A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the WorldMacQueen, James
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A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World
MacQueen, James
Mail steamers -- Great Britain; Postal service -- Great Britain -- Colonies
The mails for Honduras will be most conveniently forwarded from
Montego Bay, Jamaica. With the mails for the western parts of that
island they could be landed at Savannah la Mar, and thence carried by
land with the others, about twenty-five miles, to Montego Bay. From
thence a good schooner would proceed with those for Honduras and (p. 031)
Trinidad de Cuba; and having readied Honduras, return to Montego Bay
by Trinidad de Cuba. By this arrangement, Honduras rather gains more
than by the plan first proposed, to go from Batavano; and the letters
from thence will still and always be in excellent time for the
following packet, making every allowance for casualties during the
voyage. The steamer could then proceed direct from Jamaica to
Havannah, which would save one day each voyage, besides avoiding the
difficult navigation about Batavano. The coals saved yearly would be
1100 tons, 1475_l._, which would do more than pay the expenses for an
additional schooner for the Honduras communication; for, by this
arrangement, two schooners, instead of one, will be necessary. Their
route and time would be--Montego Bay to Trinidad de Cuba, 172 miles,
1-1/2 day; Trinidad de Cuba to Honduras, 520 miles, 3-1/2 days; back
to Montego Bay by Trinidad de Cuba, 692 miles, 10 days; stop at
Honduras 3 days; in all 18 days.
Bermuda being a great naval depot, a ready communication between it
and every part of the West Indies becomes an object of the greatest
importance. Under the general arrangement proposed, this communication
can be best effected from and with Cape Nichola Mole, Hayti; because
the downward steamer from Barbadoes, with the European and other
mails, will have passed St. Thomas before the steamer returning from
Jamaica, &c., comes up; by which means all the letters from Jamaica,
and every other place to the westward, would, were St. Thomas made the
starting point, be obliged to remain at that island till the arrival
of a following packet; whereas, starting from Cape Nichola Mole, the
mails, both from the eastward and the westward, and also those brought
from Europe, would go forward to a day. Moreover, owing to the winds
which prevail in those seas, vessels running between Cape Nichola Mole
and Bermuda would make passages equally quick, if not quicker, than
vessels running between St. Thomas and Bermuda could generally do. The
courses and distances stand thus:--
(p. 032)
Geo. Miles. Days.
St. Thomas to Bermuda. Nearly due N. 840 9
Cape Nichola Mole to do. N. 32 deg. E. 890 10
Nassau to Bermuda N. 57 deg. E. 800 7
Crooked Island to Bermuda 740 7
Ditto to Cape Nichola Mole S. 19 deg. W. 146 1
Ditto to Nassau 270 1-1/2
Cape Nichola Mole to do. N. 56 deg. W. 380 2-1/2
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