Three boats, actively employed, would perform this work, giving two mails each month; but in case of accidents, it would be advisable to have one spare boat at St. Helena, or Cape Verde, making four at this station, or six in all between Falmouth and the Cape of Good Hope. The three boats actively employed would be at sea 40 days each voyage = 80 monthly = 960 yearly. Coals at 25 tons daily = 24,000 tons yearly, at 25_s._, 30,000_l._
From the Cape, the steamers will proceed with all the mails to the eastward, calling at Algoa Bay and Bourbon, and next to the Mauritius. From the Mauritius it will proceed to Point de Galle, where it will deposit the mails for Bombay, and afterwards proceed to Trincomalee, from whence it will return by way of Point de Galle to the Mauritius, with the return mails for Europe. It would take the Bombay mails unreasonably out of the way to proceed from the Mauritius direct (p. 075) to Trincomalee. The route, time, and distance for this boat, would be as under:--
Geo. Miles. Days. Cape of Good Hope to Mauritius 2280 12 Stop at Mauritius 2 Mauritius to Cape of Good Hope 2280 12 ---- -- Totals 4560 26 ---- --
Two boats would perform this service, giving two mails each month; each 24 days at sea each voyage = 48 monthly = 576 yearly. Coals, 25 tons daily, 14,300 tons yearly, at 40_s._ 28,600_l._; other charges, 13,640_l._ yearly; cost boats, 48,000_l._
4. _Mauritius, to Point de Galle and Trincomalee, Ceylon._
Geo. Miles. Days. Mauritius to Point de Galle 2080 11 Point de Galle to Trincomalee 280 1-1/2 Trincomalee to Mauritius, same route 2360 12-1/2 ---- ------ Totals 4720 25 ---- ------
Two steam-boats, actively employed, would perform this work, giving two mails each month; but in the event of accidents, there would require to be a spare boat on this station, either at Trincomalee or Point de Galle, as may seem advisable, and as assistance may be required for the Mauritius, Bombay, &c. line. The two boats actively engaged would be at sea each on each voyage, 27 days = 54 monthly = 648 yearly. Coals daily, 25 tons = 16,200 tons yearly, at 40_s._, 32,400_l._ Three boats yearly, other expenses, 20,640_l._ This station will require three boats; and one for the Calcutta station--together four.[15]