In fact, unless the plan is carried into effect on an extensive scale, it will not prove a concern so remunerating as it would otherwise be, because it is only by connecting different places in the line, or within the sphere of communication, that a greater number, or rather a sufficient number, of letters and passengers can be obtained; and unless the communications are sufficiently frequent and regular, both letters and travellers will continue to find private traders and ships in general the quickest mode of proceeding on and getting to the end of their journey, or the place of their destination. The position of the United States, in the western world, and the very extensive trade which these States carry on with every part of that quarter of the world, and indeed with every quarter of the world, gives the merchants of these States, constituted as the packet arrangements and communications of Great Britain with foreign parts now are, an opportunity of receiving earlier intelligence regarding the state of many important foreign markets than British merchants in general enjoy, except such as are immediately connected with establishments in the United States, and by which means both obtain decided advantages over the rest of the commercial community. (p. 003) This ought not to be the case in a great commercial country like Great Britain. It is a fact quite notorious, that from almost every quarter of the western world the earliest intelligence is almost uniformly received through the United States. The whole correspondence of the important British Provinces, the Canadas, comes through these States. It is also notorious, that, by means of our own commercial marine, intelligence is generally received from many foreign countries earlier than by Government Packets. Indeed, it is not uncommon among merchants to return, unopened, to the Post-office many letters in originals, they having previously received the duplicates by private merchant ships. Besides, it is well known that vast numbers of letters from Great Britain to Foreign States are sent through the United States, because these go earlier to their place of destination. In these various ways a great Post-office revenue is cut off, while the mercantile world are put to a great inconvenience and uncertainty. It is not befitting that the first commercial country in the world should remain dependent upon the private ships of another commercial and rival state for the transmission of commercial correspondence. If such a deficient system is persevered in, the result will most infallibly be, that that country which obtains, and which can obtain, the earliest commercial information, will, in time, become the greatest and most prosperous commercial country.