteen days. Leaving New York on the evening of the 9th or 10th, and the 25th or 26th of the month, with the return mails from the States, and calling at Halifax for all those from British America, the steamer would reach Fayal in thirteen days, or on the 8th and 23d of each month, exactly in time, as will by-and-by be shown, for the homeward-bound West Indian and Brazil mails coming up to the same place; and two days previous to the arrival of the outward packet (p.?016) from Falmouth, after allowing two days to stop at New York, and having one day to spare, in the event of severe weather on the voyage. The course and time will be:--
Geo. Miles. Days.
Fayal to Halifax 1640 10 Halifax to New York 520 3 Stop at New York " 2 New York to Fayal, by Halifax 2160 13 ---------- Totals 4320 28 ----------
Two steam-boats would perform this work, giving two mails each month, prime cost 48,000l.; wages, provisions, &c. &c. 6200l. each, 12,400l. Each boat would be at sea 26 and 26 = 52 days, monthly = 624 yearly; 25 tons of coals daily = 15,000 yearly, at 25s. per ton, 19,500l.
This would, however, be close work for two boats, in the event of accidents; and therefore a spare boat would be required, at an additional expense of 24,000l. capital, and 6200l. yearly charges. But two may be rendered quite sufficient by making Halifax, instead of New York, the point of communication between Fayal and British North America; the communication with New York to be taken up, and carried on, by the steamers proposed to run between North America and the West Indies, as explained and stated under the next head. Fixing the communications in this way, the details, or the course and time, would be:--
Geo. Miles. Days.
Fayal to Halifax 1640 10 Rest there, say " 8 Halifax to Fayal 1640 10 ----------- Totals 3280 28 -----------
Two boats would be quite sufficient to perform this service, and the advantage would be gained of having a British port as the port for trans-shipment. Each boat would be at sea 10 and 10 = 20 days each voyage = 40 monthly = 480 yearly; coals, 25 tons daily = 12,000 (p.?017) tons yearly, at 25s. = 15,000l. The periods for the arrivals and departures of these Halifax and Fayal steamers will be found to agree well with the arrivals and departures of the steamers to run between Halifax and the West Indies, by way of New York, as minutely particularized under the next head.
Halifax ought to be made the point from which, and to which, all the British North American, foreign, that is, transmarine correspondence, ought to converge and diverge. It can be made to do so readily, and with advantage,