als 3280 28
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Two boats would be quite sufficient to perform this service, and the
advantage would be gained of having a British port as the port for
trans-shipment. Each boat would be at sea 10 and 10 = 20 days each
voyage = 40 monthly = 480 yearly; coals, 25 tons daily = 12,000 (p. 017)
tons yearly, at 25_s._ = 15,000_l._ The periods for the arrivals and
departures of these Halifax and Fayal steamers will be found to agree
well with the arrivals and departures of the steamers to run between
Halifax and the West Indies, by way of New York, as minutely
particularized under the next head.

Halifax ought to be made the point from which, and to which, all the
British North American, foreign, that is, transmarine correspondence,
ought to converge and diverge. It can be made to do so readily, and
with advantage, as the following distances will show:--

Distance. Geo. Miles.

New York to Quebec N. 19 deg. East. 390
New York to Montreal N. 4 deg. E. 305
Halifax to St. John's, by Annapolis N. 71 deg. W. 111
St. John's to Quebec N. 66 deg. W. 230
Quebec to Montreal S. 58 deg. W. 116

Thus it is obvious that Halifax is nearer England three and a half
days each way than New York; that much time would, by the above course
of post, between the mother country and all her North American
possessions, be saved, while all the advantages of carrying these
mails and passengers, &c. would be gained by British shipping and
British subjects.

The communications could be carried on between Fayal and Halifax, &c.
by sailing packets instead of steam vessels; but then these sailing
packets, on account of the number of passengers which it is almost
certain would travel by them, would require to be packets of the
largest size, or first class. Their average voyages may be taken at
sixteen days each, with six or eight to stop at Halifax, which would
bring the full voyage to forty days. This would throw the return
letters always one mail, or fifteen days, later for Europe, than if
steamers were employed; but, at the same time, it would bring their
arrival at Fayal to be regular, and in sufficient time for the
succeeding homeward packet from Fayal; for, if they go beyond thirty
days, their return within forty-five days, _in thi