[Footnote 10: This assistance is worth more in capital than this sum.]

Under the present system, all Demerara, Jamaica (Kingston and Spanish Town excepted), and a large portion of Trinidad, cannot reply to their letters by the same packet by which they receive them. Also Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, have only ONE mail each month; while all Porto Rico, all the north side (the most important part) of Hayti, and all the south side of Cuba, are wholly left out; while in all parts the system is imperfect, irregular, and uncertain.

A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World — Part 40

By the new plan, Nassau, Havannah, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Honduras, Chagres, Santa Martha, and Laguayra, would have two mails each month; all Porto Rico, the north side of Hayti, and the south side of Cuba, would be included, and have two mails each month also; and all Jamaica, Trinidad, and Demerara, would have time to reply to their letters by the same packet which brought them. Time would everywhere be saved, and the whole system would be regular and certain, and properly combined.

A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World — Part 40

The General Plan for the Western World:--

A General Plan for a Mail Communication by Steam, Between Great Britain and the Eastern and Western Parts of the World — Part 40

Capital required by new plan £476,500 By present system:-- 28 sailing-packets,[11] at £9500 £266,000 2 do. vessels, S. America, £5,000 10,000 4 steamers, _above_ £20,000 86,000 10 mail-vessels, Barbadoes, £1500 15,000 Mail vessels, other stations, at least 8,000 Aid navy, as already stated 7,500 -------- 392,500 -------- Difference: increase £84,000 --------

Cost yearly by new plan £272,850 By present system:-- 28 sailing-packets, at £4200 £126,000 4 steamers, and coals 39,000 2 vessels, Rio de Janeiro, &c. 4,500 10 mail vessels, Barbadoes station 6,000 Bermuda, Halifax, Nassau, &c. &c. say 5,500 Aid navy, equal to 3,000 -------- 184,000 -------- Apparent increase £88,850

But against this is to be placed, first, the coals saved by the use of sails, 20,000_l._; secondly, the sum of 11,350_l._ allowed in new plan (not taken into account in the present) for the expense of coal depôts, and places for repairs; together 31,350 -------- Real increase £57,550 --------

[Footnote 11: According to Parl. Pap. No. 251, of 1835, the following are the names and the number of the packets:--