The desirable object of bringing the most important central and trans-shipping points under the British flag, can only be gained by making in this case the run of the steamers to be from Halifax, by New York, to the Havannah; or from New York, by Havannah, to Jamaica. While the various ways by which this latter could be effected are (p. 019) here stated, still the former will be found to be the most economical, certainly not the most inconvenient, and, on many accounts, the preferable mode. At Havannah the North American steamer would meet in the most regular manner, and to a day, the steamers from Havannah to Vera Cruz; and from Havannah to Jamaica, Barbadoes, &c. &c. The route and time of these boats would be as follows:--
Halifax to New York 520 3-1/2 New York to Havannah 1140 6-1/2 Stop at Havannah, say 2 Havannah to Halifax, by New York. 1660 10 ---- ------ Totals 3320 22
Two powerful boats would be perfectly sufficient to perform this work, giving two mails each month; first cost 48,000_l._, yearly charges 12,400_l._ Each boat would be at sea 20 days each voyage = 40 monthly = 480 yearly; coals daily, 25 tons = 12,000 tons yearly, at 25_s._ = 15,000_l._
The outward European mails would arrive at Halifax on the 20th and the 4th or 5th of every month, and at Havannah on the 31st or 1st, and 15th or 16th of each month. Leaving Halifax on the days above mentioned, the steamers, by way of New York, would reach Havannah on the 30th and 15th of each month, and, allowing two days at Havannah, return to Halifax by way of New York, on the 14th and 29th, eight days before the arrival there of the outward European packet, giving abundance of time to rest. This steamer will bring back from New York the answers to the letters received from Europe for the return packet from Halifax to Fayal. These letters would reach New York on the 23d and 8th of each month. The stoppage at New York by this steamer returning northward could not be beyond one or two days. To meet the West Indian and South American packets returning to the central point, Fayal, the steamer, with all the North American correspondence, must leave Halifax on the 29th or 30th, and the 13th or 14th of each month. Considering attentively the calculations here made, it will be (p. 020) found that they correspond accurately, and that in practice these will work admirably, and without confusion or delay--points, in an affair of this kind, of the greatest importance.