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

to which the plan and the chain of communication is intended to
extend.
Fayal.[1]
[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.]
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