OF THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA, NICARAGUA, &c.
With Charts.
By JAMES M'QUEEN, Esq.
LONDON;
B. FELLOWES, LUDGATE STREET.
1838.
Startling as the subject of connecting China and New South Wales (p. vi)
with Great Britain, through the West Indies, may at first sight
appear, both as regards time and expense, still few things are more
practicable. The labour and expense of crossing the Isthmus of
America, either by Panama or by Lake Nicaragua, by a land conveyance,
is trifling. With eight steam-boats, ONLY FOUR ADDITIONAL to the
number already in the West Indies, added to the present sailing-packet
establishment, the whole Plan for the Western World, extending it
westward to China and New South Wales, can, in the mean time, as the
following pages will show you, be put into execution to the fullest
extent, with a very great saving in time, and with very great
regularity. A water communication moreover will, I feel convinced, and
at no distant day, be carried through the American Isthmus--say by
Lake Nicaragua--when the sailing packets for the Pacific may run
direct between Jamaica and Sydney, New South Wales, and Canton-China.
In the estimate for the cost of steam-boats to be employed in the
service proposed, I have been chiefly guided by, and adhere to, the
statement made by that able and practical engineer Mr. Napier, of
Glasgow, in his evidence to the Post-office Commissioners in 1836,
that steam-boats of 240-horse power, and 620 tons burthen, could be
furnished at from 24,000_l._ to 25,000_l._ At this rate the total
yearly cost of mail communications by the aid of steam, to every
quarter which has been adverted to in the subsequent pages, will (p. vii)
be as stated in the following brief summary. Reference No. 1, shows
the expenditure, keeping the Red Sea route confined to India only, and
extending the communication to China and Sydney by the Pacific, from
Panama or Rialejo. No. 2, the expense, confining the communication by
the Cape of Good Hope to India only, and extending the communication
to Canton, &c. across the Pacific as before. No. 3, shows the
expenditure for the Western World, the work performed by steam in the
West Indies, and steam from Falmouth to Fayal, with sailing-packets
for the remainder of the work; and the whole expense, by extending
sailing-packets to China and Sydney westward across the Pacific, but
limiting the communication by the Red Sea to India only. Lastly, No.
4, shows the expenditure of the communications made in a way similar
to No. 3, limiting the conveyance by the Cape of Good Hope to India
only: (see also Appendix No. 2, p. 128.)
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4.
Western World £279,250 £279,250 £161,615 £161,615
East Indies, &c. 128,850 187,978 128,850 187,978
Pacific 63,000 63,000 63,000 63,000
-------- -------- -------- --------
£471,100 £530,228 £353,465 £412,593
-------- -------- -------- --------
It is, however, to that portion connected with the Western World that
the immediate and particular attention of yourself and the other
members of Her Majesty's Government is particularly requested. The
other parts, above alluded to, may hereafter not be deemed (p. viii)
unworthy of your consideration, and the consideration of the Public.
Carried into effect in a decided manner, and as speedily as the nature
and extent of the machinery required will admit, it would produce
great and lasting advantages to the British empire, and confer great
honour upon the British Government and the splendid Post-office
establishment of this country.
Permit me to observe, that the speedy conveyance of mails outwards, to
any place, is but a _minor_ point gained, unless the returns are made
regular and equally rapid, and so combined, that while every place
possible can be embraced in the line, no place shall obtain any undue
advantage over another. These points can never be lost sight of in
planning or arranging any mail communication, but more especially a
communication like that at present proposed.
No narrow or parsimonious views on the part of this great country
ought to throw aside the plan particularly alluded to, or leave it to
be taken up and split into divisions by parties, perhaps foreigners,
who will then not only command the channels of British intelligence,
but be enabled to demand what price they please for carrying a large
and important portion of the commercial correspondence of this
country. The Public, moreover, can only repose implicit confidence in
a mail conveyance under the direction and the responsibility of
Government. Further, it is scarcely necessary to point out, or to (p. ix)
advert to, the immense advantages which the Government of Great
Britain would possess, in the event of hostilities, by having the
command and the direction of such a mighty and extensive steam power
and communication, which would enable them to forward, to any point
within its vast range, despatches, troops, and warlike stores. From
Falmouth, letters might be at Sydney, New South Wales, in
seventy-five, and at Canton-China in seventy-eight days, by employing
sailing packets only, to cross the Pacific from the Isthmus of
America. Letters from Falmouth, by way of Barbadoes, Jamaica, and
Chagre, could be at Lima in thirty-five days.
To give greater security to the mails, and comfort and accommodation
to passengers, &c. a class of sailing-vessels rather larger than the
generality of those at present employed in the West Indies, ought to
be engaged; and for this purpose, a larger sum annually must be
allowed to defray the expense. Some of those at present employed, such
as the Charib, may do, but sloops are too small for the service.
It is only within these few months that a mail communication, and that
very uncertain and irregular, has been commenced with the British
Empire in Hindostan, containing 100,000,000 of people. With the
rapidly rising colonies in British America, containing 1,700,000
enterprising inhabitants, there is still but one ill-regulated mail
conveyance, by a sailing-packet, each month. Such a state of things (p. x)
is neither creditable nor safe to a country like Great Britain.
The population of these colonies must be left far behind their
neighbours in the United States in all commercial intelligence, and
the interests of the former must consequently suffer greatly.
The steam-boats to be employed in the service contemplated, although
of the high power mentioned, need not be of the same tonnage as
vessels of an equal power which are built for the sole purpose of
carrying goods. Consequently, a considerable expense in building the
former will be saved. Mails never can be carried either with
regularity or certainty in vessels, the chief object and dependence of
which is to carry merchandize. The time which such vessels would
require to procure, take in, and discharge cargoes, would render
punctuality and regularity, two things indispensably necessary in all
mail communications, quite impracticable. Any attempt to resort to
such a system, more especially in a quarter where steamers would have
so many places to call at as these will have in the West Indies, would
throw every thing into inextricable confusion. Steam-boats carrying
mails and passengers should be the mail-coaches of the ocean, limited
as mail-coaches on land are to cargoes, and as near as possible to the
tonnage pointed out in the following pages. The steamers to be
employed in the service contemplated should also be built broad in the
beam, of a light draught of water, and in speed, accommodation, and (p. xi)
security, must be such that no others of equal powers can surpass them.
The liberality of MR. JOHN ARROWSMITH, so well known for his
geographical knowledge and geographical accuracy, has enabled me,
without the labour of constructing it, to present to you and to the
public the Chart of the World, between 70° N. lat. and 60° S. lat., on
Mercator's projection, which accompanies the present sheets. On it I
have laid down all the routes of both steamers and sailing-packets, to
every quarter of the world that has been adverted to; and further
added a Chart of the West Indies, and of the Isthmus of America, drawn
by myself, and corrected by the latest authorities.
The timid and the interested will throw every doubt upon the success
of such an undertaking. What is going on in the world is the best
answer to doubts and fears on this subject. What takes place in other
quarters will take place in the quarters alluded to, namely, success
where failure was anticipated.
In a vast undertaking like the plan proposed, the interests of the
Government and the general interests of the public must be specially
kept in view and particularly attended to. By attending closely to
these interests, the Government will find that it best and most
effectually consults the interests of individuals, places and
communities. No partial or local interest or opposition (such may (p. xii)
in this, as in most other concerns, appear) ought to be listened to.
Any such opposition can only proceed from prejudice, or ignorance, or
self-interest; and a little experience will satisfy the public, and
convince even such opposition, that the fact is so; and, moreover,
that in the arrangements proposed, no interest in any quarter has been
neglected.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,