within a very short space of time; the buckets first emptied,
refilled, and emptied again, to a considerable extent, in a period of
no great additional time. At smaller depots and ports, the steamer
might hoist in thirty or forty tons of coals during her shorter time
of stoppage; and thus steamers, without any material delay, would
always have a sufficient and certain supply of fuel. The coals at all
the depots should be well covered and protected from the sun.

Further, on this head, most of the small coal (the best) which goes to
waste at the depots, may be saved by the following simple
process:--Let it be mixed with a little clay, considerably diluted,
then made into small balls, and afterwards dried in the sun (a rapid
process within the tropics), and then taken on board with the others
when wanted. It burns with great force. It is so used on estates in
the West Indies for Stills. The saving is great, and the labour of
making it up exceedingly light. A child may almost perform it.

It is necessary to observe, that steam-boats for the torrid zone must
be fitted up and out in a manner considerably different, more
especially in their hatches, from the best and most splendid boats in
this country. For the convenience and health of both the passengers
and crews, those for the torrid zone must, in every part, be more
roomy and airy, yet so constructed as to be closed in the speediest
and securest manner in the event of a hurricane; consequently they
will require less expense in building, and fitting up of cabins, &c.
than the crack boats in this country, in order to make them so.

In all the distances stated, there are, be it observed, included in
the time allowed, three or four hours to land and take in mails and
passengers at every place where the steamers may have to touch; and at
the more important stations, at least six hours beyond the longer
periods allowed for stoppages for coals and mails, &c. It will be
necessary to give six or eight hours at Barbadoes before the departure
of the steamer, that Government despatches may be forwarded. In fact,
the steamer should always, and only leave that island at sun-rise on
the day following that whereon the packet arrived from England, (p. 007)
because by doing so, it would reach St. Thomas at daybreak on the
second morning (the navigation at that island is rather dangerous
during the night), clear it, and reach St. John's, Porto Rico, with
daylight, and in consequence