2
Babelmandel to Bombay, by Aden or Socotora 1630 8
Stop at Bombay 2
Bombay to Alexandria, same route 3005 18
---- --
Totals 6010 38
---- --

Three powerful steamers would perform this work, giving two mails (p. 068)
each month--at sea 42 days each voyage = 48 monthly = 1008 yearly;
coals at 25 tons daily, 25,200 tons, at 40_s._ 50,400_l._

5. _Aden or Socotora to Mauritius._

The steamer for Bombay could, without material difficulty, drop mails
for the Mauritius at Socotora. To do so at Aden, on the Arabian coast,
would add to the distance 500 miles, which is a material objection.
From Socotora to the Mauritius is 1850 geographical miles. Two good
sailing vessels (brigantine class) would be sufficient for the work of
carrying the Mauritius mails between Socotora and that island. The
time each way may be fairly taken at 15 days, and two days to stop at
Port Louis, gives 32 days for the voyage. The cost of these vessels
should be about 4000_l._ each, and their expenditure, say, 2000_l._
each, or 4000_l._ per annum. The time from London to the Mauritius by
this route would be 48 days, and the same time to return, making the
mail communication between the two places 105 days.

6. _Bombay to Calcutta, by Ceylon._

One steam-boat would carry all the mails for the East Indies, &c. from
Suez to Bombay; and from thence another steam-boat would proceed to
Calcutta by Trincomalee, calling at Mangalore, and other places in the
west coast of Hindostan, and dropping at Trincomalee the mails for all
places more to the eastward. Going by Bombay, instead of going direct
from Babelmandel to Ceylon, only increases the distance about 270
miles, while the vast expense of having additional and separate boats
is saved. From Trincomalee, the steamer, both in going to and
returning from Calcutta, could, without inconvenience or delay, call
at Pondicherry and Madras. Should the time occupied by the steamers
from Bombay to Calcutta by this route exceed the time occupied by the
post to travel from the former to the latter by land, then in that
case the European mails from Calcutta could be forwarded by land, (p. 069)
while the passengers, parcels, &c. could go round by the steamer, the
difference, in point