the Cape of
Good Hope. The number, however, from the extent of the trade, must be
very great; and not a doubt can remain, that if regular and speedy
conveyances were established, the numbers would be very much
increased. In a communication from Col. Maberly, Secretary to the
General Post Office, printed by order of the House of Commons last
year, along with the Evidence taken before the Committee appointed to
consider the propriety of establishing a Steam Communication with
India, that gentleman gives the whole amount of postage outwards for
1836 to Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malta, and Corfu, at 3411_l._, and reckons
the amount inwards at the same sum. He estimates the whole postage
outwards and inwards, including sea postage between England, Ceylon,
India, and the Mediterranean, at 47,000_l._ Even this sum, which
certainly by no means includes every letter to and from the places
mentioned, would, under the arrangements proposed, be doubled,
independently of all the postages which would be obtained from the New
South Wales, China, and Batavia, &c. &c. trade. The coasting or
internal postages of Hindostan would certainly be greatly increased.

In the Finance Accounts of 1837, p. 55, there is charged the sum (p. 128)
of 14,216_l._ 19_s._ 11_d._ for transit postage through foreign
countries. Much of this is doubtless from letters which come through
France, &c. from the Mediterranean, and countries near that sea. Under
the proposed regular and frequent packet arrangement, the letters from
which much of this sum is obtained would come directly through the
British Post Office.

The amount of postage to be obtained through the vast range of
countries which the New Plan proposes to embrace, can only be
conjectured by considering the immense trade which is carried on with
them and by them. As it is very great, so must the correspondence to
which it gives rise be.

_Mauritius and Socotora._

An error has been committed in stating the expense on this station
(see page 68.) Three sailing-vessels, instead of two, will be
required; thus adding 4000_l._ to the capital, and 2000_l._ to the
yearly expenditure.

* * * * *

Including the Mediterranean, the yearly cost of the present Foreign
Packet conveyances, limited, uncertain, and irregular as the whole is,
cannot be less than 350,000_l._, exclusive of any sum set apart to
replace the capital engaged in it.

If the East Indian communication is amal