Cost, say averages 2,000_l._--Interest at 5 per cent. L100 Insurance, 12 per cent. 240 Tear and wear, at 5 per cent. 100 Crews, 10. Captain, per annum L100 Mate 70 8 Men and Boys, average 30s. per month 144 Provisions, at 30s. per do. 180 ____ 494 ____ Total L934 POSTAGES, PROBABLE AMOUNT, INCREASE, &c. In the General Post-office Accounts for 1836 (see Finance Accounts, 1837, p. 55), there is charged the sum of 9,406_l._ 7_s._ 5-1/4_d._, as the sum paid for ship letters. For each letter received by a ship not a regular packet, 2d. is paid by the Post Office at landing, and which gives the number of such letters to be 1,128,764 yearly. Suppose 400,000 of these went by packets under the new arrangements, the additional Post-office revenue therefrom would be 16,665_l._ The sum just mentioned as paid for ship letters may be stated as principally attached to ship letters brought from all places in the Western World. According to a return to the House of Commons (see East India Steam Communication Report, 1837), the number of ship letters from India for 1836, was 159,360. The New York packet ships alone carry from 5000 to 6000 letters each. Twice each month the proposed packets to and from England would bear an equal, perhaps even a greater, number, under the proposed regular and prompt arrangement: certainly all the Canadian correspondence will be very greatly increased. This number, however, in four voyages each month, backwards and forwards, gives at the rate, in round numbers, of 290,000 each year. At 9_d._ each letter, the additional packet postage beyond the ship-letter rate, would be 10,875_l._ gained to the British Post Office. In the Accounts above referred to, p. 54, there is entered 75,484_l._ 10_s._ 8-1/4_d._, charged on the postmasters in the British West Indies, and in British America. This sum is doubtless for the (p. 116) unpaid letters outwards, and perhaps some internal postage. The return postage from these quarters will exceed this sum, because more double and treble letters come inwards than are sent outwards. There is also a considerable sum paid in this country for letters sent by post to the British Colonies.