Barbadoes to Halifax by Jamaica, &c. 3075 15-1/2
Stoppages, suppose . . . 3
____ __
Total 6150 40
____ __
_Speed, &c. of Steam Boats_.
In the Sixth Report of the Post-office Commissioners, p. 281, it is
stated that the Malta steamers average 7-1/2 miles per hour, and have
done so for a period of two years. The Dublin and Liverpool Steam
Post-office packets average also 7-1/2 miles per hour, or 180 miles
daily.
In the same Report, p. 265, Mr. Napier states, that he built the
steamers which run between Dundee and London; and that during a period
of eighteen months they have averaged 11-1/2 miles per hour. This, it
is believed, means British miles, or 10 geographical miles. At the
latter rate they run 240 miles per day. During the period above
mentioned, these boats have not cost their owners 18_l._ for repairs
to the machinery. A steam-boat of 240-horse power would at that time
(1836) cost 24,000_l._ to 25,000_l._, burden 620 tons. A contractor,
to keep them in repair, would require 1,000_l._ per annum.
According to accounts lately received from the East, the _Berenice_,
with only one engine, the other having been broken, ran from Socotora
to Suez, a distance of 1800 miles, in 9-1/2 days. The Leith and London
Steamers, such as the _Monarch_, of 200-horse power, run the distance,
415 geographical miles, in 45 hours,--the average of voyages during
the year; and frequently the distance is run in 40 hours, and even
less.
_Estimates for Passengers on each Station._ (p. 124)
Demerara steamers, 48 voyages, 20 each, 960 per annum,
at 30 dollars 28,800
1st Leeward station--Barbadoes to Havannah, through
all the islands, 48 voyages monthly, 50 each, is
2400, at 70 dollars average 168,000
2d Leeward station--Havannah to Vera Cruz, and
Jamaica to Chagre, Panama, &c. &c., 96 voyages,
at 20 each, is 1920 yearly, at 40 dollars 76,800
Packets and sailing-vessels in all the points, 120
voyages, average 10 each, is 1200, at 25 dollars 30,000
_______
Total dollars 303,600
_______
At 4_s._ 2_d._ per dollar, is sterling £63,250
Falmouth to Barbadoes, 43 voyages, 20 each,
at 40_l._ £38,000
Falmouth to Rio de Janeiro, 48 voyages, 10
each, at 55_l._ 26,200
Falmouth to Halifax, 48 voyages, 20 each,
960 yearly, average 35_l._ 33,600
Halifax to West Indies, by New York, 48 voyages,
20 each, is 960, at 26_l._ 24,960
Falmouth to Madeira and Teneriffe, 200 yearly,
at 20_l._ 4,000
Rio do Janeiro to Buenos Ayres, 240 yearly,
at 15_l._ 3,600
Pernambuco to Maranham, 120 yearly, at 12_l._ 1,440
West India Islands to Bermuda, Nassau, &c. &c.
280 yearly, at 12_l._ 3,360
_______
135,160
_______
Total £198,410
Deduct expense, finding one-third 66,136
_______
Amount gained £132,274
The cost of finding passengers is here estimated at 4 dollars per day.
In the House of Commons Report about Steam Communications with India,
the cost of finding passengers to that quarter of the world is
estimated by experienced captains of ships at 10_s._ sterling per day.
The charge made in steamers in the West Indies for cabin passage
money, by orders of the Admiralty, is 17_l._ sterling, Barbadoes to
Jamaica; 10_l._ sterling, Jamaica to St. Thomas; and 10_l._ sterling,
St. Thomas to Barbadoes.
_Income:--Parcels, Packages, and Fine Goods. Steamers to be (p. 125)
restricted to 40 tons Weight in all._
240 voyages on the four great lines yearly, 20 tons each, at
the rate of 10_l._ per ton over all £48,000
Second Class Lines, Barbadoes to Havannah, Havannah
to Vera Cruz; Jamaica to Chagre, &c; Barbadoes
to Demerara, 192 voyages yearly, 20 tons each,
average 10_l._ 38,400
Suppose Third Class Lines by Sailing-vessels everywhere--388
voyages, average 8 tons 31,040
_______
Total £117,440
--------
But Port Dues remain to be deducted--uncertain, say, 15,000_l._
APPENDIX, No. II.--EASTERN WORLD.
Places. Latitudes. Longitudes.
Falmouth 50° 8' N. 5° 1' W.
Lisbon 38° 24' -- 9° 12' --
Cadiz 36° 31' -- 6° 18' --
Gibraltar 36° 6' 20" -- 5° 20' 53" --
Malta 35° 53' -- 14° 30' E.
Zante 37° 47' -- 20° 54' --
Athens 37° 57' -- 23° 43' --
Smyrna 38° 25' -- 27° 6' 45" --
Constantinople 41° 12' -- 28° 59' --
Alexandria (light) Egypt 31° 12' -- 29° 52' --
Cairo 30° 3' -- 31° 18' --
Suez 30° 0' -- 32° 28' --
Mocha 13° 20' -- 43° 20' --
Babelmandel, Isle 12° 38' -- 43° 20' --
Cape Guardafui 11° 41' 4" -- 51° 12' 24" --
Socotora, Galanscea road 12° 43' -- 53° 18' --
Cape Aden 12° 46' -- 45° 10' 30" --
Bombay 18° 55' -- 72° 54' --
Colombo, Ceylon 6° 57' -- 79° 57' --
Point de Galle, Ceylon 6° 1' -- 80° 18' -- (p. 126)
Trincomalee, ditto 8° 33' 30" -- 81° 20' 15" --
Madras 13° 4' 10" -- 80° 21' --
Calcutta 22° 34' -- 88° 26' --
Cape Comorin 8° 4' -- 77° 41' 30" --
Mauritius, Port Louis 20° 9' S. 57° 28' --
Bourbon, St. Dennis 20° 52' -- 55° 26' --
Madagascar, Cape St. Mary 25° 38' 54" -- 45° 1' 42" --
Ditto Tamatave, E. C. 18° 10' 6" -- 19° 23' 18" --
Amsterdam Isle 37° 52' 0" -- 77° 52' --
St. Paul's, ditto 34° 42' -- 77° 52' --
Great Nicobar Isle 6° 45' -- 94° 0' --
Singapore 1° 12' N. 103° 30' --
Batavia 6° 0' S. 106° 51' 45" --
Canton 23° 7' 10" N. 113° 14' --
Swan River 32° 4' 31" S. 115° 6' 43" --
Hobart Town 42° 53' 35" -- 147° 28' --
Sydney 33° 50' 40" -- 151° 14' --
Madeira, Funchall 32° 47' 42" N. 16° 55' 30" W.
Cape de Verde, Port Praya 14° 53' 40" -- 23° 34' --
Ascension Isle 7° 55' 56" S. 14° 23' 50" --
St. Helena Isle 15° 54' 48" -- 5° 45' 20" --
Cape of Good Hope 34° 22' -- 18° 24' 24" E.
Rio de Janeiro 22° 54' 15" -- 43° 15' 50" W.
Pernambuco 8° 4' -- 34° 51' --
_Distances and Bearings of Places._
Geo. Miles.
Falmouth to Gibraltar S. 4° W. 820
Ditto to Madeira S. 27° W. 1170
Madeira to Cape Verde S. 19° W. 1130
Gibraltar to Malta, direct S. 1° E. 770
Malta to Zante N. 69° E. 320
Zante to Athens, round Cape 260
Athens to Constantinople N. 51° E. 310
Malta to Alexandria S. 70° E. 825
Suez to Babelmandel 1205
Babelmandel to Bombay 1630
Cape Verde to Ascension S. 22° W. 1530
Ascension to St. Helena S. 47° E. 655
St. Helena to Cape of Good Hope S. 50° E. 1720
Rio de Janeiro to ditto ditto S. 78° E. 3250
Cape of Good Hope to Mauritius N. 38° E. 2280
Mauritius to Swan River S. 77° E. 3150
Mauritius to Colombo, Ceylon N. 38° E. 2100 (p. 127)
Ditto to Point de Galle N. 49° E. 2080
Point de Galle to Bombay N. 29° W. 880
Madras to Calcutta N. 39° E. 735
Trincomalee to Car Nicobar S. 82° E. 775
Nicobar to Singapore S. 60° E. 665
Singapore to Batavia S. 25° E. 475
Singapore to Canton N. 24° E. 1440
Batavia to Canton N. 18° E. 1830
Trincomalee to Batavia S. 60° E. 1750
Batavia to Swan River S. 18° E. 1745 1645/100
Swan River to Hobart Town S. 66-1/2° E. 1770 1620/150
Hobart Town to Sydney N. 18° E. 570
Cape of Good Hope to Hobart Town S. 85° E. 6000
Pernambuco to Cape of Good Hope S. 62° E. 3300
Fayal to Pernambuco S. 7° W. 2800
Sydney to Canton N. 33° W. 4100
Canton to Swan River, by E. Coast Borneo 3300
Fayal to Cape Verde, Port Praya S. 11° E. 1545
There never having been heretofore any regular packet conveyance to
and from India, there are consequently no accurate returns of the
postage received, or letters that are conveyed backwards and forwards
between England and the vast countries to the eastward of the Cape of
Good Hope. The number, however, from the extent of the trade, must be
very great; and not a doubt can remain, that if regular and speedy
conveyances were established, the numbers would be very much
increased. In a communication from Col. Maberly, Secretary to the
General Post Office, printed by order of the House of Commons last
year, along with the Evidence taken before the Committee appointed to
consider the propriety of establishing a Steam Communication with
India, that gentleman gives the whole amount of postage outwards for
1836 to Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malta, and Corfu, at 3411_l._, and reckons
the amount inwards at the same sum. He estimates the whole postage
outwards and inwards, including sea postage between England, Ceylon,
India, and the Mediterranean, at 47,000_l._ Even this sum, which
certainly by no means includes every letter to and from the places
mentioned, would, under the arrangements proposed, be doubled,
independently of all the postages which would be obtained from the New
South Wales, China, and Batavia, &c. &c. trade. The coasting or
internal postages of Hindostan would certainly be greatly increased.
In the Finance Accounts of 1837, p. 55, there is charged the sum (p. 128)
of 14,216_l._ 19_s._ 11_d._ for transit postage through foreign
countries. Much of this is doubtless from letters which come through
France, &c. from the Mediterranean, and countries near that sea. Under
the proposed regular and frequent packet arrangement, the letters from
which much of this sum is obtained would come directly through the
British Post Office.
The amount of postage to be obtained through the vast range of
countries which the New Plan proposes to embrace, can only be
conjectured by considering the immense trade which is carried on with
them and by them. As it is very great, so must the correspondence to
which it gives rise be.
_Mauritius and Socotora._
An error has been committed in stating the expense on this station
(see page 68.) Three sailing-vessels, instead of two, will be
required; thus adding 4000_l._ to the capital, and 2000_l._ to the
yearly expenditure.
* * * * *
Including the Mediterranean, the yearly cost of the present Foreign
Packet conveyances, limited, uncertain, and irregular as the whole is,
cannot be less than 350,000_l._, exclusive of any sum set apart to
replace the capital engaged in it.
If the East Indian communication is amalgamated with the plan for the
Western World to Pernambuco by Fayal, as it may readily be, then a
considerable further reduction of expenditure in the former can be
made (including the sailing-vessels between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos
Ayres) in capital 106,000_l._ and in direct yearly charges 45,000_l._;
and nevertheless extend the steam conveyance to Buenos Ayres by Rio de
Janeiro from Pernambuco. This desirable object could be effected with
the saving mentioned, and without creating any additional delay in the
communication; because, if the communication by this route between
Falmouth and the Cape of Good Hope can be effected, as it may be,
within 75 days, then no delay in the course of the mails takes place,
while a considerable expense is saved, and important additional
accommodation is afforded to the public, and to the commercial world.
The distance from Falmouth to the Cape of Good Hope by Fayal and
Pernambuco, is 7330 geographical miles. This could be run in 75 (p. 129)
days: thus--36 days outwards, and 34 days inwards: 215 geographical
miles per day in the latter, and 203 geographical miles in the former.
APPENDIX, No. III.--PACIFIC OCEAN.
_Longitudes and Latitudes, Places, &c._
Places. Lat. Long.
River St. Juan, mouth of 10° 53' N. 83° 40' W.
Kingston, Jamaica 17° 57' 57" -- 76° 46' 10" --
Port Culebra 10° 42' -- 85° 37' --
Leon 12° 20' -- 86° 45' --
Rialejo 12° 29' 50" -- 87° 6' --
Colombia River 46° 19' -- 123° 50' --
Port Illuluk Oonoolashka 53° 52' -- 166° 32' --
Nootka Sound 49° 34' -- 126° 28' 30" --
Icy Cape 70° 17' -- 161° 40' --
Christmas Isle, Pacific 1° 58' -- 157° 32' --
Owhyhee 19° 43' 51" -- 155° 7' 10" --
Otaheite 17° 29' 12" S. 149° 28' 46" --
Melville Island, Port Dundas 12° 13' -- 136° 46' E.
Sydney, New South Wales 33° 50' 40" -- 151° 14' 10" --
Canton, China 23° 7' 10" N. 113° 14' --
Pekin 39° 54' -- 116° 26' --
Jeddo, Japan 35° 40' -- 139° 50' --
Kamschatka 56° 15' -- 162° --
Manilla 14° 36' -- 121° 2' --
Chagre 9° 21' -- 80° 4' 5" --
Panama 8° 57' 30" -- 79° 29' 20" --
Point Mala 7° 25' -- 79° 54' --
Port Damas, Quibo 7° 26' -- 81° 31' --
Acapulco 16° 50' 29" -- 99° 53' 47" --
St. Blas 21° 32' 24" -- 105° 18' 27" --
Cape St. Lucas, California 22° 52' 28" -- 109° 50' 23" --
Guayaquil 2° 12' 12" S. 79° 39' 46" --
Lima 12° 2' 34" -- 77° 8' 30" --
Callao 12° 3' 45" -- 77° 14' 10" --
Arica 18° 28' 35" -- 70° 16' --
Coquimbo 29° 53' 43" -- 71° 18' 40" --
Valparaiso 33° 1' 55" -- 71° 40' 25" --
Fort St. Carlos, Chiloe 41° 51' 50" -- 73° 53' 50" --
_Bearings and Distances of Places._ (p. 130)