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.