ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES OF PACKETS CALCULATED.

The arrivals at, departures from, and the returns to Fayal, of the packets for all quarters, will correspond so well with the arrival outwards of the steamers from Falmouth, that no material delay on the part of the steamers bearing all the return mails to Falmouth will be occasioned or required. But because February has only twenty-eight days, the mails, to make all coincide more nearly, should be made up in London, instead of the 1st and 15th of February, on the 30th of January, and 13th of the former month. The following, however, taking the despatch of the mails from London according to the days in each month, will show the periods of the whole:—

1.—West Indies.

Mail of Arrival at Fayal Return to do.

January 1 January 10 February 25

15 25 March 13

February 1 February 10 28

15 25 April 12

March 1 February 10 25

15 25 May 10

April 1 April 10 26

15 25 June 10

May 1 May 10 25

15 25 July 10

June 1 June 10 26

15 25 August 10

July 1 July 10 25

15 25 September 9

August 1 August 10 25

15 25 October 10

September 1 September 10 26

15 25 November 10

October 1 October 10 25

15 25 December 10

November 1 November 10 26

15 25 January 10

December 1 December 10 25

15 25 February 9

Thus showing that, by the time the steamer was ready to return to Falmouth, the West Indian mails would be up at Fayal; and, as regards the other quarters, the mails from thence would have some time to spare for the voyages in case of accidents, and still be in time at Fayal, thus:—

2.—Brazils.

Mail of Arrival at Fayal Return to do.

March 1 March 10 April 24

15 25 May 9

April 1 April 10 25

15 25 June 8

May 1 May 10 24

15 25 July 8

June 1 June 10 25

15 25 August 8

July 1 July 10 24

15 25 September 9

August 1 August 10 24

15 25 October 9

September 1 September 10 25

15 25 November 8

October 1 October 10 24

15 25 December 9

November 1 November 10 25

15 25 January 9

December 1 December 10 24

15 25 February 8

January 1 January 10 24

15 25 March 9

February 1 February 10 25

15 25 April 9

3.—Fayal and Halifax Department.

Mail of Arrival at Fayal Return to do.

March 1 March 10 April 7

15 25 22

April 1 April 10 May 8

15 25 23

May 1 May 10 June 7

15 25 22

June 1 June 10 July 8

15 25 23

July 1 July 10 August 7

15 25 23

August 1 August 10 September 7

15 25 22

September 1 September 10 October 8

15 25 23

October 1 October 10 November 7

15 25 22

November 1 November 10 December 8

15 25 23

December 1 December 10 January 7

15 25 23

January 1 January 10 February 7

15 25 22

February 1 February 10 March 10

15 25 22

4.—North American and West Indian Department.

Mail of At Barbadoes At Cape Nichola Return to do.

March 1 March 22 March 27 April 24

15 April 6 April 11 May 9

April 1 22 27 25

15 May 7 May 12 June 9

May 1 22 27 24

15 June 6 June 11 July 9

June 1 22 27 25

15 July 7 July 12 August 9

July 1 22 27 24

15 August 6 August 11 September 9

August 1 22 27 24

15 September 7 September 12 October 10

September 1 22 27 25

15 October 7 October 12 November 9

October 1 22 27 24

15 November 6 November 11 December 9

November 1 22 27 25

15 December 7 December 12 January 9

December 1 22 27 24

15 January 6 January 11 February 8

January 1 22 27 24

15 February 6 February 11 March 11

February 1 22 27 27

15 March 9 March 14 April 11

The following will be the periods of the steamers between Halifax and Havannah, from which it will appear how well the whole will work as regards all North America and all the West Indies; and also how regularly and pointedly the return steamer from the Havannah (bringing the Havannah and Tampico mails, should any accident have happened to the Jamaica steamer), will call at New York for the replies to the letters by the packet from Europe, arrived at that city two days before her; and carry these forward to Halifax (giving two days to stop at New York) in time to get the steamer with the homeward British mails from that place to Fayal.

Arrivals and Departures of the London Mails of the following dates.

Mail of Arrive at Havannah Leave Halifax Arrive at Havannah Return to Halifax

January 1 January 31 January 20 January 30 February 13

15 February 15 February 4 February 14 28

February 1 March 3 20 March 2 March 16

15 18 March 7 17 April 1

March 1 31 20 30 13

15 April 15 April 4 April 14 28

April 1 May 1 20 30 May 13

15 16 May 5 May 16 29

May 1 31 20 30 June 13

15 June 15 June 4 June 14 28

June 1 July 1 20 30 July 14

15 16 July 5 July 15 29

July 1 31 20 30 August 13

15 August 15 August 4 August 14 28

August 1 31 20 30 September 13

15 September 15 September 4 September 14 28

September 1 October 1 20 30 October 14

15 16 October 5 October 15 29

October 1 31 20 30 November 13

15 November 15 November 4 November 14 28

November 1 December 1 20 30 December 14

15 16 December 5 December 15 29

December 1 31 20 30 January 13

15 January 15 January 4 January 14 28

Sailing packets in these stations would depart and arrive at corresponding periods, being able to be, if any thing, earlier forward to Fayal; but always 15 days more on their respective voyages than the steam-boats.

The steamer outwards from Barbadoes could land, and the homeward bound packet take up the Haytian mails at Cape Henry, when the return packet goes by the north side; and the return Haytian mails could be picked up at Jacmel, if the packet, when a steamer, calls, as she may do, at that place on her voyage to Jamaica, preparatory to her return by way of St. Jago and Cape Nichola to Fayal or Falmouth.

The distance and time of communicating between Barbadoes and Halifax with steamers, by Jamaica and Havannah, would be,—

Geo. Miles. Days.

Halifax to Havannah 1110 6½

Havannah to Barbadoes by Jamaica, &c. 1965 13

Stoppages 2

Barbadoes to Halifax by Jamaica, &c. 3075 15½

Stoppages, suppose 3

——— ——

Total 6150 40

——— ——

Speed, &c. of Steam Boats.

In the Sixth Report of the Post-office Commissioners, p. 281, it is stated that the Malta steamers average 7½ miles per hour, and have done so for a period of two years. The Dublin and Liverpool Steam Post-office packets average also 7½ miles per hour, or 180 miles daily.

In the same Report, p. 265, Mr. Napier states, that he built the steamers which run between Dundee and London; and that during a period of eighteen months they have averaged 11½ miles per hour. This, it is believed, means British miles, or 10 geographical miles. At the latter rate they run 240 miles per day. During the period above mentioned, these boats have not cost their owners 18l. for repairs to the machinery. A steam-boat of 240-horse power would at that time (1836) cost 24,000l. to 25,000l., burden 620 tons. A contractor, to keep them in repair, would require 1,000l. per annum.

According to accounts lately received from the East, the Berenice, with only one engine, the other having been broken, ran from Socotora to Suez, a distance of 1800 miles, in 9½ days. The Leith and London Steamers, such as the Monarch, of 200-horse power, run the distance, 415 geographical miles, in 45 hours,—the average of voyages during the year; and frequently the distance is run in 40 hours, and even less.

Estimates for Passengers on each Station.

Demerara steamers, 48 voyages, 20 each, 960 per annum, at 30 dollars 28,800

1st Leeward station—Barbadoes to Havannah, through all the islands, 48 voyages monthly, 50 each, is 2400, at 70 dollars average 168,000

2d Leeward station—Havannah to Vera Cruz, and Jamaica to Chagre, Panama, &c. &c., 96 voyages, at 20 each, is 1920 yearly, at 40 dollars 76,800

Packets and sailing-vessels in all the points, 120 voyages, average 10 each, is 1200, at 25 dollars 30,000

———

Total dollars 303,600

———

At 4s. 2d. per dollar, is sterling £63,250

Falmouth to Barbadoes, 43 voyages, 20 each, at 40l. £38,000

Falmouth to Rio de Janeiro, 48 voyages, 10 each, at 55l. 26,200

Falmouth to Halifax, 48 voyages, 20 each, 960 yearly, average 35l. 33,600

Halifax to West Indies, by New York, 48 voyages, 20 each, is 960, at 26l. 24,960

Falmouth to Madeira and Teneriffe, 200 yearly, at 20l. 4,000

Rio do Janeiro to Buenos Ayres, 240 yearly, at 15l. 3,600

Pernambuco to Maranham, 120 yearly, at 12l. 1,440

West India Islands to Bermuda, Nassau, &c. &c. 280 yearly, at 12l. 3,360

——— 135,160

———

Total £198,410

Deduct expense, finding one-third 66,136

———

Amount gained £132,274

———

The cost of finding passengers is here estimated at 4 dollars per day. In the House of Commons Report about Steam Communications with India, the cost of finding passengers to that quarter of the world is estimated by experienced captains of ships at 10s. sterling per day. The charge made in steamers in the West Indies for cabin passage money, by orders of the Admiralty, is 17l. sterling, Barbadoes to Jamaica; 10l. sterling, Jamaica to St. Thomas; and 10l. sterling, St. Thomas to Barbadoes.

Income:—Parcels, Packages, and Fine Goods. Steamers to be restricted to 40 tons Weight in all.

240 voyages on the four great lines yearly, 20 tons each, at the rate of 10l. per ton over all £48,000

Second Class Lines, Barbadoes to Havannah, Havannah to Vera Cruz; Jamaica to Chagre, &c; Barbadoes to Demerara, 192 voyages yearly, 20 tons each, average 10l. 38,400

Suppose Third Class Lines by Sailing-vessels everywhere—388 voyages, average 8 tons 31,040

———

Total £117,440

———

But Port Dues remain to be deducted—uncertain, say, 15,000l.